Focused on Hiring Long Term? Rethink What’s Possible

In this episode of live coaching, I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with someone who has had massive success in her career. I’ve had the surprise of my life discovering that her niche actually really does exist. I assure you guys that you’d be amazed by the discovery as you listen through today’s episode as well.

 

Now, our guest was in on an exciting discovery as well by the success of something that she just started doing and just seeing if it would work. She’s been astounded with the amount of success she’s had and so quickly. However, having that success so quickly, while it’s a feat for most entrepreneurs, it can also be a source of stress. Our guest is used to just doing thing on her own so she struggles with things from how to build a team, to scaling her business, finding the right person for the job, and the list goes on. We’re going to narrow it down for her into actionable bits and pieces for an effective execution all the while ensuring that she stays at the top of it all, and at the same time, focused on what she does best.

 

About Carolyn Carpenter

Carolyn J Carpenter is the host and cofounder of Hollywood Gatekeepers, an online system to educate and create quality readers for Hollywood. She is the host of the Hollywood Gatekeepers Podcast as well as the coauthor of What a Reader Writes available soon on Amazon. Carolyn has served as a Story Analyst for people and companies such as James Cameron (AVATAR), Richard Dreyfuss (MR. HOLLAND’S OPUS), Village Roadshow (AMERICAN SNIPER, SULLY), Phoenix Pictures (ZODIAC, BLACK SWAN), Inferno Films (YOUNG GUNS), Constantin Films (SE7EN, TRAFFIC), Rhythm and Hues (X-MEN, BABE), agencies such as Innovative Artists, as well as the Sundance Institute, the CBS Diversity Program, and the Academy of Motion Pictures Nicholl Fellowship. She has served as a guest speaker on panels with the Newport Beach Film Festival, Writers Association and Writer’s Network among others.

Carolyn is also an entrepreneur, producer, writer and actor. She is the Executive Director and founding partner of Neo Ensemble Theatre, the co-founder/creator of the award winning mega hit MABLE’S 6 Feet Under Haunted House recently featured on NBC’s FIRST LOOK. She co-wrote, directed and produced instructional line dance videos, selling over a million copies. She co-wrote, produced and co-directed two short films starring Oscar winner JK Simmons (WHIPLASH). Her plays RANDOM WOMEN, MUTE, THREE LITTLE WORDS, ILLUSIONS, WRETCHED, ENIGMA, HUES, and MISNOMER have been produced multiple times in and around Hollywood.

Her book of scenes and monologues, RANDOM WOMEN is now available on Amazon. She has acted in projects and produced events with JK Simmons (WHIPLASH), Patrick Warburton (GET SMART) Anthony Geary (GENERAL HOSPITAL) Shirley Jones (PARTRIDGE FAMILY), Florence Henderson (BRADY BUNCH), Gavin Macleod (LOVE BOAT), and Lily Tomlin, among others. Carolyn received a “Most Inspirational” award in high school and never turned back. All of her projects are part of a bigger picture to inspire passion and play in people’s lives.

Carolyn’s Top 5 StrengthsFinder Themes:

 

• Strategic

• Achiever

• Maximizer

• Ideation

• Futuristic

 

 

Key Takeaways

• Having people that both lift me and rein me in, that’s really important.
• There are skills that we do and that we excel at but what we excel at, skillswise, isn’t necessarily what drives our energy.
• When you have something that you love and then you make a business out  of it, sometimes that can destroy the love part.
• Your education, skills, and life experiences are never, ever wasted. The question is how can you use that to move forward?

Time-Stamped Show Highlights

• [01:03] An impressive intro for an even more impressive person.
• [03:39] How did Carolyn find herself in the midst of Hollywood?
• [07:03] Discovering that thing called ‘reader’ and what it’s about.
  “I discovered this was a thing and immediately was drawn to it.”
• [12:28] Carolyn shares how she keeps her focus while juggling multiple other things.
  “It’s definitely a challenge. I talk to myself a lot, maybe that’s the key.”
• [14:11] Carolyn’s top five StrengthsFinder themes.
• [22:10] One of the things that Hollywood Gatekeepers focus on.
  “We’re trying to really get people to look at their whole picture as a whole person, not just as this part of their job.”
• [25:44] Shifting the conversation to the challenge Carolyn is facing.
  “I want people to flourish on their own.”
• [28:30] Point-by-point, funneling down how Carolyn’s challenges can be dealt with.
• [34:00] Alissa lays out further options to resolve our guest’s business challenges.
  “If you look at it that way, it doesn’t feel like we're pushing task off on to minions.”
• [40:21] Podcast recommendation of the week!

Selected Links for This Episode

• Hollywood Gatekeepers
• Hollywood Gatekeepers Facebook Page
• Hollywood Gatekeepers Facebook Group
• Connect with Carolyn on LinkedIn
• The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
• Podcast of the Week: EOFire with JLD

Frickin’ Awesome Resources

• Frickin’ Awesome Entrepreneurs Facebook Community
• From Frustrated to Frickin’ Awesome by Alissa Daire Nelson
• Daire Success Coaching website
• StrengthsFinder 2.0 test
• StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath