Mikes on Mics

Episode 69: Apps and Actions

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” discuss a recent episode of the Enough podcast where Patrick Rhone and Myke Hurley examine a common obsession with the app choices of others. Schechter and Vardy share why they feel the apps can often matter as much as the actions they seek to help us achieve.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Parallel 49 Brewing Co. – Hopnotist Imperial IPA
Michael Schechter - Earl Grey IPA | Marble Brewery

Links

Enough - Ep 203 - Actions Not Apps
Patrick Rhone | A Trusted System
The App Choices of Others
Back to Work #82: Blue Food in Your Refrigerator
enough by Patrick Rhone
Manage Your Day-to-Day by Jocelyn K. Glei, Scott Belsky and others
Follow Schechter on Twitter or App.net
Follow Vardy on Twitter or App.net

This episode is brought to you by: Squarespace, the secret behind exceptional websites. Go to squarespace.com/70decibels to start your free trial and use the offer code '70decibels5' at checkout to get 10% off your first order.

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Episode 68: Prepared Enough To Wing It with Dave Morris

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” are joined by Dave Morris to examine the ways that improvisation can improve the way you approach your work and life.

What The Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Belle Royale « Driftwood Brewery
Michael Schechter - Low Life - Evil Twin Brewing
Dave Morris - Spicebox Whisky and Coke Zero

Episode 67: Chaotic Energy with Pat Dryburgh

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” are joined by Pat Dryburgh to discuss his Hundred Down experiment and the stress that comes along with attempting to make a change.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Smoke & Mirrors – Imperial Smoked Ale « Coal Harbour Brewing
Michael Schechter - Steam Whistle Brewing - Canada’s Premium Pilsner
Pat Dryburgh - Patrón Silver Tequila

Episode 66: People Still Use Paper with Dave Caolo

Fri, 03 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” are joined by Dave Caolo of 52 Tiger and Home Work fame for a conversation on the best ways to use paper (remember that stuff?) to get things done. As with most analog technologies, Schechter struggles to make the most of notebooks and other popular paper products in his everyday productivity, so Vardy and Caolo take him to school. Towards the end, all three take a step back from the “how-to” aspects of paper to talk about the role of analog tools in an increasingly digital world.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Vintage Ale is a bottle conditioned beer brewed with the year’s finest malt and hops
Michael Schechter - Nebuchadnezzar - Omnipollo - Stockholm, Sweden - BeerAdvocate
Dave Caolo - Ruthless Rye | Sierra Nevada

Links

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Episode 65: Creating in Public with Patrick Rhone

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:00:00 -0400

"The Mikes" are joined by Patrick Rhone to take a behind the scenes look at the the launch of his So You Want To Be A Mac Consultant Now... ebook. In less than one week, Patrick took what started as a question on App.net about an old blog post, began updating the piece and turned it into the first ever Minimal Guide. Wondering how a question on a social network led to a living blog post which turned into to an premium ebook that is still being updated as this episode goes live? Schechter and Vardy were too, and thankfully Patrick was more than happy to share his experience.

Want a Free App.net Invite?

Speaking of App.net the team at App.net were kind enough to provide 200 invites to the free tier of ADN accounts especially for listeners of Mikes on Mics. If you're yet to give the service a try, both Vardy and Schechter (as well as Patrick) are big fans of this social network. The invites are first come, first serve. Get yours here.

Episode 64: Experimenting with A.J. Jacobs

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” are joined by author and experimenter extraordinaire A. J. Jacobs. A.J. writes for Esquire and is the author of books like Drop Dead Healthy and My Life as an Experiment. Vardy and A.J. swap tales of their own experiments while Schechter asks about the smaller impact of big experiments. They also discuss how A.J. doesn’t sleep with his wife… so you’re not going to want to miss this episode.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Writers Tears Whiskey
Michael Schechter - Lagunitas Sucks | Lagunitas Brewing Company
A.J. Jacobs - Zywiec

Links

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Episode 63: DIY Creating with Brian Thompson

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” are joined by Brian Thompson of Thorny Bleeder to talk about the shift of creators taking control of their own art and careers. Brian’s site focuses on helping musicians take command of their career. The conversation starts on the space, but grows into the way that people can work to ensure the success of their own creations. Schechter, Vardy and Brian discuss the challenges that come along with balancing the creating along everything else involved in helping those creations find an audience.

