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How Dorie Clark Thrives with Many Careers (Author, Professor, Coach)

How Dorie Clark Thrives with Many Careers (Author, Professor, Coach)

by | Sep 20, 2021

Meet Dorie Clark. She’s a tremendous multi-careerist who is able to handle many professions. I’ve known her for years, and she’s indeed a friend. I always enjoy attending her “author dinners” where I meet interesting writers and thought leaders. Dorie is an impressive writer, too. I’m excited about her new book The Long Game: How to be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World. I know you’ll enjoy the clarity of her thinking in her comments below.

Dorie’s Careers

  • Author
  • Professor (Duke University Fuqua School of Business)
  • Musical Theater Writer
  • Broadway Investor
  • Keynote Speaker
  • Online learning instructor (LinkedIn Learning, Skillsoft, Udemy, ExecOnline, CreativeLive, etc.)
  • Consultant (for organizations)
  • Executive coach (for individuals)

On her motivations for having multiple careers

In 2001 – on September 10, 2001, in fact – I was laid off from my first job. That showed me how precarious a ‘safe job’ can be. Since then, I’ve been keenly aware of the importance of hedging my bets via a portfolio career to limit risk (and also to open up new opportunities). I believe multiple income streams are the real path to career security.

Advice to aspiring multi-careerists

It can feel overwhelming to build multiple income streams at the same time, so I suggest focusing on only one new income stream per year. That enables you to devote the necessary time and attention to mastering it and getting it off the ground – and within a few years, you’ll still be able to build out several.

Overcoming obstacles

As one example, several years ago, I was interested in creating a year-long paid mastermind group. But masterminds are tricky to organize – a “chicken or the egg” situation where everyone wants to know who else is in the group before committing! I couldn’t get enough interest to officially launch one the first year, so I had to regroup and create a modified, two-person mastermind that was more like “mini” group coaching. That was frustrating, but the extra time enabled me to build my following further and identify new prospects, and the following year I was finally able to organize the mastermind group.

On how multiple careers are mutually beneficial

I think of it as a flywheel, where one activity helps draw in participants for your other aligned offerings. For instance, someone might read my book, and then decide to join one of my online programs, or sign up for private coaching. Or they might hear me speak at a conference, and then buy my book – or any combination! The secret is to have multiple offerings at multiple price points, so you can ‘meet people where they’re at.’

On balancing personal time

A concept I talk about in my new book The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World is ‘thinking in waves.’ There will be seasons where you’re focused on something – like a work project – very intensely. And that’s perfectly OK – as long as you eventually toggle back and shift your focus back to other areas, such as family or health, that you may have not have been focusing on during that time. It’s all about balance over the long-term, not in a particular week or month.

Something she wished she learned earlier

It took me a number of years to fully realize that it’s far more secure to have a career with many different clients and many different types of work, as compared to one ‘safe day job.’ (Which, in actuality, can be taken away at any time.)

Recommended Readings

I wrote a book a couple of years back called Entrepreneurial You: Monetize Your Expertise, Create Multiple Income Streams, and Thrive. It was a deep dive into how to create new revenue streams through various activities like coaching, consulting, blogging, podcasting, creating online courses, and more, and I hope it might be helpful to folks considering their own portfolio careers.

Overcoming the stigma of multiple careers

Sometimes unenlightened people might think you’re a dilettante – but I’ve found that as long as you carry yourself with confidence, other people will generally accept how you want to be treated and act accordingly. šŸ˜‰

On how you sublimate ego at a day job

Actors have been living this forever: just because your paycheck is from waitressing doesn’t mean it’s all you are. Our mantra needs to be that our self respect doesn’t come from a particular job, but from who we are as people.

