WYZ Guy Radio | Episode 142 | Reflecting On 2016

WZY Guy Radio Show Transcripts

Glass Nation greatly supports the mission of the WYZ (“Wise”) Guy Radio show, which is so important for glass art 2016. They exist in order to, “educate and inspire through conversations with today’s top talents in the world of glass”. Furthermore, we support their message, sponsors, and find value in helping them find new viewers by contributing our time transcribing their episodes. Below we have provided a written transcription of WYZ Guy Media: Episode 142.

Reflecting On 2016

Hey what’s happening! Welcome to the WYZ Guy Radio Show: Episode 142! This is J. Michael your host and thank you so much for tuning in today. This is the WYZ Guy Radio Show! A podcast dedicated to educating and inspiring through conversations with today’s top talents in the world of glass. We will be dissecting their journeys in the hopes to deliver actionable content that you, the artist, can start implementing now. Helping you grow not only as a creative spirit, but also a successful artistic entrepreneur. With a little organization, relationship-building, and your artistic ability; you can obtain greatness. Climb aboard whether you’re an artist, retail owner, or enthusiast. We have a ton of fun in store for you! Welcome to the Wyz Guy Radio Show!

 How to Improve & Move Forward

Today’s special episode as we reflect on 2016 and close out this year as it’s been an exciting year for all of us in this industry.  We’ve seen this industry and community of the functional glass world grow leaps and bounds. As laws of changed, as communities have grown, and new artists have come into our industry.  As well as other kind of brands and outside kinds of things going on, which has been pretty awesome. This episode is going to be covering the idea of reflection and really to stop, sit and think about  this past year, almost 365 days now, as I’m recording this: the 29th of December 2016. Pretty crazy to think that it’s already December 29th. I mean, holy shit, where has the year gone! But, the whole point is usually during this time of the year we all like to put the gas pedal down to the floor per se down as hard as we can. In order to wrap up our year and get orders out and stuff which is good. But it’s also good to take your foot off the gas.

Slow It Down A Bit In 2017

Really set back and reflect on this year. All of your wins and on all of your losses.  In order to really see what you can fine tune, pin-point, redo, or make better.  In order to make this next year and any time period after that a more productive year for yourself. Life is all about learning lessons.  When it comes to our businesses and our art it is just important. Without reflecting on that and understanding the growth that we have to have, really what’s the point of doing it. That is just my opinion.  So if you just sit down and think about what this past year has been all about. Your going to be surprised at the memories you will have as well as some of the aches and pains that we have all gone through individually.  Then you can think about how to improve it. Things you can do better,  things you should not do.  Maybe you should have said no to a certain thing.  You know. That kind of stuff, which we will get into.  There will be a link in the show notes  that you can click on. It will take you to a PDF document, that will be sent to your email, you can print out and fill out and really have a heart-to-heart with yourself.  Find ways to improve yourself personally, but also your business, your glass art, as well as your customer experience. None of us are perfect. Our whole goal is to just continuously improve. Both on a personal level and on the artistic level. So definitely hope this helps you out. And will be going over this in a second. But before we do I want to give a shoutout to our sponsors.

Sponsors Of The J. Michael WYZ Guy Radio Show

I’d like to give a shout out to all of our sponsors who have come on the show and help run finance and keep this thing going. Because this does cost me money to put this out, not only time. But also in a financial capacity.  And I would continue to do it. Even if I didn’t have any sponsors, to me it’s worth the value to put my money out there for you to have the value in return.

The American Helix

This Episode of the WYZ Guy Radio Show is brought you by American Helix. The American Helix is a revolutionary new concept in smoking technology. Designed and manufactured by American glass blowers. This pipe is light years ahead of his time. Based on Bernoulli’s principle. The shape of the pipe, along with an innovative intake system creates a Venturi effect though precession micro-holes in the chamber, which results in a slower burn that can serve tobacco and gives a smooth refreshing smoke experience. Making the American Helix the smoothest hitting pipe on the market.

Mountain Glass Art

Definitely want to thank Mountain Glass Arts. They have been with us since the beginning. They have been one of our major foundational sponsors. Been on board since day one. They have hooked listeners up with a special discount: 35% off North Star First, excluding Illuminati and Lucy glow glass, as well as the Wonder Bars, and you only have one more day or two more days left to get on the sale. All you have to do is put in the code “WNS” and you’ll receive a 35% discount on North Star First. So definitely load up on your Northstar First qualities. Before the year ends take full advantage of that.

This Episode of the WYZ Guy radio show is brought to you by Mountain Glass Arts. For the month of December 2016 Mountain Glass is offering their boro sale. Trautman First Quality Rod at 30% off to put in the coupon code “TAG” at checkout. And for for all you soft-glass nerds their jewelry making essentials kit is 25% off. Just put in the code, “Jewelry”. Don’t forget they are clothed from December May 24th through January 2nd 2017 to be with their families.