Note: We ran into a little Skype trouble, but hope you’ll agree the conversation is worth the occasional quality drop. Schechter was also wrong, KBS is indeed a breakfast stout.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Bright Ale | Little Creatures
Michael Schechter - KBS | Our Beers | Founders Brewing Co.
Brian Thompson - Green Tea

Links

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Kourosh Dini of Using OmniFocus and Thanh Pham of Asian Efficiency to talk about their mutual interest and obsession with the topic of productivity. All four share what led them to the topic, how they go about doing things and how this informs the way they talk about talking about doing things. Beyond their own interest in the subject, Schechter, Vardy, Dini and Pham all discuss the current state of the productivity space by examining where it helps (and when it hurts) those who turn to it.

Note: After the episode, "The Mikes", Kourosh and Thanh all geek out about OmniFocus 2. You can get ahold of this conversation by subscribing to the Mike Techniques newsletter.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Creme Brulee Vanilla Stout - Gulf Islands Brewing - Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada - BeerAdvocate
Michael Schechter - Evil Twin Femme Fatale Blanc
Kourosh and Thanh both drank tea (not that "The Mikes" are judging...)

Links

This episode is brought to you by: Squarespace, the secret behind exceptional websites. Go to XXX Black Double IPA | Midnight Sun Brewing Company Cabin Fever | Phillips Beer

Episode 60: Not Just Pen Porn with Brad Dowdy

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” are joined by Brad Dowdy of The Pen Addict website and podcast. While the conversation starts out talking about Vardy and Brad’s respective pen addictions, Schechter quickly attempts to shift to the larger topic of passions and obsessions. Schechter, Vardy and Brad discuss the online prevalence of their passions and compare it with their offline lives. Pen Addicts (like Brad and Vardy) and those who couldn’t care less (like Schechter) stand to benefit from a conversation on what you care about, how many things you can care about and the things you can’t care about in order to make your passions matter even more.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Imperial IPA for Autism -
Michael Schechter - Stone Enjoy By IPA

Links

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Episode 59: Drafting with Greg Pierce

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:00:00 -0400

This week "The Mikes" are joined by Greg Pierce, the founder of Agile Tortoise, creator of several fine apps, including Drafts. Greg shares the motivation behind the app, sheds light on many of its latest features, and shares some best practices when using the app. Vardy throws Schechter under the bus by sharing the fact that he is not a Drafts user (which wasn't awkward at all).

Note: There was a slight delay on the call which accounts for Schechter talking over people. Well, it accounts for Schechter talking over people more than usual anyhow...

What Mikes (and Greg) Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Driftwood Twenty Pounder Double IPA - 94 at RateBeer
Michael Schechter - Slumbrew Snow Angel - Somerville Brewing Company (Slumbrew) - Somerville, MA - BeerAdvocate
Greg Pierce - Oskar Blues | Dales Pale Ale - Oskar Blues

Links

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Episode 58: Thinking About It with Aaron Mahnke

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:00:00 -0500

“The Mikes” are joined by Aaron Mahnke of Frictionless, Read & Trust and just about every other website on the internet to talk about side projects. Join Schechter, Vardy and Mahnke for a candid conversation on balancing their work, their families and their projects.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Unibroue 17
Michael Schechter - Lagunitas Sucks | Lagunitas Brewing Company
Aaron Mahnke - Innis & Gunn Rum Finish | Craft Beer Born in Edinburgh, Scotland

Links

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Episode 57: Everyday Sketchnoting with Mike Rohde

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:00:00 -0500

"The Mikes" are joined by Mike Rohde of The Sketchnote Handbook on taking advantage of visual note taking in everyday situations. Schechter discusses his enjoyment of Sketchnotes despite his total inability to draw while Vardy flaunts his creative skills, all while Mike Rohde offers sage advice on all of the ways you can take advantage of his unique approach to capturing what matters most in your notes.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Smoke & Mirrors – Imperial Smoked Ale « Coal Harbour Brewing
Michael Schechter - Sixpoint | Beers | 3BEANS
Mike Rohde - Nespresso

