Optimize Yourself

In this Hot Seat session, community member Mark Carr is looking to re-engage a valuable contact he reached out to a few months ago. Knowing the person was previously too busy to respond, Mark wants to follow up in a way that’s both respectful of their time and likely to get a response. Together, we break down the art of a well-crafted follow-up, exploring subtle strategies that go beyond a simple nudge and aimed at making his outreach feel timely, genuine, and worth reading.Want to provide your feedback on this new format? We'd love to hear from you!→ Click here to let us know what you think of this formatWant to learn more about working with me and having your own Hot Seat session?→ Click here to learn more about the Optimizer coaching & mentorship program

In this Hot Seat session, community member Leonardo Oliveira seeks guidance on refining his weekly planning. He often ends up not being able to finish everything he planned for the week and finds himself "stealing" time from other tasks to keep up. Together, we explore the mindset shifts and practical strategies that can help him better manage his time and energy, while building more flexibility into his schedule.Want to provide your feedback on this new format? We'd love to hear from you!→ Click here to let us know what you think of this formatWant to learn more about working with me and having your own Hot Seat session?→ Click here to learn more about the Optimizer coaching & mentorship program

In this Hot Seat session, community member Michael Addis brings his series pitch deck to the table. He wants to refine it so he can capture the interest of the executives. Together, we crawl into the brains of the busy decision-makers to understand how they process ideas, ensuring that he can convey his vision clearly and effectively giving Michael the best chance of making his idea a reality.Want to provide your feedback on this new format? We'd love to hear from you!→ Click here to let us know what you think of this formatWant to learn more about working with me and having your own Hot Seat session?→ Click here to learn more about the Optimizer coaching & mentorship program

In this Hot Seat session, I sit down with community member Tristan Felberg for a mock interview to help him craft a compelling response to the classic "tell me about yourself" question. We explore what interviewers are really looking for and how Tristan can shape his answer to draw them in, keeping the conversation flowing. We also dive into a key strategy to stay confident and natural, even when the conversation takes unexpected turns. This hot seat is packed with practical tips to help you navigate interviews with ease and take control of the dialogue.Want to provide your feedback on this new format? We'd love to hear from you!→ Click here to let us know what you think of this formatWant to learn more about working with me and having your own Hot Seat session?→ Click here to learn more about the Optimizer coaching & mentorship program

In this hot seat session, I sit down with community member Kalika Sharma, whose work has kept her creatively fulfilled. But with so much happening at once, Kalika has lost sight of what her future looks like and how to prepare for it. Together, we take time to pause so she can paint a clearer picture of what it is that she really wants for her future, mapping out the steps to help her find clarity and direction towards where she's going.Want to provide your feedback on this new format? We'd love to hear from you!→ Click here to let us know what you think of this formatWant to learn more about working with me and having your own Hot Seat session?→ Click here to learn more about the Optimizer coaching & mentorship program

