Episodes

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Loretta Breuning talks about Status Games

Loretta Breuning talks about Status Games

Episode 422 · · 32:52

It’s been nearly 6 years since I first had the pleasure of speaking with Loretta Breuning. This episode has been months in the making and I’m happy to have her back to chat about her...

Marshall Goldsmith talks about The Earned Life

Marshall Goldsmith talks about The Earned Life

Episode 421 · · 30:54

This is a conversation I've been wanting to have for years. Marshall Goldsmith is someone I've been following ever since I got into the productivity space. His book "Triggers: Creati...

Daniel Coyle talks about The Culture Playbook

Daniel Coyle talks about The Culture Playbook

Episode 420 · · 38:10

When I was given the opportunity to speak with Daniel Coyle for A Productive Conversation, I jumped at the opportunity. He is the New York Times bestselling author of The Culture Cod...

Adrienne Smith talks about playing football, giving her all, and giving back to the game

Adrienne Smith talks about playing football, giving her all, and giving back to the game

Episode 419 · · 36:33

I've always wanted to interview a football player for the podcast. Thanks to Adrienne Smith, I got my chance. As an athlete, Adrienne has won two gold medals and four national champi...

Joshua Becker talks about Things That Matter

Joshua Becker talks about Things That Matter

Episode 418 · · 32:25

Joshua Becker isn't just one of my favourite people to have a conversation with, he's one of my favourite writers. And his book, Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue ...

Cameron Herold talks about being The Second in Command

Cameron Herold talks about being The Second in Command

Episode 417 · · 34:28

Meetings suck, don't they? Fellow Canadian Cameron Herold wrote a book with that title. But he knows that they don't have to suck. During our discussion, Cameron shares with me why m...

A Very Special Episode: Liam Martin talks about Running Remote

A Very Special Episode: Liam Martin talks about Running Remote

Episode 417 · · 37:19

The way the world works has been changed forever over the past few years. There's no going back to the way things were. It's all about adapting to the evolved world of work – one tha...

FROM THE VAULT: Chris Bailey talks about Hyperfocus

FROM THE VAULT: Chris Bailey talks about Hyperfocus

Episode 416 · · 32:43

I've been friends with Chris Bailey for years, dating back to our lunch at a diner in Ottawa when I was in his neck of the woods for a speaking engagement. We've had plenty of chats ...

Ian Morgan Cron talks about The Story of You

Ian Morgan Cron talks about The Story of You

Episode 415 · · 37:57

I've been interested in the Enneagram for a few years now, mainly because of my fascination with frameworks. And while I've had conversations with a lot of people who know about the ...

A Very Special Episode: Austin Kleon Returns!

A Very Special Episode: Austin Kleon Returns!

Episode 415 · · 30:38

"I should have picked up Steal Like an Artist a long time ago." That was the thought that ran through my mind as I read the 10th anniversary edition of this work by Austin Kleon from...

Joe Chura talks about being Not Almost There

Joe Chura talks about being Not Almost There

Episode 414 · · 44:50

Joe Chura is an entrepreneur, inventor, and investor philanthropist. He founded and bootstrapped two companies, Launch Digital Marketing and Dealer Inspire, that both became two of t...

Mohammad Anwar and Chris Pitre talk about Love as a Business Strategy

Mohammad Anwar and Chris Pitre talk about Love as a Business Strategy

Episode 413 · · 34:52

Sometimes I get so caught up in the conversation that I make a mistake.... But considering the guests I have this time around I couldn't have picked a better time for that to happen....

Brittany Wagner talks about not giving up, taking a chance, and vulnerability

Brittany Wagner talks about not giving up, taking a chance, and vulnerability

Episode 412 · · 43:45

When Brittany Wagner reached out to be on the program, I honestly didn't know that she was on a dock-series that I'd added to my Netflix queue called "Last Chance U." I started to go...

FROM THE VAULT: Justin Jackson talks about Making and Modifying

FROM THE VAULT: Justin Jackson talks about Making and Modifying

Episode 411 · · 30:28

My guest on this episode is my friend Justin Jackson. I wanted to revisit this conversation from April 2017, so I pulled it from the vault to share it with you once again. Justin is ...

Michael Diettrich-Chastain talks about CHANGES

Michael Diettrich-Chastain talks about CHANGES

Episode 410 · · 39:51

Change is never easy. And it's constant. It's one of the things that we can rely on... even if we can't rely on what it might hold for us. That's why you're seeing the phrase "change...

