Real Work, Real Life

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Tiffany Baxter of Backyard Butchery, a mobile whole animal butcher. Tiffany also manages her own farm and a business doing bee removals. This was such a fun discussion, and so much of what we talk about is applicable to any small business owner. If you’re interested in learning more about what Tiffany does, you can find here here: If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy two other recent episodes with folks in the broader farming and agriculture space: Backyard Butchery Website: https://backyardbutchery.com/ Email: Tiffany@backyardbutchery.com Instagram: @backyardbutchery and @freelandfarms Caite Palmer, host of the Barnyard Language podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/software-and-farming-life/id1673653251?i=1000646239848 Katie Dotterer, founder of Agvokate Agriculture education. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/spanish-and-esl-agriculture-educator/id1673653251?i=100065272215 If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Katie Dotterer, founder of Agvokate Agriculture Education, teaching Spanish and English as a second language, primarily to people working in agriculture. I learned so much in this episode. We get into a lot of the challenges and joys of entrepreneurship, using language to improve life for everyone working in agriculture, and that A.I. means something completely different in the dairy industry. You’ll have to listen to the end for that one. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like my interview with Caite Palmer, cohost of the Barnyard Language podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/software-and-farming-life/id1673653251?i=1000646239848 You can find out more about Katie here: Website: https://www.agvokate.com/ Instagram: @the_agvokate If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode, I have a very special guest, I’m talking with my best friend and husband, Corey. Corey is a merchant mariner, working as an engineer on an oil rig. If you’ve listened since the beginning of this series, you might remember that the original idea behind this podcast came from a desire to help guide our children as they thought about their own careers and how work would fit into a fulfilling and joyful life. Corey has been my biggest supporter throughout this project (and I’m lucky to say I have many others competing for that title) and so I’m thrilled to be able to share this interview with you all. If you’ve ever considered a job in engineering or in the maritime industry, this would be a great episode for you. You might also like my interview with my Dad, a captain of schooners, tugboats, and ferries, and Ed, who works on tugboats and captains a charter fishing boat in his off time. Charter Fishing and Tugboats: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/charter-fishing-and-tugboats/id1673653251?i=1000642768864 Captain, Tugboats, Schooners, and Ferries: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/captain-tugboats-schooners-and-ferries/id1673653251?i=1000618604052 If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode, I’m talking Saranya, an attorney in intellectual property. Saranya originally went to undergrad and graduate school and started her career in engineering and after finding success in the field, realized the paths ahead of her weren’t the right fit, so she went to law school at night, and is now a partner at a major firm. I know you’re going to enjoy this interview as much as I did, and if you want to hear more from Saranya, check out her Instagram account, Shelves of Color. It’s focused on kids books, with a special focus on diverse and inclusive reads and is excellent. If you enjoyed this episode, or you’d like to know more about a career in law, check out my interview with my mom, a judge: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/judge/id1673653251?i=1000621623582 If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Annie Yang. Annie is employed full time as an accountant, but also has a side gig doing similar work for other clients. Annie also helps job seekers land positions quickly, so we talk a lot about strategies there. If you’re currently on the job hunt, check out Annie’s website, which you can find linked in the shownotes. Annie is one of so many people out there that don’t just do one job, they have lots of plates in the air, and Annie seems to have found a balance that really works well for her. If you liked this episode, you might also enjoy my interview with Allison Rothwell, an Administrative Assistant, Actor and Declutter Coach, you can find that here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/declutter-coach-administrative-assistant-actor/id1673653251?i=1000615992179 Annie’s website: https://www.annieyangfinancial.com/ If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Caite, who works remotely full time for a software company, hosts a podcast called Barnyard Language, and raises beef cattle and sheep with her husband on their farm. The work that Caite does in the software field is really interesting, essentially preventing abuse of the software, and would be a great option for nonlinear, creative thinkers, even if they don’t have the skills you might typically associate with someone working at a software company. We talk about the value of growth in remote work for farming families and others in rural areas, about the support and inclusion for neurodivergent folks in the tech field, balancing life as a working parent, just