Links

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Episode 56: Facing Feedback with Jason Rehmus

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:00:00 -0500

"The Mikes" are joined by Jason Rehmus of Sweating Commas for a conversation about making the most out of feedback. While not always the easiest thing to hear, getting - and more importantly embracing - candid feedback on your work from a trusted source is one of the most essential tools for improving your work. Before wrapping up they also touch on a concept that Jason talked about when he was a guest on Patrick Rhone and Myke Hurley's Enough: creating a business that is not made to scale.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Angels Envy
Michael Schechter - Fat Tug IPA
Jason Rehmus - Bookers Bourbon

Episode 55: Checking The Mailbox with Gentry Underwood

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:00:00 -0500

“The Mikes” are joined by Gentry Underwood, CEO and co-founder of Orchestra, the company behind Mailbox. For the one geek who doesn’t know, Mailbox is a new email application that looks to rethink the way we approach our inbox. The response to Mailbox has been overwhelming. At the time of recording nearly 800,000 people were waiting to get access. Gentry talks about the inspiration behind the application, possible directions for the future and offers candid insights into the need for their unconventional rollout.

Note: This episode was recorded prior to some downtime for the new service on February 14th.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Parallel 49 Vow Of Silence Belgian Strong Ale
Michael Schechter - The Perfect Crime Hollow Point - 82 at RateBeer
Gentry Underwood - Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23yr | Old Rip Van Winkle

Episode 54: Pitfalls On The Way To Moderate Internet Success

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:00:00 -0500

“The Mikes” share some of the mistakes made and lessons learned through their online endeavors. Vardy describes the challenges of balancing writing what you’re passionate about vs. what pays the bills while Schechter talks about his god-given gift for shoving his foot (or keyboard) in his rather large mouth.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Singularity Russian Imperial Stout « Driftwood Brewery
Michael Schechter - St. Botolph’s Town | Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project, Inc.

Links

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Episode 53: A Productive Argument with Matt Alexander

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:00:00 -0500

“The Mikes” are joined by Matt Alexander of OneThirtySeven and the Bionic podcast podcast for a bit of back and forth about productivity immediately following The OmniFocus Setup.

Note: This was recorded live at Macworld at a coffee shop, so please forgive the audio, especially the coffee grinding during the intro.

Episode 52: The Yearly Review

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:00:00 -0500

"The Mikes" celebrate a year of Mikes on Mics by tearing the year's worth of hard work that went into it to shreds. Regular weekly and monthly reviews are helpful tools, but there's nothing quite like taking an annual, thorough look at the projects you love. With this mind, Vardy and Schechter discuss what's gone right, what's gone wrong and what's about to get better as their collaboration hits the one year mark.

P.S. Thank you all so very, very much for putting up with us for this long! - Schechter and Vardy

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Parallel 49 Barrel Aged Series Russian Imperial Stout
Michael Schechter - Steam Whistle Brewing - Canada's Premium Pilsner

Episode 51: How To Get An Interview With Jonathan Coulton

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 12:00:00 -0500

This weeks “The Mikes” are joined by internet superstar, humorist, singer, songwriter and all around rock god, Jonathan Coulton for a conversation about making a career out of your creativity. Vardy shows just how far he is willing to go in order to book a guest for your listening entertainment while Schechter does his best to play it cool. In this action-packed episode, “The Mikes” get Jonathan to share a bit about Thing A Week, One Christmas at a Time, JoCo Cruise Crazy, the little girl who inspired You Ruined Everything and the building of the JoCo empire.

Links

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Episode 50: Gaming Confidence

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:00:00 -0500

"The Mikes" have a solo conversation about confidence, specifically Vardy's tendency to have it and Schechter's tendency to not.

This is an older episode that we never released. As we come up to our year anniversary, we thought it was time to let it see the light of day. In this time:

Justin Lancy left the country ("The Mikes" miss you)
Schechter never wrote the article he touches on in the episode (guess he got it all out here)
Schechter has become far more disparaging towards Vardy
Despite its age, this episode is not so different from what we normally do now
Apple Maps still suck

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Select Reserve | The Glenrothes
Michael Schechter - White Bark Witbier « Driftwood Brewery

Links

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Episode 49: Living with Intent with Shawn Blanc

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 12:00:00 -0500

“The Mikes” are joined by Shawn Blanc for a conversation about intentional living. Shawn shares several the ways that intention impacts the way he approaches his work and how this helped him take his site, ShawnBlanc.net, full time. Schechter asks Shawn how the unintentional amongst us (not that Schechter knows anyone who can be a bit unintentional) can get started while Vardy asks how the unpredictable joy that is a newborn child can impact an intentional approach to life.