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more?→ Click here for your customized podcast playlistMoni Salazar is a Mexican assistant editor (and now editor) for feature films who has been KILLING IT since she moved to Los Angeles. In fact her first feature film as an editor, Honey Boy, is about to screen at Sundance! As an assistant editor she has also worked on such films as Netflix’s All Day and a Night, The Beach Bum, and Zoe. In addition to the many hours she spends in dark rooms, she is also the Vice President of Blue Collar Post Collective.Moni approached me last year because she found it nearly impossible to focus on creative tasks. She was constantly distracted by little things that kept her from doing the creative work that she loved, so much so at one point she didn't get her Visa application done in time...and she was forced to move back to Mexico! We worked together one-on-one for the next 12 weeks to help her clarify her goals and find the most important ‘One Thing’ in her life that she had to accomplish every day in order to get focused, avoid constantly procrastinating, and get her life organized!My purpose for sharing this case study is to help explain the process that Moni and I worked through and the steps she took to get her life more organized and establish daily habits to help her increase her focus and productivity while actually creating more time in her day to relax. That way you can use some of these same ideas and techniques to move yourself forwards this year, whether or not you’re interested in working with me one-on-one in my coaching program.If after listening to this interview you do want to learn more and apply to work with me for the next several months and beyond, enrollment is currently open but time slots are extremely limited. To apply just visit optimizeyourself.me/elite-apply.» Click here to work with me one-on-oneWant to Hear More Episodes Like This One?» Click here to subscribe and never miss another episodeHere's What You'll Learn:Practicing focus and awareness during work hoursLearning when it's okay to say 'no'Recognizing when you are creating your own obstaclesMoving forward with your necessary tasks even when they seem overwhelmingHow time blocking enhances your creativity even if it feels like having a schedule will restrain itWhat's the 'one thing' you need to focus on to complete your goals?The domino method of task managementDefining the qualities you want to see in yourself before anything elseUseful Resources Mentioned:www.monisalazar.comEp36: Finding Your "One Thing" with Jay PapasanOur Generous Sponsors:This episode is made possible for you by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat, my #1 recommendation for anyone who stands at their workstation. The Topo is super comfortable, an awesome conversation starter, and it’s also scientifically proven to help you move more throughout the day which helps reduce discomfort and also increase your focus and productivity. Click here to learn more and get your Topo Mat.This episode is made possible by SitTight, my new #1 recommendation if you’re searching for a healthier, more ergonomically-friendly office chair that turns sitting into an activity that actually improves your health rather than damaging it. Yes, you can actually get fit while you sit. If you’ve never seen one, just imagine the most comfortable bar stool on the planet on top of a Bosu Ball. Trust me...it’s awesome. SitTight can provide fitness for your body, focus for your mind, and fun for your spirit. BONUS: Use the coupon code OPTIMIZE for 10% off your order!Guest Bio:Twitter| InstagramMónica Salazar is a Mexican editor and assistant editor for feature films. She enjoys crafting stories on a daily basis, and is usually found hidden in the darkness of an editing room with a cup of coffee serving as her safety blanket. Her editing credits include Honey Boy set to premiere at Sundance in 2019, and the Los Angeles Emmy award winning documentary Montage: Great Film Composers and the Piano. Mónica has also worked as an assistant editor for various films, including Netflix’s All Day and a Night, The Beach Bum, and Zoe.Monica also serves as the Vice President of Los Angeles for Blue Collar Post Collective, an accessible and focused grassroots non-profit organization that supports emerging talent in post production.Mónica takes pride in her taco-expertise and has found the best pastor tacos in LA.Show Credits:This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared and published by Elyse Rintelman. The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).

In this hot seat session, community member Brett Williams tells his story of how he lost his creative job and is now working a temporary role to support his family. Brett is eager to return to the work he loves but faces the challenge of balancing that dream with providing for his loved ones. Together, we explore strategies to help him transition back to his creative career, drawing from my own experiences of moving from a job that paid the bills to one that truly fulfilled me. Along the way, we uncover the key mindsets and practical steps Brett can take to get his career back on track while meeting his family’s financial needs.Want to provide your feedback on this new format? We'd love to hear from you!→ Click here to let us know what you think of this formatWant to learn more about working with me and having your own Hot Seat session?→ Click here to learn more about the Optimizer coaching & mentorship program