Luke Burgis talks about Wanting, Journaling, and Fulfillment

Luke Burgis talks about Wanting, Journaling, and Fulfillment

Episode 409 · · 36:11

As the author of "Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life," Luke has spent plenty of time and energy researching the power of desire. I absolutely loved getting into th...

Thomas Anderson talks about Being Vulnerable

Thomas Anderson talks about Being Vulnerable

Episode 408 · · 42:18

Who is Thomas Anderson? Better still, who is Thomas Anderson to write a book on vulnerability? I ask this question during my conversation with him on this episode of the podcast. Do ...

BONUS EPISODE: Charlie Gilkey talks about Momentum

BONUS EPISODE: Charlie Gilkey talks about Momentum

Episode 408 · · 48:35

On this bonus (and sponsor-free) episode of A Productive Conversation with Mike Vardy, Mike is joined by his good friend Charlie Gilkey of Productive Flourishing to talk about Moment...

FROM THE VAULT: Rob Walker

FROM THE VAULT: Rob Walker

Episode 407 · · 28:33

Over the past 7+ years of hosting this podcast, I noticed something: I've never gone back into previous conversations and revisited them with you. So I decided to make that more of a...

Perrine Farque talks about Inclusion

Perrine Farque talks about Inclusion

Episode 406 · · 30:41

Perrine Farque and I had a conversation that revolved largely around her area of expertise: inclusion. That's also the title of her book, which came up quite a bit during our chat......

Becca Ribbing talks about Clarity, Getting Unstuck, and Journaling

Becca Ribbing talks about Clarity, Getting Unstuck, and Journaling

Episode 405 · · 40:43

Becca Ribbing knows a thing of two about, well... giving things thought. She's the author of The Clarity Journal, so clarity is something she givers a lot of attention to. The change...

Stacy Tuschl talks about The Implementation Code

Stacy Tuschl talks about The Implementation Code

Episode 404 · · 36:05

Productivity makes Stacy Tuschl tick. In addition to being a Small Business Growth Coach, Stacy is a bestselling author, and founder of the Foot Traffic Formula - helping small busin...

John Meese talks about Profit, Growth and Thriving

John Meese talks about Profit, Growth and Thriving

Episode 403 · · 36:30

Find out how to move from survival to thriving with your business with economist-turned-entrepreneur John Meese. John is on a personal mission to eradicate generational poverty by h...

Wes Kao talks about Maven, Cohort-based Learning and Seth Godin

Wes Kao talks about Maven, Cohort-based Learning and Seth Godin

Episode 402 · · 41:23

As co-founder of the altMBA, Wes Kao helped create the modern cohort-based education movement with Seth Godin.  Wes has led over 150 launches for Fortune 500 brands and startups, an...

Dr. Michael Breus talks about Energy Management, Movement and Sleep

Dr. Michael Breus talks about Energy Management, Movement and Sleep

Episode 401 · · 36:44

Dr. Michael Breus, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and both a Diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a Fellow of The American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He is one of...

Dan Clark talks about Brain.fm, Functional Music and Mental States

Dan Clark talks about Brain.fm, Functional Music and Mental States

Episode 400 · · 37:30

Brain.fm creates music that sounds different – and affects your brain differently – than any other music. Their science-first approach helps steer you into a desired mental state. Ho...

Ron Friedman talks about Reverse Engineering Success

Ron Friedman talks about Reverse Engineering Success

Episode 399 · · 34:10

Ron Friedman is an award-winning social psychologist who specializes in human motivation. He is a frequent contributor to HBR, CNN, Fast Company, and Psychology Today, as well as the...

Juliet Funt talks about a Minute to Think

Juliet Funt talks about a Minute to Think

Episode 398 · · 43:21

Juliet Funt is a renowned keynote speaker and tough-love advisor to the Fortune 500 who is regularly featured in top global media outlets, including Forbes and Fast Company. She is a...

Jesse Mecham talks about YNAB, Money Management and Future You

Jesse Mecham talks about YNAB, Money Management and Future You

Episode 397 · · 41:28

Personal finance expert, speaker, and business leader, Jesse Mecham is the Founder of You Need A Budget (or YNAB if you are very busy and important). He is also a podcast host and be...

Pieter Geldenhuys talks about Shoshin Walks, Exploring and Nature

Pieter Geldenhuys talks about Shoshin Walks, Exploring and Nature

Episode 396 · · 35:06

Pieter Geldenhuys – also known as PG Geldenhuys – facilitates hikes and retreats in South Africa and abroad to help you turn your focus inward, through his business Shoshin Walks. He...