Episode 48: Year In, Year Out

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500

“The Mikes” take a moment at the end of 2012 to talk about year end rituals. Vardy shares how he uses the year end to plot out the upcoming year while Schechter talks about his new attempt at holiday cleaning. “The Mikes” also share their favorite things of 2012 and share what they hope to see in 2013. A big thanks to everyone who spent time with “The Mikes” in 2012. Here’s to a productive and prosperous 2013!

Speaking of a prosperous 2013, Vardy’s first book, The Front Nine: How to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want is now out! Please consider checking it out.

Note: We’re gong to be changing up the way we record our episodes in 2013 to improve audio quality… so, in other words, sorry for the Skype issues on Schechter’s end…

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Sodastream Cherry Cola
Michael Schechter - Uber Pils | Blue Mountain Barrel House Beers

Links

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Omni Group for a chat about OmniFocus and the upcoming release of OmniFocus 2.0. Schechter and Vardy are both long time and dedicated users, so needless to say, they were excited to talk about all things OmniFocus with the man at the top. Vardy is even going to be a part of the fancy and upcoming OmniFocus Setup panel (not that Schechter’s jealous… nope, he’s super happy for his friend and podcasting cohort… no anger, sadness or bitterness at all… Schechter’s not a petty man… not even a little), so if you’re planning on attending Macworld, you are not going to want to miss it. In the meantime, enjoy some insights into one of the “The Mikes” favorite productivity tools.

Links

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Episode 46: Kickstarting Your Year with Craig Jarrow

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500

“The Mikes” are joined by the Time Management Ninja himself, Mr. Craig Jarrow. Craig recently partnered with Vardy for their now released project, Kickstart the Year. Schechter grills Craig and Vardy on the tools and tactics they used to turn their concept into a reality. A reality you should seriously consider buying, especially if you’re looking to have a more successful 2013.

Note: Considering Vardy is one of the two minds behind Kickstart the Year, there will be a tiny bit of shameless self-promotion in this episode.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy -
Michael Schechter - Sleepytime® Herbal Tea and DayQuil
Craig Jarrow - Cîroc & Lemonade with CÎROC® Vodka

Links

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Episode 45.5: More Procrastination with Brett Terpstra

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Schechter wasn’t quite pleased with his performance in the productivity episode with Brett Terpstra, so the second the episode ended, he just decided to keep things going. “The Mikes” thought you might enjoy this follow up conversation with Brett, or just be looking for a good distraction from something you should really be doing… either way, enjoy!

Follow Brett, Schechter and Vardy on Twitter.

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Episode 45: Producing Through Procrastination with Brett Terpstra

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500

“The Mikes” are joined by Brett Terpstra, maker of all things internet, for a conversation about accomplishing your obligations when there are far too many appealing options that can pull you away. Terpstra makes more things in a week than Schechter and Vardy combined could create in a lifetime, the man has several balls in the air. We talk about how he keeps them all up there and what happens to them all when one responsibility requires his full attention.

“The Mikes” have also launched a new free newsletter and supplemental podcast called Mike Techniques. They’d really appreciate it if you would check it out and let them know what you think.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Writers Tears
Michael Schechter - Russian Roulette - Evil Twin Brewing
Brett Terpstra - Casa Noble Anejo Tequila

Links

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Episode 44: It's Not Magic with C.C. Chapman

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 12:00:00 -0500

“The Mikes” are joined by C.C. Chapman, author of Content Rules and the imminent new release, Amazing Things Will Happen, for a conversation about how… well… to make amazing things happen. Vardy and C.C. talk about how to balance the desire to be present at home with the career and personal benefits that come from being on the road. Schechter thanks C.C. for writing a self-help book (after all, Schechter needs all the help he can get) that takes a more realistic approach to improving your life.