The Flow Magazine

The Flow Magazine is an online and print magazine that is really big on helping the community grow, teaching lessons, exposing artists who may not get exposure, and giving the whole world exposure to our industry. Not just the functional scene, but the Glass Art World in general. It’s really awesome that they are on board and have been doing what they are doing for ever. Not really forever. But for a long damn time.  A lot of things that I know personally, I have learned from their magazine.  Just some personal benefits as well as art. I would recommend that you subscribe to the flow. Whether it’s their print or online magazine.

Green Flash Glass Art

The first glass company to sponsor our show was Green Flash Glass. I always try and give them love for supporting us. Their crew is up in Tallahassee Florida they were the very first sponsors to come on board to really help get the show launched off and get things going. Anybody and everybody who’s been a part of the show thank you so much for helping us out.

 

Wouldn’t Be Here Without Our Listeners

Anybody has ever contacted me, any downloads, obviously, if you’re listening to the show you downloaded to the show. Or if you have a different type of podcast app you’re just listening to it. But either way. Thank you, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart for this year the numbers have been huge. Going for some certain goals I have. This month my goal is having at least $10,000 minimum. My goal for October was 5000, which we exceeded. Then I wanted to increase the bar in November. In order to see the continued response and we did it! This month we’re on track to hit 10,000! But because this is going on a little bit later in the month, because I have been fighting a cold all week. Like a really bad something going around. I wasn’t able to record. I didn’t really have a voice a lot of sneezing and sniffling. I didn’t think that you’d want to be listening to that in your ears, while you’re out and about, or on the torch, so I decided to hold off. You’re going to be getting more or less 3 episodes, 1 today; or at the end of today, which is Wednesday. The 29th, tomorrow I have 2 interviews going out, so defiantly enjoy those. I’ll end up taking some of the numbers from January adding them into December to compensate. Kind of thing to cheat a little bit. I guess, so this show has been increasing in popularity and continued support so thank you thank you thank you.

Listen To WYZ Guy Glass Art Radio On I-Tunes

One way you can show support for the show is by going to our iTunes page and leaving us a review. Whether it’s a written review or a 5-star review if you think we deserve it. By reviewing the show on iTunes it helps with their algorithm. It really helps to bring the show up in the ranks and the categories that we are in and gives the show more exposure, exposes our industry and community to a broader audience, which as we become more and more mainstream it’s helpful to have ourselves exposed on multiple mediums not only on social media but also in podcasts like this. I’m really excited about it. Again thank you thank you so much.

Looking Back at Glass Art 2016

I also want to thank all those that participated in our Secret Santa event this year. We did the ‘pin and trade’. It was the first time going through the process of trying to find out how to manage it myself.  Part of going back and reflecting on the year. That was actually one of the things I have  reflected upon.  How to make it better so its actually feasible for myself but also those that participate to make sure that everybody involved is participating. This Secret Santa Pin and Trade not everyone participated. There were a couple of people who did not and that’s Ok. Shit happens.

Delegation Is Key For Professional Glass Artist

I know through email and messaging and all the other ways that I was communicating with people. Next time around we are going to make sure that it is all via email so that we are all on the same medium and format.  That is one of the areas of my business that I’m going to be delegating. I actually have several areas that I am going to be delegating this year between the website, the newsletters, and different areas that I love to do myself, but I know  because I am rushing though different things because of the time schedule that I have. They could be much better if delegated them to somebody else who’s better at that activity. Those are some things to think about in terms of your business. We’ll get into them but, whether it is shipping, emailing, or what-have-you. We could do everything in our business, but in all reality when you bring someone on board to help. Its going to allow you to have some relief from that task, but potentially the person that is going to be taking the task is going to be better at it than you are.

Annual Refection Worksheet

Without further ado I think it is time for us to get into the year of reflection.

Alright so now we are going to get into reflection 2016. This is really where you need to stop, slow-down a little bit, if not stop completely, and just reflect on the past year. As I previously mentioned, I’ll have a link where you can download the Annual Reflection Worksheet. It is basically 4 pages, the first two pages are for your successes and the last two pages are for your failures. I had you do the failures first because typically failures; and I don’t like to use the term failures. In terms of, “I failed at this”. But basically didn’t go quite as planned, took a little bit longer than expected. Or was just completely a failure. We do have failures, but they are all things that we do in life that we can learn from and learn how to do better at it so next time it is either less of a failure or becomes an actual success; Or a great success; Or maybe something that you should have just cut out and not even done at all.