A Day in the Life

  • 8am – wake up and read the paper in bed
  • 830am – coffee and more newspaper
  • 9am – 1230pm – coaching calls, podcast interviews
  • 1230-1pm – lunch
  • 1pm-6pm – coaching calls, podcast interviews
  • 6-7pm – gym
  • 7pm – dinner
  • 8pm – take a walk and call my mom
  • 9pm – household chores
  • 10pm – reading
  • 1130pm – bed

***This is my recent ‘monastic’ schedule due to my book launch. It’s not actually preferred at all! I like a lot more white space in my days and will revert to that soon…but for now, I’m in launch mode to hopefully ensure the book will be successful.

Where to find Dorie

***

Kabir SehgalĀ is a Multi Grammy & Latin Grammy Award winner, as well asĀ New York TimesĀ bestselling author.

Follow Kabir onĀ LinkedIn,Ā Instagram,Ā Facebook,Ā Twitter,Ā Spotify,Ā YouTube.

Music For Sweaty People šŸŽµ

Music For Sweaty People šŸŽµ

by | Sep 19, 2021

This edition is 280 words and takes 1 minute to read.Ā 

ā€œSundayā€ comes from Old English ā€œSunnandaegā€ which itself is an interpretation of a Latin word that means “sun’s day.”Ā 

Have you missed an edition? If it’s Sunday and you haven’t received this note, check your spam folder. You can find all editions on the blog.Ā 

-Kabir

 

Seven Point Sunday – September 19, 2021

 

āš” Productivity
Yes, you can achieve Inbox Zero, that magical moment when your inbox has no emails. Deepak Chopra and I explain how.Ā Ā 
Ā 
Ā 

šŸ’° Finance
Check outĀ Flowers Foods (Ticker: FLO). It makes packaged baked goods. And it has a tasty dividend of almost 4%. The firm has made dividend payments for 75 consecutive quarters.Ā Ā 

 

šŸ’¼Ā Portfolio Career
Meet Sam Hope. He is a business analyst, firefighter, and knifemaker. ā€œSeek dissimilar careers,” he says. Learn how he overcame a job that he loathed.Ā 

 

šŸŽµĀ Music
Listen to Spiritual Warrior Workout, by Deepak Chopra, Paul Avgerinos and Kabir Sehgal šŸ˜Š We believe exercise music should also lift your spirit, so we made this album. Upbeat music with uplifting mantras. The project features incredible vocalists like Thana Alexa and Sara Niemietz. Learn about Paul Avgerinos’ practice routine.

 

šŸ“š Books
Read The Long Game by Dorie Clark. Everyone is allotted the same twenty-four hoursā€”but with the right strategies, you can leverage those hours in more efficient and powerful ways than you ever imagined. A birdie told me that I was mentioned in this book. Hmmā€¦

 

šŸ“½ļøĀ Film
WatchĀ Cheche Lavi. Directed by Sam Ellison. Two Haitian migrants find themselves stranded at the US-Mexico border, with no way forward and no one to depend on but each other.Ā 

 

šŸ“· Photo

 

Ā 

What’s your favorite point?

Respond in the comments below. I try to reply to every comment.

Edition #6 – Paul Avgerinos Answers 7 Questions

Edition #6 – Paul Avgerinos Answers 7 Questions

by | Sep 17, 2021

1. Why are you a musician?

Music is a huge part of my spiritual path and practice and the main reason why I am in this world. It is the primary way that I serve humanity by offering peaceful gentle healing music to all.

2. Who are your musical inspirations?

When I was starting my musical career in the 70’s, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Yes and all the classical greats had a profound impact on my formative years. In new age, Enya, Tangerine Dream and others were deeply inspiring.

3. What is your practice routine?

In my classical years, I practiced about 8 hours a day. These days, I only practice for specific goals like playing a particular part in the studio on keyboards, guitar, bass, cello, or singing a unique lead or backup vocal.

4. Why did you make this album?

Spiritual Warrior Workout
By Deepak Chopra, Paul Avgerinos, Kabir Sehgal

For working out and being active in general, there is not that much music available which is upbeat and stimulating, but also rich in spiritual wisdom and inspiration. That’s why we made Spiritual Warrior Workout: high-vibration music with affirmations that inspire your spiritual understanding and growth while you pump up your next sweat session!

