Shantanu Starick: How I Went Two Years Without Spending Any Money

Ellen Fondiler | Grab Bag

In GRAB BAG, I share extra stories, discoveries and gems that don’t quite “fit” anywhere else on my blog — but are too good not to share. Kind of like a piñata or a mystery box: you never know what’s going to be inside! Enjoy!

This video features an amazing photographer — Shantanu Starick — who shares how removing money out of the creative process led him to a wider array of jobs and a much more fulfilling freelance career.

From 99U:

In 2012 he started The Pixel Trade project, a photographic journey to all seven continents of the globe. In exchange for life’s basic necessities Starick trades his skills as a professional photographer, reintroducing the bartering system into day-to-day life. No currency, no contracts, only his camera and an eager smile.

Halfway through the second year of the project Starick has set foot on four continents capturing leading designers and chefs in New York City, chewed on mangrove worms with Indigenous communities in rural Australia, traversed Irish farmlands with an injured ankle and came face to face with Atlas Mountain goats, who strongly suggested they share his fruit salad.

I loved his story. I loved his determination and grit and the fact that he hasn’t swayed from his mission. And I also loved how his journey has brought out the best in people- willing to share food clothing and shelter. It is really fascinating how we think we need to live a certain way — when in fact — if we just change the story, anything is possible.

Find great work. Do great work. Unlock every door in your way.

Image: The Pixel Project.

Ask Alex & Ellen: How Do I Work Less While Still Making A Good Impression?

I love giving advice. So does my friend Alex.   We come from different generations and we’re at very different points in our lives and careers. But we share the same philosophy: every door can be unlocked.   We decided to partner up on a special installment of my advice column, Ask Ellen. It’s called… Ask Alex & Ellen.   Two hits of advice in one column.  We hope you enjoy it!

Dear Alex & Ellen,

I got a great job about six months ago, and I am so grateful.

When I started the job, I worked extra-hard to make a really good impression.

I would arrive early — before I technically needed to. I would stay late — after everyone else had gone home. I would voluntarily work overtime (for no extra pay) and try to go “above and beyond” at every possible opportunity.

I am proud of myself for making a great first impression… but the problem is that I don’t want to work like that, anymore.

I’d like to shift into a more sustainable schedule so I don’t burn myself out.

But I’m scared that my boss and colleagues will be disappointed with me, or perceive me differently, if I start to scale things back.

Any advice, words of encouragement, a pep talk… something?

Kinda Over Overtime

Ellen says:

This is one of those good news / bad news situations.

The bad news?

Work is… work! It often takes late nights at the office, dedication and sacrifice to get the job done.

I don’t think I have ever done a job where this has not been the case.

Whether I was practicing death penalty law or running a bakery, I often worked late into the night. Especially at the very beginning of a job or a project.

The good news?

There is always a way to work a little smarter and accomplish the same amount — if not more! — in less time.

If you want to figure out how to “work smarter,” you’ll need to take an honest look at how you’re really spending your time every day — and then make some tweaks to your daily routine.

Here are some questions to get you rolling:

– How often do you waste time during the day? How many hours do you spend on Facebook, Twitter, clicking through the shiny images on Pinterest, or texting + emailing with friends?

Statistics show that the average worker really only works 5 hours a day — wasting up to 3 hours every workday on non-work related things.

(Some studies paint an even bleaker picture: just 3 hours of real work-time, every day… and 5 hours of fluff!)

Identify your personal time-wasters (we all have them!) and start to tighten the belt. This will crank up your focus and productivity, dramatically.

– Are there certain projects at work that don’t feel 100% necessary? Projects that could be simplified? Systems that could be tightened up, to save time?

Don’t be afraid to approach your manager to propose a few changes. If you’re proposing a change that saves you time, saves the company money, and allows you to perform at an even higher level… I’m sure your boss will be all for it!

– Do you walk into work each day with a clear plan? Or just kinda “wing it?” Having a plan makes a huge difference.

Try making a list each morning (or the night before) of the things you want to get done — and then schedule your day accordingly.

Only allow yourself to check your email / social media at certain times during the day.

– Do you allow yourself to take short breaks to recharge? Or do you try to “power through” the day, never leaving your desk?

Productivity expert Tony Schwartz encourages people to take a 15-minute break every 90 minutes. This rhythm has been scientifically proven to lead to better, faster work. So, don’t be afraid to take scheduled breaks throughout the day!