Note: A phone dings every minute on the minute for a few minutes in the middle there… Schechter’s wife may or may not have left her phone on and in the room where he records. So please, don’t drive yourself crazy looking for the phone making noise while listening to the episode (you know, like Schechter did while writing these show notes)…

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Writers tears
Michael Schechter - Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel | La chouffe
C.C. Chapman - Bulleit Bourbon

Links

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Episode 43: Daily Routines

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Inspired by a conversation on Twitter, “The Mikes” both share their respective approaches to their daily routine. In addition to painting a “day in the life”, Schechter and Vardy explain how they structure their days and what they count on in order to get things done.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Basil Hayden’s Bourbon
Michael Schechter - HOUBLON CHOUFFE Dobbelen IPA Tripel | La chouffe

Links - Vardy

Links - Schechter

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Episode 42: The Risk of Staying with Myke Hurley

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 12:00:00 -0500

This week, “The Mikes” are joined by Mr. Myke Hurley, fearless leader of the 70Decibels Podcasting Network and Executive Producer of this very show to revisit the topic of self-employment vs. a traditional career. In a previous episode Vardy shared his risky approach to career growth, while Schechter came off as a giant, self-admitted chicken. This time around, Schechter brought in Hurley -- who also juggles a traditional career with a demanding side project -- to help him examine the positive aspects of a full-time job.

Unrelated Side Note: Vardy launched his latest endeavor, Productivityist.com. If you’re looking to be more productive, be sure to give it a look.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Aeropress Coffee
Michael Schechter - Sodastream
Myke Hurley - Mango, Orange and Cinnamon Tea

Links

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Episode 41: Passions On Tap with Marina Arnaout

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:00:00 -0500

“The Mikes” are joined by Marina Arnaout from Steam Whistle. Long time listeners of the show will know that Schechter has been on a fruitless journey to find a Pilsner that comes close to his beloved Steam Whistle (sadly and admirably, Steam Whistle will not import to the US until they are ubiquitous in Canada). Beyond being a great beer, Steam Whistle is a great company. They show tremendous care in everything they do and their choices are extremely intentional. Sit back, crack a beer and learn about what it takes to “do one thing, really, really well.”

What Mikes Are Drinking

Sadly, this was recorded mid-day. No one, not even Marina indulged in a tasty beverage. However, both Marina and Vardy ended their days with a delicious Steam Whistle Pilsner (Schechter’s not angry at all… not even one bit…).

Episode 40: Best Practicing with David Finch

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” are joined by David Finch, author of The Journal of Best Practices to talk about the importance of self-improvement, even in the face of significant challenges. Schechter and Finch swap tales of their respective ADHD and Aspergers impacts their relationships while Vardy reminds us all that neurotypicals have plenty challenges of their own.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Slipstream | Phillips Beer
Michael Schechter - Heady Topper | The Alchemist
David Finch - Samuel Adams® Noble Pils

Links

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Episode 39.5: Letterpress Parables

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 12:00:00 -0400

While finishing up a recording session “The Mikes” started to talk about Letterpress. This casual conversation turned into an examination of how the game both reflects and impacts the way that Schechter and Vardy approach personal productivity. They also totally nerd about about just how great the game is, but that’s a given.

Note: This is not an “official” episode, just a conversation we thought was worth sharing, so forgive that it does not follow traditional format and has not been edited for added sound quality. Vardy wasn’t even using his standard mic.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Spring Fever Gruit by Saltspring Island Ales
Michael Schechter - 60 Minute IPA | Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales

Links

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Episode 39: Zooming Out with Julien Smith

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” are joined by Julien Smith, co-author of The Impact Equation and Trust Agents for alternative side to the previous episode with his partner in crime, Chris Brogan. Vardy and Julien share Canadian references while Schechter scrambles to hide his ignorance of the North by changing subjects and asking Julien about his bible.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Ethical Coffee Chain - Home
Michael Schechter - Sleepytime® Herbal Tea | Celestial Seasonings
Julien Smith - Columbian Coffee from Café Saint Henri

Links

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Episode 38: Making an Impact with Chris Brogan