5. What were the biggest obstacles in making this album? How did you overcome?

I don’t do that much pop dance music, so I had to work a little harder to get the tracks sounding right for this genre!

6. Who is featured on the album?

Deepak Chopra and Kabir Sehgal are my main collaborators, but Spiritual Warrior Workout also features all these fantastic singers: (in order of appearance) Emma Kiara, Sonna Rele, Aureliaslight, Sara Niemietz, Carmela Rodriguez and Thana Alexa.

7. Where may we find you online?

**
Note: Kabir Sehgal helped produce the project.

Edition #5 – Manu Manzo Answers 7 Questions

Edition #5 – Manu Manzo Answers 7 Questions

by | Sep 17, 2021

1. Why are you a musician?

Itā€™s the only thing that truly moves me. A form of expression that has basically saved me in many moments of my life. Itā€™s my form of self therapy and the want to create and go for my career is a calling that comes beyond me. I donā€™t think I was put on this earth to do anything else that doesnā€™t involve music to a certain extent.

2. Who are your musical inspirations?

Amy Winehouse. Alejandro Sanz. Celia Cruz. Bjork. Nicki Minaj & artists such a Salvador Dali also inspire me immensely through their visual art.

3. What is your practice routine?

I sing every single day. To be honest, I havenā€™t been taking my proper voice lessons but I try to avoid any foods that give me acid reflux & and I run 2 miles a day to work on my breath. I will also do vocal work outs in the shower every so often but mostly when I have a recording session.

4. Why did you make this album?

SacaLaCamara
By Manu Manzo

After finishing my contract with Universal, my grandmother dying and breaking off my long term relationship (all during quarantine may I add) I had a lot of things to say and genuinely needed to escape. I did that by going to the studio non stop every single day for about 5 months straight.

Iā€™ve always took comfort in finding the silver lining of things so the album touches on duality, contradicting sides that blend together beautifully. Ying yang. I had never wanted to works on an album because I didnā€™t think I was ready to work on a lengthy project & at that moment my gut told me otherwise, so I listened. Itā€™s not quite finished yet but conceptually itā€™s all there. But I will probably make changes and adjustments till the last minute.

5. What were the biggest obstacles in making this album? How did you overcome?

I honestly went through it with the best intentions and best foot forward. And thankfully everything ran quite smoothly. I guess the biggest obstacle, if you can even call it that, was at the beginning where I was making a ton of music and they were all very different, so making all the songs feel cohesive and start making songs that matched the vibe, that kept changing all through out, was kind of the hardest thing. Staying on track.

6. Who is featured on the album?

Uff. I have so many collaborators. Many songwriters, a lot of women at that. I have a song that was co-written and produced by Kuinvi. I have a song w a great female artist named Sessi. Thereā€™s a track with producer Maffio & his artist Calacote who is so talented. I have a track with my friend and one of my fav artists LateNightJiggy though Iā€™m still deciding if the song will go on album or notā€¦..

7. Where may we find you online?

**
Note: Kabir Sehgal helped produce the project.

Edition #4 – Chad Lefkowitz-Brown Answers 7 Questions

Edition #4 – Chad Lefkowitz-Brown Answers 7 Questions

by | Sep 14, 2021

1. Why are you a musician?

My father is a saxophonist and my mom was always singing around the house, so I grew up with music. I started gigging a few nights a week by the time I was 12, playing with a local legend and jazz drummer, George Reed, so from a young age music became a way of life for me.

2. Who are your musical inspirations?

Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Johnny Griffin

3. What is your practice routine?

Between touring and my digital publishing company, Jazz Lesson Videos, I don’t have much time to practice these days, but I always make sure to get in 30-60 minutes. I believe strongly that a routine (practicing in the same way, and through the same material) every day can actually be counter-productive, since the musician can get stuck on the same material and lose focus. With that in mind, I’m always practicing different material each day, and considering different approaches in order to keep myself engaged, while of course using techniques that will continue to strengthen the core fundamentals to musicianship and improvisation.

