Good Job

Hello, hello! This is a rebroadcast of my conversation with Theresa Hutch, a fabulous artist and tarot creator whose episode first aired on January 23, 2025. For reasons unbeknownst to me that episode was suffering from some audio issues, but I have since remastered it and it should be nice and audible. This is a wonderful thing, since Theresa has so many fascinating words to say about the intersections of art, business, and spirituality in many forms. Enjoy - and don't forget to check out Theresa's website at https://www.theresa-hutch.com/ .

Presley Martin is an artist in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the inventor of markers made from the birch polypore mushroom, and a studio facilitator at the Interact Center for Visual and Performing Arts. Presley makes such a clear case for doing what you love, valuing time and learning over money, and finding the beauty in absolutely everything. You can follow his work @Presley on Instagram, or at presleymartin.com . Enjoy!

As a photographer in a pretty niche field, Lisa Asp thinks a lot with her rational brain - about how to budget for opening your own business, how to stay competitive in an ever-changing field, and how to network strategically - but at the end of the day, she’s an artist and that makes her (and me) so happy. Check out her work at @tangerinehouseofdesign on Instagram or Facebook, or on her website at tangerinehouseofdesign.com; I promise it will put a smile on your face.

As an international tarot reader, writer, and teacher, Nancy discusses how to follow your dreams, live your fullest life as a spiritual being having a human experience - and couple it with a kickass business plan. Here are a few of the resources she mentions: Books by Lynn Grodzki: https://privatepracticesuccess.com/lynn-s-books/ Tarot Lab Meetup: Magus Books and Herbs, monthly 2nd Sunday 3:30-5pm Website: betweenworlds.us

How much time do you spend thinking about community corrections? For Erin Marrone, community corrections facilities - aka prisons and jails - are the workplace. Erin’s way of thinking about people who have committed crimes has changed my way of thinking about everyone I interact with. 

Laura has done a LOT in her life. If you’re driven by making the world better in any way, have no tolerance for the bullshit of work, have an unconventional relationship with sleep, or want to expand the way you think about career change, you might get a lot out of this interview. On a side note, if you live in the Minneapolis area, go visit Laura at Aurora Spa in Uptown; she really does know her stuff. And if you’re a woman who’s interested in opening a business, check out the accelerator Laura mentions: WomenVenture.org .

Today’s guest, Carl Heuckendorf, “peels back the envelope” and lets us learn what being a mail carrier is really like. I’m grateful to Carl for teaching me things I did not expect about the job, including how many carriers get bitten by dogs and what you do when it’s negative a thousand degrees out there. The next time you see your mail carrier please thank them profusely for their hard work, and in the meantime, enjoy.

Dr. Mork has lived through quite a lot, and come through it with love and laughter to spare. After you hear her interview I know you’ll want to check out her website - www.melissamork.com - or her books: Bounce: From Surviving to Thriving Through Loss Mental Health Matters: How Ten Psychological Principles will Enhance your Mental Health

Ryan Ball's field has existed for over 4000 years - and he still finds ways to innovate and keep it exciting. I loved learning how Ryan is able to support himself full-time as an artist, and how he appreciates every experience that has led him to where he is now. Best of all, his pottery is gorgeous! Check out his website at ryanballpottery.com or especially his Instagram @ryanballpottery.

Who wants a job that lets you travel, teach young people, understand your world better, and build a more sustainable workplace - while making enough money to own a home? Victoria Downey does all of these things and more as a geography professor at a community college.

Megan Voorhees is the kind of person who makes you feel like whoever you are in life, you can make your world better. When it comes to work, she believes that a career doesn’t have to be designed from the start - but it can always reflect your values. Megan leads with love but strategy is always on her mind, and in this interview she is exceedingly modest - so I do encourage you to check out her LinkedIn profile to learn more about the path she has taken to her current role.  

When I first learned that Eric was an accountant who works in hospitals I must admit I assumed his goal was to save hospitals money, sometimes at the expense of individual patients. Turns out that's not what he does at all.

“I tend to have a good attitude - I’m not going to do anything I don’t want to do, and that makes my jobs easier.” Terri Mattila’s got range. How many Biology PhDs do you know who also manage a coffee shop, care for other people’s pets, set up labs for college students, and genuinely enjoy each day? At 61 years old, Terri is a model of doing what you love and loving what you do - while refusing to get stuck in a bad situation.  