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more?→ Click here for your customized podcast playlistHaving spoken to and worked with hundreds of people worldwide over the years, if there’s one constant to the ever-changing landscape of this age, it’s that the global pandemic has been a magnifying glass amplifying every tiny little detail about our lives (and society at large) that just wasn’t working. For many this intense awareness has been paralyzing while for others it’s been a motivating call to action.So what’s the difference for those who feel stuck versus those who take action and see results?Maybe you’re sick of being stuck on the wrong career path and feeling desperate to pursue your true passion, but you’re too afraid to take action because you’re waiting to “see how things work out?”Maybe you’re anxious about work swallowing up what semblance of life you have outside your career…especially now that you’re stuck working from home?Or maybe you are so overwhelmed about all the uncertainties and unknowns that you feel paralyzed and unable to focus on anything but just getting through another day. Yes, pandemic-induced procrastination is indeed a thing.If any of these sound like you, I have three amazing guests on today’s show that know exactly how you feel. Ariel Fujita is an unscripted editor making the transition to colorist. Maxton Weller is a sound editor and composer for films and video games, and Kristi Shimek is an indie film editor transitioning to scripted television. This episode is a case study where I speak candidly with all three who are members of my 'Optimizer' coaching & mentorship community who have successfully navigated the challenges of being an introvert, who have battled the perfectionism that holds us back from accomplishing our goals, and who can relate to how imposter syndrome keeps us stuck in the wrong career path. And we discuss the strategies and methods they all implemented to work through these common pitfalls to feel confident and clear, not only about what they want in life but more importantly, how to actually live it. All three guests have recently completed my coaching & mentorship program, put in a lot of hard work, and have achieved amazing results…...while, by the way, living through a global pandemic.Want to Hear More Episodes Like This One?» Click here to subscribe and never miss another episodeHere's What You'll Learn:The serendipitous timing of how Maxton ended up starting coaching with Zack when he needed it most.The separate but eerily similar stories of how Ariel and Kristi both almost skipped Zack’s Networking for Introverts seminar because they were too shy and scared.Why Ariel struggled with burnout and the mind-set shift she had to make to overcome the endless cycle.KEY TAKEAWAY: Learning to ask the right questions will improve the quality of your life and the connections you make.Why building confidence requires a deep dive into your psychology and your motivations.The number one thing you need to get better at before you can even start networking.How to stop waiting for focus to magically appear and instead learn to train it.What you need to implement systems to improve time management and keep you accountable.What a brain dump is and why doing it regularly will alleviate stress and anxiety.Why doing a daily wrap up is essential for setting boundaries especially when working from home.How Kristi got back her nights and weekends by setting expectations at the start of a job.What Maxton’s IMDB spreadsheet revealed to him and how it led to a relationship with a composer he’s admired for years.Maxton’s revelation about outreach emails: "It’s not IF people want to help you, it’s CAN they help you”What transformed Kristi from being afraid to send outreach emails to doing it every single week and getting a 100% response rate.The magic formula to writing successful outreach emails.The Ben Franklin Effect: what it is and how it helps you build relationships.Maxton’s advice: Don’t wait to see