4. Why did you make this album?

Open World
By Chad Lefkowitz-Brown & the Global Big Band

I’ve always been inspired by how jazz has become a universal language that musicians around the globe have learned, regardless of their background or upbringing. We recorded “Open World” with 30 musicians from 23 different countries of origin, so embarking on this project created the opportunity for a global collaboration during a time when we all felt disconnected in so many ways from the effects of the pandemic. I hope this project brings a spirit of positivity during a difficult time, embracing the miracle of the digital age and how it has allowed us all to stay connected in creative ways throughout this global health crisis.

5. What were the biggest obstacles in making this album? How did you overcome?

Recording so much music remotely was tremendously difficult, but the positive attitude from all the musicians involved truly pulled us through any logistical issues that we faced along the way.

6. Who is featured on the album?

“Open World” features many special guests:

  • Arturo Sandoval
  • Randy Brecker
  • Lionel Loueke
  • Melissa Aldana
  • Miguel Zenon
  • Etienne Charles
  • Makoto Ozone
  • Bria Skonberg

The Global Big Band features many outstanding musicians from around the globe including Sidmar Vieira (Brazil), Russell Hall (Jamaica), Bryan Davis (England), Siya Charles (South Africa) and Holger Marjamaa (Estonia).

7. Where may we find you online?

**
Note: Kabir Sehgal helped produce the project.

How Sam Hope Manages 3 Careers (Analyst, Firefighter, Knifemaker)

How Sam Hope Manages 3 Careers (Analyst, Firefighter, Knifemaker)

by | Sep 13, 2021

Meet Sam Hope. He’s a talented multi-careerist who is also a hero. We venerate those who keep us safe, and Sam is one of these individuals. He’s a firefighter who recently also started a job in the private sector. We struck up a conversation on LinkedIn, and I’m so glad that we did. You’ll find his commentary below insightful and instructional.

Sam’s Careers

Previously

  • Parole Officer
  • Auxiliary Firefighter (Retained or part time in other areas)
  • Knifemaker

Currently

  • Business Continuity analyst
  • Auxiliary Firefighter
  • Knifemaker

On his motivations for many careers

As a parole officer, there came a point where I hated my job and my mental health deteriorated because I had attached my personal value to my contribution to public safety but did not feel that I was achieving anything. Firefighting satiates that need. When I transitioned to business continuity and risk management it allowed me to maintain that link to direct public safety outcomes whilst working in a more conceptual and intangible space.

Knifemaking on the opposite end of the spectrum, provides a creative outlet and a form of mindfulness.

Advice to aspiring multi careerists

Seek dissimilar careers. The biggest challenge with managing multiple careers is having the energy for them. My work fire fighting is adrenalin fueled, outcome oriented and highly tangible. This is compared to my contemplative, relationship driven and conceptual work in BCM and RM. These careers tax me in different ways, different energy pools if you will. So after a 10 hour day in the office, attending a road crash rescue doesn’t feel like a continuation of that work.

On overcoming obstacles

One of the biggest challenges I’ve encountered is my primary employer being concerned about my work as a firefighter impacting my ability to perform in my role. This gets easier to manage as time goes on. With my more recent employers I’ve been able to reference how I’ve successfully managed this in previous roles.

On how multiple careers are mutually beneficial

For a long while, I was trapped in a position as a parole officer that I loathed. But a degree in criminology and my narrow experience made transitioning to a new field rather difficult.

At a certain point I made the decision that I had to make a change. I started monitoring the internal recruiting that happened within the fire service that I work for and was able to leverage my experience to land a position in the Risk Management Unit. Since then, I’ve landed further work in the field in the private sector that has secured my transition into Business Continuity Management.