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” are joined by Chris Brogan, co-author of The Impact Equation and Trust Agents, for a conversation about how to stop making noise and start making progress. Vardy tries to deny his tendency to stalk Chris at conferences around the world while Schechter asks about Chris’ recent foray into bravery. They also examine why the talk Chris gave at the World Domination Summit may have been his best.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Sartori Harvest IPA « Driftwood Brewery
Michael Schechter - Prima Pils | Victory Brewing Company
Chris Brogan - Hendrick’s Gin

Links

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Episode 37: Getting To GTD with David Allen

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” are joined by David Allen, the author of Getting Things Done and Making It All Work, to discuss both the perceived challenges and the ways to get started applying the GTD methodology to your life. Vardy follows up on a few of his previous interviews with David and Schechter questions what to do when you lack the most basic skills to, you know, actually get things done.

Links

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Episode 36: Getting Away From Email with Jared Goralnick

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” are joined by Jared Goralnick of AwayFind and Technotheory.com for a conversation about email and the myriad of challenges that come along with it. Jared shares some of the best ways to get away from your inbox, Vardy asks about those who live their lives out of their inbox and Schechter shares his stressful days of doing exactly that. They also talk about the striking similarities between Awayfind and the new VIP features in iOS 6.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Cream Ale | Lighthouse Brewing Company
Michael Schechter - Jack D’Or | Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project, Inc.
Jared Goralnick - Hot and Sour Soup

Links

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Episode 35: So Good They Can't Ignore Us with Cal Newport

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 12:00:00 -0400

This week Cal Newport, author of the newly published “So Good They Can’t Ignore You”, joins “The Mikes”. Cal explains why Vardy shouldn’t follow his passion and tells Schechter why we now live in a post-productivity world. There’s also a somewhat controversial conversation questioning Steve Jobs passion that should bring an angry letter or ten…

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Steam Whistle Brewing - Canada’s Premium Pilsner (Schechter’s not bitter…)
Michael Schechter - Festbier | Victory Brewing Company
Cal Newport - Monumental IPA | Port City Brewing Company

Links

And Drafts. Where text starts on your iPhone or iPad. If you want to win a copy then click here and tweet this text!

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Episode 34: Didn't Have The Time with Mike Rose

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” are joined this week by yet another Mike! Mike Rose of TUAW and Geek Parent talks with Schechter and Vardy about the often futile attempts (often in vain) to balance jobs, lives, families and passions.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Lighthouse Racerocks Ale
Michael Schechter - Pretty Things Jack D’Or
Mike Rose - High Note Malbec 2010

Episode 33: Taking The Risks (Or Not)

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” talk about the various approaches to risk, especially when it comes to careers choices. This is a Vardy-centric episode, mostly because Schechter can’t stop talking about how Vardy quit his job without telling his wife.

Hat tip to Todd Chandler for suggesting this weeks topic. Have a topic for “The Mikes”? Contact them here.

Note: We apologize for some intermittent static throughout the episode. We don’t want to say whose fault it is, but it’s totally Vardy’s. Sorry for the temporary dip in audio quality, but we hope you’ll agree that the conversation is worth a little bit of static.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Woodford Reserve
Michael Schechter - Midnight Sun Brewing Company | Meltdown Double IPA

Episode 32: The Write Stuff

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:00:00 -0400

After listening to the latest episode of the Zen Geek Podcast on writing, “The Mikes” thought they would get in on the fun and talk about their own writing workflows.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - 2009 Cedar Creek Estate Winery Proprietor’s Red: Critic Scores and Price History
Michael Schechter - Midnight Sun Brewing Company | Meltdown Double IPA

Episode 31: Making Time

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” sit down for a one-on-one chat about making time for the things that matter: our families, our jobs, our projects and, occasionally, even ourselves (although Schechter’s already pretty darn good at that last bit).

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Baby Tree | Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project, Inc.
Michael Schechter - Old Grand-Dad 114 Barrel Proof Bourbon

Links

This episode is brought to you by: The all new Squarespace 6! Go try out the new secret behind exceptional websites. Go to squarespace.com/70decibels to start your free trial and use the offer code '70decibels8' at checkout to get 10% off your first order.

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Episode 30: Getting Down to Business with Andrew Carroll

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0400

"The Mikes" are joined by Andrew Carroll, a.k.a. CPA Andrew, to discuss when to shift from BSing on the internet to building your online efforts into a business.