Our Failures In 2016: Painfully Memorably

I did failures first because its important to start with them first because failures are generally the clearest memories that we generally have because as we all know for every thousand compliments we get it only takes one negative response. It completely annihilate all the compliments and we focus on the one bad. As much as we don’t like to do that its just nature and the way our brains work. The way it is. It kind of sucks, but its the truth. There’s space on the worksheet for 5 events, if you didn’t have 5 failures just list as many as you can think of her whatever comes to mind. If you need extra space use the back of the piece of paper. It’s all about just taking time to think about how you could have improved and to reflect. Really the idea is to get all of your ideas and thoughts on paper so you have a clearer vision of what your year has looked like. You can go though your notes and really fine tune it. Think about how you can improve in these areas in 2017.

Questions To Ask Yourself When Reflecting on 2016

1) Firstly, “What events stand out the most that you consider to be your biggest failures”? Now myself personally I know that one of my failures this year was slacking on my customer service. I had several orders that took way longer than expected, customers weren’t happy with the final product they received. So I had to sit down and ask myself, “Why the hell did this go down?”

2) So the next question I had was, “What about these events made them a failure?” I had to think what was it about these events that I was not good at.

3) Third is, What would you have done differently to make these failures a success or make it so the event never happened in the first place. Typically that just happens by saying, “No”.

4) The forth question I asked myself was, “What lessons learned can you carry over into similar events to make them successful the next go around?” So as your year comes up, and something similar to a failure presents itself, what did you learn from that specific event and what can you now do differently to make that event better this time and make it an actual success.

5) In the event that failed do you think that delegating specific tasks to another person or team would have made it more of a successful event.

Then wright down what failures would have potentially benefited by delegating tasks and writing down the tasks that would have had delegated. Again myself for example I am delegating as many things as I can this go around. I am putting together a team. They aren’t going to be full time employees but private contractors. People that will help me run things way smoother. So that my news letters go out every week. My podcasts post on-time. All my show notes are done. Gotta think about this stuff. So truly sit down and fill this stuff out. It will take you all of maybe an hour to sit down, brain storm, and have a heart to heart. While your on the torch or whatever your doing you can sit back and contemplate about these questions again and really think about what is it that you can improve upon.

Our Successes in 2016: Focus on the wins

1) What successes stand out most from the previous year?

I can say myself personally one of the things I had as a success in my life was a PowerPoint presentation that I did for the company that I work for over at Disney. I had to sit down, I had to plan out how I was going to make this thing happen. It took me about two and a half months, but it got done and it got done by the deadline, it was successful, the response from it was incredible. Way more than I expected. Now it has opened up doors for me through my company that I honestly wasn’t sure was even going to be a possibility. But again, it took a plan of attack to make it happen. A lot of times in my life personally I like to just improvise and jump into things feet first and just see what happens and learn as I go, but I am finding that by doing that by doing that it actually creates more work for myself and takes more energy and time away from other things that I need to get done in my life.

2) What was it about each successful event that allowed them to be successful?

I go back the my example of the PowerPoint presentation I had at work. The reason it was successful was because I planned it out, I wrote down an outline of where I was looking at going, I took all my notes I did research. I had my family, my wife especially help me out, because PowerPoint was new to me. She taught me how to use PowerPoint.

3) Are any of these successful events repeatable?

So if you had a success, say it was a sale with a shop or you got new accounts or whatever. What it was that you did to make that thing successful and can you repeat that success again. Is it repeatable in a system? If it is then write it down and do it again because successes are awesome.

 4) Are there any things that you could have done to make the success even bigger?

Now I know that success is a positive thing and a good success is positive but as a cliché I hear a lot out in the business world. Is that good is the enemy of great and great is the enemy of excellent. So if you had a good success what was it about that success that you could have done differently and increased it to become an excellent success or even a great success. But what could you have done to make it better? Could you have gotten the order to have been bigger? Could you have increased your prices to have the revenue come in bigger? Just think of different areas from where these successes were. Even if it is something basic like getting your kid to ride a bike on two-wheels. This isn’t just business this is personal. The reflection of the year is a reflection on everything. I am reflecting on parenting, on myself as a whole, as a husband, as a friend, to my friends that I am close to here in town, to you the audience, everything I am thinking about in terms of successes and failures. It is so important.

5) Write down as many people with whom you made a new relationship with anyone that had and continue to have a positive impact on your life.

Throughout the year we come across and have new people come into our life. Some come and go, some come and they stay. Now they may come and go and but they still stay through social media. They stay through texting, emailing, phone calls, whatever. But the point is to think about those that you came across in your life that have helped you grow as a person and had a positive impact on your life. It could be a retail shop owner, could be another glass artist, could be a distributor, whatever. Write them down and then write down what was it about them that had an impact on your life. A little side note.