Getting up and walking around, stretching and popping outside for some fresh air are all excellent ways to give your brain a quick reboot.

To sum it up:

Spend some time looking at how you manage your time during your workday.

I bet you’ll find plenty of places where you can tighten things up, use your time more effectively, and finish your work even faster!

Alex says:

Wait, um… what are we talking about? I was looking at pictures of donuts on Pinterest. Just kidding.

A big “thumbs up” to everything that Ellen said.

We all have little time-wasting black-holes in our day.

It’s important to take an honest look at where you’re directing your time and energy. As Ellen points out, the good news is… there’s always room for improvement!
That being said… sometimes, highly-ambitious people get into the habit of flat-out “over performing.”

If you’re getting paid to work 40 hours a week, and you’re working 70 hours a week — really, truly 70 hours a week, not 40 hours of work and 30 hours of Facebook goofery — then that’s not fair or sustainable.

If you’ve gotten yourself into a rhythm of overperforming — and you want to break the pattern — it may take some courage. But you can do it. The sooner, the better.

Approach your boss and say:

Hey.

I’ve been making an effort to track my work-hours with more precision, and I’ve discovered that I’ve been working close to 70 hours a week on a pretty regular basis.

Starting this week, I am going to be more mindful about how much time I’m spending at the office.

So, if you notice me going home at 5pm instead of 8 or 9pm… that’s why.

I’m still 100% committed to this position, but I’m going to try to strike more of a balance between ‘work’ and ‘the rest of my life’. This will be a challenge, but I know it’s important to do. I’m sure you can relate. Thank you for understanding.

If your boss gets angry or insists that you keep working overtime… well, is that really someone you want to work for, in the first place? Probably not.

One last thing to remember?

You will never clear your desk 100%. There will always be “something” that could be completed, refined or perfected.

It is important to stop working at a reasonable time, go home and leave the rest for another day.

By doing so, you’ll be taking good care of your mind, body and spirit… and over the long haul? You’ll do much better work.

With love, times two,

Alex & Ellen

Image: Willie Franklin.

Tell Us About Your Worst Job Ever and Win A Miracle Worker Scholarship!

Gala and I created Miracle Worker because we believe life is too short to do work you don’t love. This is not merely some feel-good platitude — it’s something we’ve both experienced in our own lives. Between the two of us, we’ve started seven businesses, hired and collaborated with dozens of people, and raised — and reached — millions. Believe us when we say that doing work that fulfills you is one of the fastest ways to live the life of your dreams.

The class has been selling like hotcakes and the excitement in our private Facebook group is palpable! It’s always such a delight to receive a positive response to any project, and this is no exception.

Now we want to reward you for your enthusiasm! We’re offering five Miracle Worker scholarships to five lucky people, and entering is easy!

To enter, be sure to like our Facebook page and then comment on this post telling us about your worst job ever! We’ll be awarding bonus points for hilariously cringeworthy anecdotes, photographic evidence of hideous uniforms, and teeth-gnashing details.

We’ll be choosing our “best of the worst” on Sunday night (the 26th of April), so if you’d like to be part of our Miracle Worker class, don’t dilly-dally! (And feel free to pass this post onto a friend who is stuck in a dead-end job and could use some help!)

There’s only two weeks left before registration closes for good, and then class opens on May 4th. I’m chomping at the bit to get cracking, and I’d love to see you work your miracles.

Find great work. Do great work. Unlock every door in your way.

Photo: Made U Look.

UNLOCKED Stories: Brandon Weeks, Pastry Chef and Entrepreneur

UNLOCKEDSTORIES

To do the work you love, you’ve got to unlock a few doors. UNLOCKED Stories are honest conversations with people who chose a path and made it happen.

A note from Ellen: I’m excited to feature this interview with Brandon Weeks, a pastry chef and entrepreneur based in Portland, Oregon.

He’s in the process of doing something that thousands of people dream about: opening up his own restaurant. He’s got a great story — and some sound advice on what it takes to get big things done.

Read on… and try not to drool on your screen!

What do you do?

[Brandon]: I’m a pastry chef. I currently work in a restaurant where I handle the dessert menu, breads, pastries and cheese plates.

My dream — which I am pursuing right now — is to run my own sexy shop specializing in ice cream and hot donuts. Like a “treat lounge.” It’s going to be called: Hunnymilk.