What Mikes (and Andrew) Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - The Colbert Bump
Michael Schechter - Steam Whistle Pilsner
Andrew Carroll - Macallan 21 Year Fine Oak

Episode 29: Finding Time with Davy Buntinx

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” talk about finding the time to get things done with special guest Davy Buntinx. Schechter, Vardy and Davy also touch on their own routines and more importantly, their morning coffee rituals.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon
Michael Schechter - 120 Minute IPA | Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales
Davy Buntinx - Coffee and milk

Episode 28: Are We Done Yet? with Yuvi Zalkow

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” drag author, writer and schmo, Yuvi Zalkow into Schechter’s hotel room to talk about the upcoming release of his first novel (which will be officially released on Monday, August 14th, go buy it!). Along with Vardy (who go the only actual chair in the room), we discuss the final throws of a massive project (in this case Yuvi’s new book. Have we mentioned Yuvi’s book, cause you should totally buy it) and the harsh truths that often come after you think you’re done.

What Schechter and Yuvi Drank (after the show)

Gin and Drinking Vinegar at Whiskey Soda Lounge

Episode 27: Vardy is a Hypocrite

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” sit down as Schechter (along with a random blog commenter) calls Vardy out on his recent decisions to come back to both OmniFocus and Gmail. Much as Schechter wished calling out Vardy would never end, they inevitably move on to the tools they use to plan their respective days.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - OTIMA by Warre’s
Michael Schechter - Baby Tree by Pretty Things Beer

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Episode 26: Herding Nerds with Jean MacDonald

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 12:00:00 -0400

Jean MacDonald from Smile, the makers of TextExpander and PDF Pen sits down with “The Mikes” for a casual chat at the World Domination Summit. Join us as Schechter and Vardy as Jean talks about the latest version of TextExpander, the collective power of nerds and shares her super not-so-secret-anymore upcoming project.

What Mikes (and Jean) Drank

Vardy, Schechter and Jean - I2PA - Rogue Ales

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Episode 25: Getting Everything Done with David Sparks

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 12:00:00 -0400

David Sparks (a.k.a. MacSparky) joins “The Mikes” to discuss just how it is he manages to get everything done. Follow along as Schechter expresses his awe for David’s ability to balance a challenging day job and a family while managing to be prolific in his online offerings. Vardy dives deeply into how David is evolving his writing with his first self-published release, Paperless.

What Mikes (and David) Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Hoparazzi - Parallel 49 Brewing Company
Michael Schechter - Poperings Hommel Bier - BeerAdvocate
David Sparks - Monkey Picked Oolong Tea (Yes, you’re reading that right)

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Episode 24: The Conference Conversation

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” discuss the importance of and best practices for attending a conference while actually attending a conference together. Join Schechter and Vardy for their first face-to-face conversation while at the World Domination Summit.

Note: This episode was recorded in Schechter’s hotel room so please forgive any sound inconsistencies.

What Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy and Michael Schechter - Total Domination IPA - Ninkasi Brewing Company

Links

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Episode 23: It's All About the Launch with David Barnard

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 12:00:00 -0400

David Barnard of App Cubby joins “The Mikes” for a candid conversation on the creation of Launch Center and its recent evolution into Launch Center Pro.

What Mikes (and David) Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Sodastream
Michael Schechter - Also Sodastream
David Barnard - A cup of cold coffee

Links

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Episode 22: The Quality Factor

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:00:00 -0400

“The Mikes” decided to dive into the idea of quality, not only regarding the type of work produced by people but the quality of the tools used by said people to make quality work. We talk about how we come to the decision of what tools we use, the value we place upon the tools themselves and the work that comes from using them. The emphasis is often placed on speed when productivity gets talked about, but we decide to go in a different direction and wind up with a “quality” discussion as a result. (Note: While this may seem like a bonus episode this week, it's really not. Mikes on Mics is moving to Fridays, so rather than have you wait nearly two weeks to get another does of Schechter and Vardy, we thought we'd do this instead.)

What The Mikes Are Drinking

Mike Vardy - Magic Hat #9
Michael Schechter - Steam Whistle (FINALLY!)

Links

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