about everything in between. I had so much fun talking with Caite and I know you’ll enjoy this episode too. If you’re interested in hearing more about remote work in the tech space, you can listen back to my episode with Jake, a Software Engineer or Rachel, a Creative Director in User Experience: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/user-experience/id1673653251?i=1000630159382https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/software-engineer/id1673653251?i=1000604294924To hear more from Caite and her cohost Arlene: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/barnyard-language/id1581475809https://www.patreon.com/BarnyardLanguagehttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-skills-homeschooling-and-indigenous/id1581475809?i=1000640534350If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

Welcome to Real Work, Real Life where I talk to real people about what they do for work and what that means for their lives. Today I’m talking with Beth Sandlin, a Pilates Instructor, and the founder of Trifecta Pilates. After years of working as an in person instructor, Beth started Trifecta to expand the reach and accessibility of Pilates, offering teacher training and online Pilates workouts (long before that became so normalized during the pandemic) available through membership, an app, and YouTube and trauma informed. We talk a lot about the ins and outs of a career in movement as well as the challenges and joys of starting a small business while still working full time, and even get into the details on different income streams, and so much more. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like my interview with Jenna J, a personal trainer, which you can find here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/personal-trainer/id1673653251?i=1000641161798 You can find out more about Beth here: https://trifectapilates.comhttps://www.instagram.com/trifectapilateshttps://www.youtube.com/trifectapilatesIf you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On the week's episode of Real Work, Real Life I'm talking with Ed, a merchant mariner who works on tug boats and captains a charter fishing boat, the Rita B, in his off time. We talk a lot about general life in the maritime industry and also get into all the details of working as a charter captain. It can be great gig for passionate anglers who love active work on the water and meeting lots of new people you might never meet otherwise. Because it’s seasonal in our area, most captains either have another full time job or do something else in the winter, so it can pair well with winter-only work, or for people that have a lot of time off from their primary work. If you’re in the southern Maine area and looking for a charter fishing adventure, I can tell you that you’re in good hands with Ed. Want to go fishing with Ed? https://www.mainecharterboat.com/ If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I'm talking with Jenna Jozefowski (also known as Jenna J). Jenna is a semi-retired professional dancer, dance teacher and yoga teacher, turned personal trainer and kettle bell instructor. Jenna describes her approach as anti diet, so she doesn’t coach intentional fat loss. We talk about that in the interview, but if you want to learn more, check out her podcast Tough Cookie Talks. While this interview would be great for someone that ever considered building a career in fitness, a lot of what we talk about would be relevant to any kind of small business, like the challenges of balancing the fear of not enough work without working yourself into the ground, the huge difference between your hourly rate and what you take home, and the personal relationships you get to develop with clients. So much great stuff to share in this interview, but I can’t stop thinking about one of Jenna’s statements at the end “ask yourself why before you say yes”. Website: Itsjennaj.com Instagram: @itsjennaj Podcast: Tough Cookie Talks Certification that Jenna has for personal training: NASM https://www.nasm.org If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Charles Read. Charles is a CPA and the CEO of Get Payroll, which provides payroll services for companies across the country. Becoming a certified public accountant today requires a master’s degree and an incredibly challenging three day exam, but it’s a field that is in high demand with tons of potential if you’re well-suited to the work. We cover so much much in this interview, from good business practice advice for any entrepreneur, to the joys and challenges of running a business with your spouse, to knowing when to delegate aspects of your business, to how your role changes as you progress in your career. Also, if you’re considering a career in accounting, you might go back and listen to my very first interview, with Steph, a tax CPA that worked for a major firm. You can find it here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/certified-public-accountant-tax/id1673653251?i=1000602280682 Links to find out more about Charles’s work: www.getpayroll.comwww.facebook.com/getpayrollwww.youtube.com/getpayrollwww.linkedin.com/company/10964861/https://www.tiktok.com/@getpayrollhttps://twitter.com/getpayrollIf you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Jorge Gonzalez. After a successful career in warehouse logistics, Jorge was injured on the job and found himself unable to do the work that he once did. We talk a lot about that work and his new career as a Real Estate agent, so if you’re interested in either of those fields, this will be