You’re about to do something that thousands — if not millions — of people dream about: start your own business! Where did the original idea for your ice cream and donut “treat lounge” come from?

[Brandon]: I’ve always had a huge sweet tooth — ever since I was a little kid. When mom would bring home a big tub of ice cream for me and my brothers and sisters to eat, that was always the happiest day of the week!

Sweets just make people happy. But as a chef, I’ve noticed that many desserts are prepared really poorly — made with low-quality ingredients, fruits that are out of season, bad oil for deep frying, or served when they’re not at peak temperature.

It always makes me so disappointed to bite into a treat that’s just… mediocre. Especially when — with just a few upgrades — it could taste so much better!

About six years ago, I wrote the original menu for the treat lounge of my dreams, but didn’t take it any further. After selling off my egg farm — a side-business that I ran for a couple years — last year, I was left with much more free time to re-focus on the treat lounge concept.

During a picnic in the park with my girlfriend, we sat down and came up with fun names for all of the potential ice creams — silly and sexy names like Brunch, Girl Talk, Man Cave and Morning After. Seeing the newly-written menu down on paper re-invigorated my excitement for the project.

I started experimenting with new flavors, frying up new creations, photographing everything… and got things back in motion!

What were you doing before you worked as a chef?

[Brandon]: Before I decided to take the plunge and enroll in culinary school, I was young and a bit of a vagabond. I remember fun times working as a street performing juggler, and gross times working as a pest control technician.

I wasn’t one of those people who grew up cooking at grandma’s knee. The honest truth is that I saw a TV commercial advertising a local culinary school program, and I figured, “Sure, why not?”

My career started as a whim, but I learned to love food and became more and more obsessed with food and cooking as I went along.

I feel lucky to have found a career I love, working with my hands, and making people happy!

Like many entrepreneurs, your biggest struggle in getting Hunnymilk off the ground has been getting funding to open the first shop. That’s a major “locked door.” How did you open it?

[Brandon]: Getting my dream off the ground requires a good bit of startup capital. I had intended to finance it through a traditional business loan, which can be a long, tedious process.

I’d heard about the website Kickstarter, a cool crowd-funding resource, so I decided to give it a shot before going forward with the bank loan.

Putting together a Kickstarter campaign forced me to really evaluate and refine my menu and concept. I built a website with a full photo gallery, developed and tested dozens of new recipes — essentially writing half a cookbook. This was an extremely important exercise in clarifying what, exactly, I wanted my future business to be.

The bad news is that I didn’t reach my intended fundraising goal. However, about two days into my campaign, I attracted the attention of an investor who just happened to come across my Kickstarter page. He liked my concept, wrote to me, we met several times, and now… we’re taking it all the way!

In the end, Kickstarter did help me to get the funding I needed — just not in the way I expected!

I now have a very business-savvy partner who is just as passionate about opening Hunnymilk as I am, and who can offer great insights, financial support, networking abilities, and be an overall great asset to what I’m trying to build.

What’s next for you — and when can I come to Portland to eat one of your treats?

[Brandon]: I’m now on the path of living the “American Dream,” in a sense — opening my own business and pursuing my own path. That in itself is pretty exciting, but I know this is only just the beginning.

There is still a ton of work to do just to get my first shop fully operational, and even more work to become successful and ultimately grow and expand into other locations and cities.

I am currently negotiating a lease on a location for the first Hunnymilk shop — which is very exciting. Now all that’s left is finalizing the terms, hiring an architect, and building it out!

I can’t wait to see it take shape and come to life. If all goes well, we should be up and running just as the weather here in Portland turns warm, sunny and ice-creamy: in late spring 2015.

Lastly: What’s your biggest piece of advice for anyone who wants to stay motivated, do amazing work and unlock major doors?

[Brandon]: Take daily action.

Until there’s commitment, there is hesitation.

Once you decide what path you’re going to take, just do something every day to move forward in that direction.

It could be something as small as making one phone call, or as big as launching a website or signing a lease. It doesn’t matter, just as long as it’s something.

Keep your mind focused and in the game.

UNLOCK yourself

Three questions to think about, write about — or talk about with a friend.

1. Brandon became a chef somewhat “accidentally.” He saw a TV advertisement about a culinary program and thought, “Why not?” He followed the impulse to check out the program, and the rest is sweet, glazed, sprinkled history!

