Hosted by David Sparks and Mike Schmitz.
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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Latest Episodes
#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.
#39: Quality Time with a Sledgehammer
January 23rd, 2018 · 61 minutes
#38: Knit Your Parachute on the Way Down, with Thom Zahler
January 9th, 2018 · 63 minutes
David and Jason talk to artist and writer Thom Zahler, an independent creator for 15 years in independent comics, licensed comics, and animated television, about his journey from art school to freelancer to full-on free agent.