a good episode for you. But I also think his experience with injury and unexpectedly being unable to continue in a career he was thriving in could be valuable for many. It’s safe to say all of us will face some kind of unforeseen challenges or obstacles, and building the skills you need to get through a period like that can make all the difference. https://www.amazon.com/Answer-Call-Lessons-Invention-Struggle-ebook/dp/B096WD61K8www.jorgevgonzalez.comhttps://www.instagram.com/jorge_v_gonzalezhttps://www.facebook.com/jorge.v.gonzalez.50/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgevgonzalez805https://twitter.com/mrvilligonhttps://www.youtube.com/@jorgevgonzalezwww.LiveVenturaCounty.comIf you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Urmi Hossain, an investment associate based in Canada with the goal of becoming a portfolio manager. Urmi is a CFA, or a Chartered Financial Analyst. CFA is a globally recognized professional designation that measures and certifies the competence and integrity of financial analysts. Candidates are required to pass three levels of exams covering areas, such as accounting, economics, ethics, money management, and security analysis. Working in financial services can offer a lot in terms of compensation and benefits and upward potential. We also talk about the challenge of finding that first job out of school and how disheartening it can be struggling to get your foot in the door somewhere, even when you have all of the qualifications on every posting. So if you’re there now, just know you’re not alone. My best advice for that stage of your career is to keep a number of strong applications open at once, don’t stop looking and applying until you’ve actually started a job. Hiring for salaried, professional jobs can take months of stops and starts, so if you have a lot of irons in the fire at once, it’s not so disappointing if one falls through. If you enjoyed this episode, you might enjoy my interview with Steph, a Certified Public Accountant: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/certified-public-accountant-tax/id1673653251?i=1000602280682 You can find out more about Urmi here: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/urmi-hossainhttps://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0B75X14G7/ref=sr_1_2?crid=38ODHSOSYZ3W8&keywords=urmi+hossain&qid=1658373403&sprefix=urmi+hossain%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-2https://www.myways.ca/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZoiI0SGU0Xo9_lNjtLWtgghttps://www.instagram.com/urmamio/If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Dalene, who retired at 50 after a career working for the government supporting law enforcement agencies. If you missed last week’s episode, I talked with Tim who retired after 30 years in the air force and is about to retire again after working for the government in security, so that would be a great episode to go back and listen to if you’re considering a career in the public sector (you can find it here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/government-and-u-s-air-force/id1673653251?i=1000636901719) We talk about pursuing college while working, planning for retirement financially and mentally, the many benefits of government work, as well as some of the challenges, and so much more. Dalene has launched a Financial Coaching service in retirement. Find out more here!: https://elevatefinances.us/ Where to find jobs in the United States government: https://www.usajobs.gov/ If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

Welcome to Real Work, Real Life where I talk to real people about what they do for work and what that means for their lives. Today I’m talking with Tim Murphy, a veteran who retired from the Air Force after 30 years and now works for the government in security. Working in the Armed Forces and for the government are distinct in so many ways from the private sector, so we talk a lot about that since the vast majority of my other guests have worked in the private sector. We cover than and so much more, I can’t wait to share this discussion with you. So let’s get into it! Tim mentions that he’s publishing a book soon! You can find out more about it here: https://www.7secretpillarsofsobriety.com If you're interested in working for the U.S. government: https://www.usajobs.gov/ If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Trina, the host of the internet radio station and podcast, Run Radio. Trina built a career in radio before launching her own station, so if you’re interested in radio or podcasting, this could be a great episode for you. We also talk a lot about the shift from employee to entrepreneur, an experience that would be applicable to anyone thinking about taking that leap. We didn’t get much into pay, especially because in Trina’s current role as an entrepreneur, it’s so variable. But I did do some research on salaries in broadcast radio. Seemed to be higher for sports broadcast announcers, but fewer available jobs. Of course there are always going to be outliers of highly paid hosts, but the median annual salary is around $40K, with a range of $30K to $70K. Radio producers seemed to have a similar range. I linked Trina’s radio station in the show notes if you’re interested in hearing more, as well as other episodes with similar themes, if you liked this episode and want to listen to more. You can listen to Trina’s station here: https://runradio.net/ If you liked this episode, you might like these too! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-media-consultant-sports-industry/id1673653251?i=1000620885913https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-industry-producer-manager-and-singer-songwriter/id1673653251?i=1000623157811https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-industry-singer-manager-and-coach/id1673653251?i=1000622386657https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/theatrical-lighting-designer/id1673653251?i=1000632557420https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/childrens-book-illustrator-and-author/id1673653251?i=1000617830582If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