: Have you ever had a little whisper inside of you saying, “Just try this” or “Why not?” Did you listen?

2. By creating a Kickstarter campaign to get funding for his treat shop, Brandon was forced to “get his ducks in a row” — clarifying his business concept, writing a new menu, developing flavors, coming up with a budget, and more.

: Do you have a business or career project in the works right now? What are some of the basic, foundational steps you need to take? What would help you to buckle down and get it done? (A mentor to push you, a deadline, doing it with friends, doing it in public, reporting your progress on your blog…?)

3. Brandon says that if you’ve got a dream, you must take action daily to make progress towards it — even if your “action step of the day” is something as small as one phone call.

: What is one action step you could take to move closer to your goals, today?

To learn more about Brandon’s delicious project, visit the Hunnymilk website here.

For more UNLOCKED interviews, click over here.

Know somebody that ought to be spotlighted? Write to me here.

See you next time for another inspiring conversation!

Miracle Worker: Grit, Nerve, Courage, And What It Takes To Create A Magical Career

You want to launch a business, but it’s so risky and hard.

You want to ask for a promotion or a raise, but you’re not sure you’re worth it.

You want to shift into a different career, but there are so many steps to get from here to there.

You want. You wish. You dream. You ache… for a career that’s exciting and that allows you to earn the amount of money you truly want. If only. Now that would be a miracle.

If that’s your situation, I want to give you a loving reminder:

It is your attitude — not your upbringing, your degree or the points on your résumé — that will ultimately determine your happiness and success.

If you believe that you can create a meaningful career — you will.

If you believe that you cannot create a meaningful career — you won’t!

If you want a magical career… if you want to unlock doors and magnetize amazing opportunities… if you want to look at your bank account balance with pride and satisfaction… if you want to make a difference in other people’s lives…

Everything starts with your attitude. Your mindset. What you believe you can do.

So… how’s your mental wiring these days? How’s your confidence? Are you taking action to create the career that you want, courageously and consistently? Or feeling frustrated by your lack of progress?

I can tell you, from personal experience, everything is easier when you’ve got expert guidance and a community of people cheering you along.

That’s why I’m so proud to introduce MIRACLE WORKER: a course on grit, nerve, courage, and what it takes to make a magical career.

It’s a collaborative effort I’ve cooked up with an extraordinary woman – Gala Darling. I met her last fall in New York while attending her amazing workshop – The Blogcademy.

We hit it off instantly and quickly began talking about one of our favorite mutual topics: how to help women find meaningful work.

For those of you that don’t know Gala – she is an inspiration. She started a six-figure business on a laptop in her bedroom and is the creator of the Radical Self Love Method, a powerful technique which helps women transform their lives. Her site, galadarling.com, helps over 1,000,000 women a month find their voice, live without fear, and fall in love with life.

She is also the co-founder of the incredible The Blogcademy — a two day workshop — offered both live and online – that has helped countless women learn the ins and outs of having a blogging career.

I knew- on the spot – that she was a person I wanted to work with!

Over the course of many phone calls, visits back and forth, and late nights spent strategizing, we created Miracle Worker!

Miracle Worker is an 8 week e-course designed to help you figure out what you really want to do… And then show you exactly how to get there. It’s a combination of seriously useful and groundbreaking workbooks, weekly action steps, and a series of super- inspiring audio interviews with some of our favourite entrepreneurs and mentors (people like Danielle LaPorte, James Altucher, Paul Jarvis and the Astrotwins).

There’s also a thriving (and secret) Facebook group, live Q&As with Gala and me, mini mixtapes to keep you motivated, and plenty of bonus surprises to thrill you!

Miracle Worker is open for enrollment now – and until April 13th, we have a special pre-sale price! Class begins on May 4th, and we’re only running it once!

Click through to learn more!

Here’s what I know:

Life is too precious and short to waste in a career you don’t like.

If you’ve been fantasizing about taking your work in a different direction, it’s time to make up your mind and start making things happen.

I can’t wait to watch you step into your power. It’s time to make miracles.

To your success and nothing less,

Image: Made U Look.

Why I walked away from everything… to unlock a new door.

Three and a half years ago, I walked away from everything I had fought to create.

I had an enviable position as the director of a non-profit. An organization doing tremendously good work in the world. An organization that I had personally founded — and one that I had nurtured for over twelve years.