what happens. Take action.Ariels’ advice:  Why not do the scariest thing at the scariest time to get where you want to be.Useful Resources Mentioned:Enroll in the ‘Optimizer’ Coaching & Mentorship program'Insider's Guide to Writing Great Outreach Emails'The Ben Franklin EffectContinue To Listen & Learn:Want a Response to Your Cold Emails? Then Every Message MUST Do These 5 ThingsThe 5 Most Common Mistakes You’re Making With Your Cold Emails (and How to Fix Them)Why Writing Cold Emails Is the Most Important ‘Soft Skill’ You Must Master (Especially If You’re An Introvert)Ep64: [CASE STUDY] Overcoming Burnout and Imposter Syndrome | with Chryss Terry[CASE STUDY] Why I Said No to a Job (A Great One)…During a PandemicEp47: The Ugly Side of Depression, Burnout, and Imposter Syndrome | with Gen MaloneGuest Bios: Ariel Fujita Ariel Fujita is an editor with 15 years of experience in unscripted post production television. She got her start as a Post Production Assistant and has taken on many different roles throughout her career: Post Production Coordinator, Assistant Editor, Off-line editor, and On-line Editor. Ariel’s editing credits include Are You The One? (MTV), America’s Next Top Model (VH1), and Last Call With Carson Daly (NBC).After working primarily in off-line post production, she has recently made the transition to on-line editing and she hopes to eventually pursue a career as a colorist for scripted television and independent films.Ariel lives in Los Angeles with her wife and their five cats. When she’s not working, she enjoys watching horror films and she makes a killer mac and cheese. Kristi Shimek Kristi Shimek is a Los Angeles based Film and Television Editor. Within her first year of moving to Hollywood, she was cutting indie features in the LA circuit with stars such as Lou Diamond Phillips, Danny Trejo, Lea Thompson, and Nicolas Cage.Recently, Kristi has edited on two breakout feature film successes. The Night Clerk , a character based thriller directed by Michael Christofer (Original Sin, T he Witches of Eastwick ) and starring Tye Sheridan, Ana de Armas, and Helen Hunt, which reached #5 on Netflix’s Top Ten List in June 2020. And Inheritance, a narrative commentary on patriarchy and privilege directed by Vaughn Stein (Terminal) and starring Simon Pegg and Lily Collins, which was featured at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival.In addition to films, Kristi has just finished editing on her first network television show, NEXT, a near-future tech based drama created and executive produced by Manny Coto and starring John Slattery, which is set to debut on October 6th on Fox. Maxton Waller Maxton Waller is a composer and multi-instrumentalist living in Los Angeles, California with a formidable output and unparalleled work ethic. He has been writing and performing music professionally since the age of 10.In 2007, he moved to Los Angeles and got his start in good old-fashioned rock and roll. After a few cross-country tours, he leapt to film/interactive and never looked back. You can hear his work across television and the internet; the Hulu Original Series “RocketJump: The Show”, Stan Lee’s animated series “Cosmic Crusaders”, Nickelodeon’s animated series “Rainbow Rangers”, and literally (not metaphorically) dozens of YouTube videos with views in the hundreds of millions.In addition to this, Maxton has written songs placed in the Netflix Original Series “Marvel’s The Defenders”, CBS’ reboot of “MacGyver”, “Video Game High School”, “Sons of Anarchy”, The MLB network, and countless others.He has studied at some of the greatest schools in the country; The Musician’s Institute and the Berklee College of Music. Maxton is highly-regarded for his deep understanding of audio, easy-going personality, and fast turnaround.There’s a reason you’ll see the same studios hire him repeatedly - Maxton is a musical force of nature and he elevates every project he works on.Show Credits:This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).