Welcome to Real Work, Real Life where I talk to real people about what they do for work and what that means for their lives. Today I’m talking with Sabrina, an Obstetrician-Gynecologist finishing up her residency before continuing into a fellowship in urogynecology. If you’re considering a career in medicine, this will be such a great episode for you. And if you aren’t, this will give you a whole new appreciation for the physicians that care for you over the course of your lives, and the sacrifices they have made to pursue this career. Obstetricians and gynecologists have a special place in medicine I believe. I can’t think of another field of medicine that cares for people during some of the most joyful moments of their lives and also in some of their most challenging and heart-wrenching moments. Guiding people through such personal, private healthcare decisions takes a special person, and I know I left this interview feeling like Sabrina’s patients will be lucky to have her. If you liked this episode, you might like one of these too! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/registered-nurse-psychiatric-care/id1673653251?i=1000613358444https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/immunologist/id1673653251?i=1000625371633https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fisheries-biologist/id1673653251?i=1000607513735If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Brittany, an executive director and cofounder of a school of theatrical violence and stage combat in Philadelphia, Argent Combat. We cover so much about this work, from the many paths you could take within this broader field, to the impact of AI on the industry, to the way Brittany’s organization is advancing equity, inclusion, and best practices around consent in this community. If you liked this episode, you might like some of the other interviews I’ve done with people in the Arts. I spoke with Alex, a Children’s Book Illustrator and Author, Ethan, a Theatrical Lighting Designer, Kiara, Singer, Manager, and Coach and Tony, Music Producer, Developer, Manager (linked below). After talking with all of these different people building a career for themselves in the arts, there definitely seems to be some common themes. There are all the challenges that go along with any kind of entrepreneurial field. Some instability, wildly variable pay, limited location options, and the challenges that go along with making your living from a skill that ultimately subjective. But for all the people I have talked to, it’s seems like it’s all worth it. If it’s something you’re truly passionate about, the value of spending your working time on something you love and the freedom that can come with these types of career paths, is worth all of the challenges for some. You can find out more about Argent Combat here: https://www.argentcombat.com/ If you liked this episode, you might like these too! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-industry-producer-manager-and-singer-songwriter/id1673653251?i=1000623157811https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-industry-singer-manager-and-coach/id1673653251?i=1000622386657https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/theatrical-lighting-designer/id1673653251?i=1000632557420https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/childrens-book-illustrator-and-author/id1673653251?i=1000617830582If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Tracey, a pediatric occupational therapist. One thing Tracey mentions is that a lot of people don’t know what OTs actually do. Occupational therapy enables people of all ages to participate in daily living. Occupational therapy intervention uses everyday life activities to promote health, well-being, and the ability to participate in the important activities in your life. This includes any meaningful activity that a person wants to accomplish, including taking care of yourself and your family, working, volunteering, going to school, among many others. I’ve talked to a few different people in the therapy field and they all seem to have some degree of the same issue: the work is in high demand but the pay has not kept up, meanwhile the education requirements and cost continue to increase and you’re often required to complete an unpaid internship before beginning work. Despite these challenges, it can be incredibly meaningful work. If you’re interested in hearing other related interviews, I talked to Dawn, a therapist in private practice, Kat, a physical therapist assistant, Alison, a social worker, and Samantha, a music therapist, which I’ll link in the show notes. Another theme that has come up in quite a few interviews is people finding that they are best suited to a speciality in their field that they actually did poorly in or didn’t like in college. I think probably the message there is to keep your mind open, liking or doing well is something in school is not always an