David Sparks and Mike Schmitz are not nearly as productive as they’d like to be. Join these fellow travelers (and a bunch of special guests) as they share the best ways to get focused, and talk through their successes and failures along the way.

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#49: Panting to the Finish Line

June 12th, 2018 · 48 minutes

Family members with employment issues remind Jason about just how far he's come; David grapples with letting go of control and working with an assistant; and Jason hands in his resignation and participates in an "exit interview" with David.

#47: Personal Floating Holiday

May 15th, 2018 · 47 minutes

David needs to deal with some clients who aren't paying him; Jason thinks about taking a personal day; David ponders creating a mission statement for himself; Jason questions whether he's unable to give himself credit for doing certain kinds of work.

#46: Being Comfortable Is Not an Option, with Jaimee Newberry

May 1st, 2018 · 48 minutes

Longtime web developer, tech executive, startup co-founder, inspirational speaker, and coach Jaimee Newberry joins us to discuss her own journey, when to go out on your own, when to walk way from projects, and how to deal with unexpected success.

#45: Like Going Back to High School

April 17th, 2018 · 41 minutes

David's home workspace gets invaded by teenagers, Jason reprises his old commute and learns to appreciate the ability to work from anyplace, and a listener reminds us of a classic technique: making promises that your future self has to keep.

#44: Maybe You'll Get a Real Job, with David Wain

April 3rd, 2018 · 54 minutes

You might not realize it, but creative professionals in the entertainment industry are also free agents. In this episode we talk to writer/actor/director David Wain of "Wet Hot American Summer" and "The State."

#43: Don’t Ask Us Permission

March 20th, 2018 · 48 minutes

David attended a conference and was asked for advice (or was it permission?) from many potential free agents. When he got home, his professional life was in disarray. What are the lessons to take from that?

#42: Learning Your Creative Rhythms, with Shawn Blanc

March 6th, 2018 · 58 minutes

David and Jason go through the Free Agents Mailbag and welcome Shawn Blanc to discuss building an independent business with collaborators, solid project planning, and sensible work hours.

#41: A Walk on the Beach

February 21st, 2018 · 47 minutes

David has a big birthday and joins Jason in discovering the value of embracing a lull; David's wife gets a new job, leading to changes in working at home; and Team Sparky expands as David gets some help with his business.

#40: Like Being in a Boat, with Kourosh Dini

February 6th, 2018 · 53 minutes

Psychiatrist, writer and musician Kourosh Dini joins us to discuss his long journey to being an independent worker, mixing his various jobs, dealing with the stress of being on your own, and much more.