I knew — in my heart — that my time at this particular organization was complete.
I knew that I had reached the end of one adventure and that “something else” was waiting for me just ahead.

Except… what?

The truth is, when I chose to leave my position at the non-profit, I was totally clueless about what my “next step” was going to be.

Friends and colleagues would ask me, “Now what?” and I would say, “I’ll get back to you on that.”

The path ahead of me seemed vast and unknown.

This wasn’t the first time I had been in this position. Over the course of my life, I have launched and sold four different businesses. I’ve worked in a wide range of industries — from practicing law to lawnscape design. “Starting over” is not a foreign concept for me. It’s actually something I’m quite good at.

I figured I’d have a brand new business or job rolling within a matter of months. Just like every time before.

But this time proved to be different.

For whatever reason, this time, I felt… murky. I tested out different business concepts and ideas and nothing felt right. I launched a website and then tore it down. I attended workshops and seminars trying to find my “next step.” It just wasn’t clear to me yet.

I began to grow frustrated. “Why can’t I just choose something already?” It was tough.

I had to learn how to be gentler and more patient with myself. I learned to be present and grateful for what I did have, instead of fretting about what I didn’t. I learned to “keep the faith” that whatever career I was meant to have, next, would reveal itself to me in time.

It was not easy.

There were moments when I felt lost, sad, and totally convinced that I would never have meaningful work — or a steady income — ever again.

I was wrong.

I can’t pin-point exactly when my breakthrough moment arrived, but I know that I found the clarity I was seeking once I allowed myself to get still, calm, and quiet — and once I answered two questions:

– What do I love to do?

I realized: what I love to do, more than anything else, is help people find exciting, meaningful work. (Land incredible jobs, make unbelievable connections, launch amazing businesses. It’s something I’ve always done, throughout my life, for hundreds of friends and colleagues. I’ve always been my community’s go-to “career mentor.”)

– What do I believe about the world — that I wished other people believed, too?

I realized: my core belief is that every door can be unlocked. Nothing is outside of your reach if you’ve got grit, courage and focus. Even a career that seems “too good to be true” can be yours if you’ve got the right attitude and approach. It’s all possible!

Once I found my answers to those two questions, everything became vibrantly clear:

I want to launch a new business that helps people find exciting, meaningful work.

I want to show people that every door can be unlocked.

With that: I found it. My next step.

My “next step” is what you are looking at today: a brand new website, blog and collection of services and resources for you — and for anyone who dreams of having a career that makes you want to leap out of bed in the morning!

This new business has been over a year in the making. Over the past twelve months, I’ve been hard at work producing The Unlocked Academy: a series of 12 workbooks to help you identify your strengths and talents… get through insecurity and resistance… write a résumé… get funding for your business concept… and unlock every door in your way. I’ve also rolled out a small collection of 1-on-1 services for people who need extra mentoring, strategy, editing and motivation.

They say it takes a village to make big things happen — and that is so true. I could not have brought this new business into the world without the help of so many people. Alexandra Franzen, Shauna Haider, my amazing boys, Lexy and Willie, my dear friends, and the hundreds of amazingly talented and creative people I have met along the way: they’ve all been part of the Unlocked story.

One of my favorite poets, John O’Donohoe, once wrote:

Awaken your spirit to adventure
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm
For your soul senses the world that awaits you

I hope that my work helps you to “awaken your spirit” to the adventures that await you.

I believe that you deserve to have a career that you absolutely love. Quite honestly, anything less is a waste of your time.

Thank you for being on this journey with me. It’s all just the beginning…

Find great work. Do great work. Unlock every door in your way.

Image: Unlocked Academy. Grab your free workbook right here!

Ellen says:

Alex says:

What do you do?

You’re about to do something that thousands — if not millions — of people dream about: start your own business! Where did the original idea for your ice cream and donut “treat lounge” come from?

What were you doing before you worked as a chef?

Like many entrepreneurs, your biggest struggle in getting Hunnymilk off the ground has been getting funding to open the first shop. That’s a major “locked door.” How did you open it?

What’s next for you — and when can I come to Portland to eat one of your treats?

Lastly: What’s your biggest piece of advice for anyone who wants to stay motivated, do amazing work and unlock major doors?

UNLOCK yourself

Honest Advice. Must-read posts. Major Motivation.