indication that it will be right for you as a job, and of course, vice versa. Other episodes you might like too: Social Worker: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-worker-in-canada/id1673653251?i=1000608593635 Music Therapist: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-therapist/id1673653251?i=1000631717144 Therapist in Private Practice: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/therapist-private-practice/id1673653251?i=1000619359028 Physical Therapist Assistant: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/physical-therapist-assistant/id1673653251?i=1000615135619 If you want to learn more about Tracey: https://peds.thinkific.com/https://parentnicuconnection.com/If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Ethan, a theatrical lighting designer, primarily for local theaters. This role is a really interesting combination of creative expression and technological skill. This could be a great job for someone that lives and breathes theater, but doesn’t necessarily want to be on the stage. It could also be a great path for someone that wants to live a bit of a nomadic lifestyle traveling as needed to support different productions. Ethan and I talk a bit about pay, but I did some research on my own, and the national average salary is about $40-$60K a year. Some people who work in this field are unionized, which can certainly have its challenges and limitations, but also provides workers support and protections, and can secure access to benefits, which you’re unlikely to find outside of a union. I probably shouldn’t have been surprised to learn this but I was: working on lights high off the ground is a prerequisite for the job, so if you’re truly afraid of heights, this one isn’t for you. You can find more about Ethan here: https://www.ethanentermedia.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ethanentermedia/ If you liked this episode, you might like these too: 1. Music Industry, Producer, Manager and Singer-Songwriter: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-industry-producer-manager-and-singer-songwriter/id1673653251?i=1000623157811 2. Music Industry, Singer, Manager, and Coach: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-industry-singer-manager-and-coach/id1673653251?i=1000622386657 If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com

On this week's episode of Real Work, Real Life, I’m talking with Samantha, a board certified music therapist. Music therapy is not as common as many other therapies you might be familiar with, there are only a few thousand certified therapists in the US. If you’re not familiar with it, I found more information on the American Music Therapy website: Music Therapy is the clinical & evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship, it can help clients do things like manage stress and pain, express feelings, improve communication. So if something in the therapy field interests you, and you also love music, this could be a path to consider. That said, there are some challenges in the field. Despite plenty of demand for this service, pay can be relatively low for the level of education and certification required, and like many other therapy fields, an unpaid internship is required. Services can be reimbursed through Medicaid but not typically private insurance, so the people who have access to this care is impacted by that. We also talk a lot about the highs and lows of owning your own business, as well as Samantha’s side projects that are related to this work. That in itself is something to think about in your career choices. Many people want or need variety in their working hours or multiple streams of income. So when you think about a specific career path, you don’t necessarily have to be bound by the hours and pay of that one role full time, so many people find themselves kind of piecing together lots of things to create the life they really want. It’s certainly not for everyone, but it might be for you. The more people I speak with the more I find that the absolute key to finding work that fits into a joyful life is truly knowing yourself, what brings you joy, what causes misery, outside of the social expectations of what you *should* like and dislike, and finding the work that fits into that vision as well as your individual circumstances allow. The sooner you are able to know yourself like that, the happier you’ll be. So let’s get into it! More about Music Therapy: https://www.musictherapy.org/ Links to learn more about Samantha's work: www.boisemusictherapycompany.com www.instagram.com/boisemusictherapy www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent Two other episodes to check out if you liked this one: Child Psychologist: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/child-psychologist/id1673653251?i=1000612471128 Therapist in Private Practice: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/therapist-private-practice/id1673653251?i=1000619359028 If you like the show, please rate and review on iTunes and Spotify (linked below) and please share with a friend! You can also follow the podcast on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Tiktok. And if you’d like to be interviewed here, or there is a particular job you’d like to learn about, please reach out at realworkreallife@gmail.com. iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-work-real-life/id1673653251 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Cp0w2BjOtS8NWfj0NhmIg?si=ece5b6ad45274b73 Transcripts are now available here: www.realworkreallife.com