My work as a fire fighter has also given me a breadth of skillsets that leaves me with something to fall back on. Earlier this year my contract came to an end, and for a few months I was able to support myself whilst looking for my next corporate role, as a truck driver leveraging the the skillsets I’d developed as a fire fighter.

On balancing personal life

In all honesty, this hasn’t presented as a challenge that really required me to manage it.

On what he wished he had learned earlier

That it was possible. I actually had the opportunity to join the fire and rescue service 4 years earlier. If I had done that, I’d have been exposed to some amazing experiences and people a lot sooner.

Recommended learning

Find out how other people are doing it. Anywhere you see a volunteer, casual/part time worker with a specialist skillset or military reservist, they’re likely balancing multiple careers. If you open your eyes, you ‘ll see your world is full of people wearing multiple hats.

On overcoming the stigma of two careers

I’m fortunate in that my secondary career is one that comes with a level of respect and admiration. It’s pretty hard for someone to disparage a fire fighter.

A Day in the Life

For me? there is no structure. I work an 8 hour office day and am simultaneously on call 24/7. I do however have flexibility on whether or not I attend each emergency. So when my paging app goes off, I consider what is on my plate for the rest of the day, and make a decision “Do I attend this call or not?”

If I leave work during the day, I make up the hours within the week.

***

Kabir SehgalĀ is a Multi Grammy & Latin Grammy Award winner, as well asĀ New York TimesĀ bestselling author.

Follow Kabir onĀ LinkedIn,Ā Instagram,Ā Facebook,Ā Twitter,Ā Spotify,Ā YouTube.

Edition #3 – Lori Henriques Answers 7 Questions

Edition #3 – Lori Henriques Answers 7 Questions

by | Sep 10, 2021

1. Why are you a musician?

First, Iā€™m a musician thanks to a childhood with my mom who found good piano teachers, took me to weekly lessons, and insisted I practice until I got into it enough to be self-motivated. Thank you, Mom! ā¤ļø I continue to be a musician because I love the experience of putting in the work and feeling that rush of the result of the work. Both the connection it gives with other humans and the connection within to something beyond.

2. Who are your musical inspirations?

  • Nina Simone
  • Lili Boulanger
  • Nadia Boulanger
  • Maria JoĆ£o Pires
  • Joe Raposo
  • Miles Davis
  • Maurice
  • Ravel J.S. Bach

3. What is your practice routine?

My practice routine is simple: Sit on the bench and do the work. I love finding topics to write about that pique my curiosity. My favorite thing is when the process brings me to tears. Then I know Iā€™ve found something real and moving and good. I also love the process of arranging. Both with writing and arranging, it feels like it exists somewhere in another world, and I just need to listen in to find it.

4. Why did you make this album?

Legion of Peace: Songs Inspired by Nobel Peace Laureates
By Lori Henriques Quintet featuring Joey Alexander with Muhammad Yunus

I made this album because I wanted the challenge and fascination of researching the lives and philosophies of people I deeply admire. Spending hours learning more about what drove these eight Nobel Peace laureates to their phenomenal life accomplishments was one of the most inspiring things Iā€™ve ever committed to. Collaborating with the soulful, highly-skilled musicians on this album was the icing on the cake.

5. What were the biggest obstacles in making this album? How did you overcome?

The biggest obstacle was getting all the tracks ready to release within the time frame we chose. The way I overcame it, putting in a LOT of hours and sleeping very little. Was it worth it? YES. Some projects happen only because we decide we absolutely must push forward and trust that everything will fall into place. Iā€™m so grateful to have written and arranged these songs, made possible by the immediate goal of recording them.

6. Who is featured on the album?

  • Quintet Joey Alexander – piano
  • Eddie Barbash – saxophone
  • Joe Saylor – drums
  • Kabir Sehgal – bass
  • Lori Henriques – vocals

    Guests

  • Oran Etkin – bass clarinet
  • Pedrito Martinez – percussion
  • Jana Herzen – percussion

    Mixed by Oscar Autie

7. Where may we find you online?

**
Kabir Sehgal helped produce the project.