Caylin Crawford really cares about your safety. As an industrial hygienist at the University of Minnesota, she is here to keep folks safe from anything - nail salon fumes, sewer explosions, or homophobic colleagues are just some of the workplace hazards she protects us from. Why? Because to Caylin, safety at work is a human right. Learn more about Caylin - and ask her questions about industrial hygiene - at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/caylincrawford/  .

Erica Ezold is the Executive Director of Quintessence Theatre. Erica and I went to high school together, and to college together, so I got to see first-hand how her passion for theater grew and transformed. You’ll hear how her passion still keeps her going as she makes it possible for artists to create great art. Erica goes deep into the relationship between work and mental health; I appreciate her willingness to talk about things that many people won’t approach, and I hope you do too. Learn more about Quintessence Theatre or about Erica herself.

Aaron Silver is a freelance website developer, an artist, and a good friend. In this episode you'll learn about his path to becoming a developer, how he balances life and work, and his thoughts on artificial intelligence. To learn more about his work, check out his developer site at https://springthistle.com/ and his artist Instagram at @artistaviv .

Our guest today is Heather Worthington, whose job title is Principal and whose field is urban planning. Heather puts the fun in "Superfund site" - her excitement about things like transforming a heavily polluted ammunition plant into a gorgeous, healthy residential area, makes it really easy to understand why her work makes such a difference in the world. I appreciated Heather’s view that everyone has a role to play in this world, and if it takes a few twists and turns to find yours, that’s all just part of the fun. PS Stay tuned for visual examples of those maps Heather mentions... In the meantime, check out Urban3's website at https://www.urbanthree.com/about/ .

Today we get to hear from Dr. Adam Schwartz, who has been obsessed with making the world better for people since he was in middle school. Adam has studied and improved all sorts of experiences, from oil refineries to sleep in hotel rooms to device management software. Check out Adam's LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhschwartz/ .

Today's conversation with Seneca Krueger gets deep, beautiful, and intense. Seneca is the Community and Outreach Manager for the Community Medical Services clinics in Ramsey and Hennepin counties. These clinics offer free treatment options (and transportation) for people with opioid use disorder; learn more about them at communitymedicalservices.org . Here are a few of the other resources we discuss: Brave app: https://www.brave.coop/ (Brave makes overdose detection tools that activate community response) Never Use Alone hotline: 877-696-1996 Seneca: [email protected]

Today we get to meet my friend and neighbor Becca Schroeder. Becca helps teens and their families, not only as a social worker but also as the owner of Auntie Bec’s Boutique. I’ve always wondered how Becca keeps her energy up - and in today’s conversation I got to find out. If you’ve always wondered about the pros and cons of being a social worker, this one’s for you. Enjoy! Read about Auntie Bec’s Boutique: https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/auntie-becs-boutique-helps-youth/89-da132af0-8ebf-4103-a7ba-02e016f0dd45

Today we talk with Chris Schutt, a product designer and career coach who just embodies growth and change. I loved Chris’s emphasis on resilience, curiosity, and humility; I’ve already learned so much from him. Find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisschutt/

Have you ever been with someone on the worst day of their life? As a clinical psychologist specializing in treating adolescents, my friend Dr. CJ Powers gets to be with young people as they experience some very hard times, and help them get through. If you want to learn more about his work after hearing this episode, visit frontierpsychologypllc.com .

If you think you'd enjoy being at the intersection of the creative team and the rest of the business - or if you have no idea what that means - you might really like this episode. It's probably a great listen for you even if you don't care about either of those things, but enjoy hearing a passionate, relentlessly positive human being talking about all the ways to turn a corporate career into an exciting creative endeavor. In this conversation, Eve Maidenberg traces her path from art school to becoming Vice President of Creative Operations for a major company, with several twists and turns along the way. Enjoy!

Can a successful screenwriter also be a successful business broker? Turns out, they definitely can. My friend Mel is here to tell us about the winding path she took to get from one to the other, and what she would advise anyone to know as they think about designing their career.

Today we get to meet Hailey Paris, a birth doula. If you're as impressed as I was by her serenity and dedication to bringing new life into the world in a peaceful way, learn more about her at https://www.doulasri.org/birthdoulas .

Welcome to the first episode of Good Job! Today's guest is Eric Fawcett, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has also been a touring musician, a recording engineer, a published writer, and more. Learn more about Eric's work as a therapist on https://www.attunerelational.com/ , or email Eric directly at [email protected].

Today's guest is Maya Shapiro, a salon receptionist who has also been a baker, a barista, and a childcare provider. She's also my daughter! Maya talks about what drives her to keep working on top of her busy school schedule, the pros and cons of each of her jobs, and her vision for her future.