In this hot seat session, community member Mitch Rosin shares how a single email landed him his next dream job. We dive into the strategy he honed during the industry's downtime, getting better at his outreach. We then analyze the email that got him an immediate response to uncover why it worked and how his consistent practice paid off. But with this new opportunity comes new problems (good ones) and we explore the steps Mitch can take to reach his short term goals, ensuring he's all set when his work starts in a few months.Want to provide your feedback on this new format? We'd love to hear from you!→ Click here to let us know what you think of this formatWant to learn more about working with me and having your own Hot Seat session?→ Click here to learn more about the Optimizer coaching & mentorship program

Want to continue learning from the world’s experts on time management, networking, career development, better sleep, overcoming burnout, and so much more?→ Click here for your customized podcast playlistA few years back, writer/director Sam Lavin came to me because she had never felt more scattered. Amidst unemployment and managing the pandemic she said to me: “I’m typically a very ambitious person, but I’m finding it hard to stay on projects and get things done. I’m not motivated because I don’t know what I should be doing.”As an award-winning DGA director, assistant director, and writer who has worked on film and television projects including Lucifer, The Mayor, and Criminal Minds, she came to me as a 2nd AD with hopes of transitioning to the directing chair. Like many hit with a generous dose of perspective when the pandemic hit, Sam realized she was stuck and didn’t want to be a 2nd AD anymore...but she had no idea what to do next - and that lack of certainty left her paralyzed. She was dreaming of making her next major career transition into becoming both a 1st AD on major tv shows as well as a writer & director (and she knew she was ready!), but she had no clear path or next steps to make her vision become her reality. This led to wasted days of scattered attention and feeling “busy” but not “productive.”After joining the Optimizer coaching & mentorship program, Sam was able to design a plan that led her to firmly landing in the 1st AD position on a major streaming show for Apple, and she’s now poised to finally become a director. In today’s conversation we talk about the practical steps she took to work through the mental barriers that were stopping her from being productive and moving her career forwards, how she has become a focus machine getting more done in a few months than she had accomplished in years, and most importantly how you can apply the same principles to build momentum in your own career and life.No matter the career transition you are hoping to make next, even if the rungs of the ladder you want to climb might be different than others, the path is almost universally the same for all of us. You first need clarity about your next steps so you don’t inadvertently waste years of effort climbing the wrong ladder. Then you need to develop and hone the skills necessary to do the job you want next. And thirdly you need to build the right network of people so you can leverage those skills and convince them you can do the job, even if you might not have the experience yet. Simple...but far from easy. Learn how Sam did it and how you can do it too.Want to Hear More Episodes Like This One?» Click here to subscribe and never miss another episodeHere's What You'll Learn:What brought Sam to the Optimizer community and her career leading up to now.Sam's daily routine before she became a student in the Focus Yourself program.How we helped settle Sam's scattered mind and anxiety about where her career was headed.The obstacles Sam encountered when trying to find focus and clarity in her life.The mindset change that helped Sam make the transition from 2nd AD to 1st AD.How the Focus Gym helped her finish her pilot that she hadn't been able to complete before.The piece of feedback she received that changed her mindset about becoming a director.How the cancellation of an AFI program she had applied for gave her confidence to network more.KEY TAKEAWAY:  Your beliefs about yourself have the power to transform your life.Networking saved Sam from doing unnecessary steps to transition her career to the next level.Sam breaks down the skills necessary to become a director and what you can and can't learn by being a 1st AD.What positions most commonly get to the director's chair from film and television crews.The goal every 1st AD has to keep in mind when on set.How the politics of being a woman as an AD has made it tricky to navigate her career.Understanding the difference between confidence and arrogance and how to apply it to your career.How applying logic to networking was the key to helping Sam shift her mindset to make it work for her.What is the magic formula for networking and how it relieves the anxiety of reaching out.Sam's advice to anyone who feels like she did a year ago before she started the program.Useful Resources Mentioned:Work With Me | Optimize YourselfContinue to Listen & LearnI need help making a career transition | Optimize YourselfInsider's Guide to Writing Cold OutreachHow to Find the Right Type of Mentor For You (and When You Should Seek the Best)How to Go From Cold Contact to Your Ideal Mentor In Seven Simple StepsIMDbPro for Networking: The 10 Features That Will Take Your Outreach to a New LevelEp80: How to Avoid Getting Pigeonholed, The ‘Concentric Circles of Networking’ & More | with Doc Crotzer, ACEEp104: How to Keep Working As An Editor (After You’ve Made the Transition From AE) | with Susan Vaill, ACEEp126: On the Importance of Building Relationships, Asking Questions, and Never Giving Up | with Andi ArmaganianEp129: How to Cultivate a “Service-Centric” Mindset (and Why It Will Make You More Successful) | with Agustin RexachEp127: Chasing After the Next Gig vs. Building Your Career | with Kabir Ahktar, ACEGuest Bio:  Sam Lavin is an award winning DGA director, assistant director and writer who has worked on film and television projects including “Lucifer”, “The Mayor” and “Criminal Minds”.Samantha adapted and directed the British play “Key Change” in its West Coast premiere. It received an LA Times 99 Seat Beat Critic’s Pick for its innovation and raw staging of a story highlighting women in prison.Samantha wrote and directed the film, "In Memory of Me" which screened at over 40 festivals worldwide, winning awards including Panavision’s New Filmmaker Grant. She also created a television show called "Out of the Frying Pan" which was optioned by NBC/Comcast.Show Credits:This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).