“You’re more creative than you think.”

That’s the story of this week’s Wild Business Growth podcast guest, Dr. Steven Pritzker. Steven is the Creativity Professor, TV Writer, and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Creativity. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and your other favorite podcast platforms.

• Episode Summary & Player
• Full Transcript
• Show Notes
• Wild Business Growth podcast Summary

Episode 315: Dr. Steven Pritzker – Encyclopedia of Creativity, Creativity for Entrepreneurs

Dr. Steven Pritzker, the Creativity Professor, TV Writer, and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Creativity, joins the show to share his journey from writing for The Mary Tyler Moore Show to teaching college students how to stay creative. Hear what makes a great writers’ room, why creativity is important for entrepreneurs, how to think outside-the-box, how to create a long creative work, and how creativity has changed over the years. This episode covers everything from studying creativity to Curb Your Enthusiasm. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• How did Steven start writing for The Mary Tyler Moore Show
• What does a story editor do
• How did Steven write the Encyclopedia of Creativity
• What’s his favorite thing to teach students about creativity
• The Three-teens
• What’s the best use case for AI
• Who’s the funniest writer Steven’s ever met
• Dancing with the Trickster

Connect with Steven at SPritzker@Saybrook.edu

Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.

Show Notes

• Intro & Creative Writing
  • [0:32] Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:41] Connect with Steven at SPritzker@Saybrook.edu
  • [2:41] How did he write an episode of Breaking Away
  • [2:56] IU (Indiana University), Breaking Away, Little 500 aka Little 5
  • [4:02] Where did Steven live in Indiana
  • [4:31] How did he start writing for The Mary Tyler Moore Show
  • [4:52] The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show
  • [5:48] Room 222, Emmy
  • [6:32] Who was on the writing staff for The Mary Tyler Moore Show
  • [6:38] Jim Brooks, Allan Burns
  • [7:40] SNL (Saturday Night Live)
  • [7:51] What are writers’ rooms like
  • [8:33] What is a story editor
  • [10:50] The White Lotus, Shameless
  • [11:00] How do you write a dramedy (comedy drama)

• Creativity
  • [13:13] Why is creativity important for entrepreneurs
  • [13:58] You know
  • [16:51] How has creativity changed over the years
  • [19:14] Technology (Tech)
  • [19:25] Podcasts
  • [19:52] AI (Artificial Intelligence)
  • [20:12] Advertising
  • [20:25] Xylophone
  • [22:23] Modicum
  • [23:20] B-roll
  • [23:33] Insurance Commercials
  • [23:48] What’s your favorite side effect
  • [24:32] How do you start thinking outside-the-box
  • [25:58] 3M
  • [26:52] Working From Home (WFH)
  • [27:24] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Steven
  • [27:25] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
  • [28:10] Such an honor speaking at Podcast Movement ’23 in Denver! Sign up to grab the slides from my session at MaxPodcasting.com/PM23

• Encyclopedia of Creativity & Teaching Creativity
  • [28:42] It’s a big book
  • [29:08] Infinite Jest, A Prayer for Owen Meany
  • [29:40] How did Steven write the Encyclopedia of Creativity
  • [30:00] Mark Runco
  • [30:35] Academic Press, Elsevier
  • [32:24] American Psychological Association (APA), The Education Coalition (TEC)
  • [34:15] How do you create a long creative work
  • [36:38] What’s Steven’s favorite thing to teach students about creativity
  • [42:02] The Three-teens
  • [42:08] Brendan O’Marra – Wild Business Growth podcast #2: Digital Marketing Director at Bic, Coolest Guy in the World
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [43:20] What’s the best use case for AI
  • [44:10] This Old Marketing with Joe Pulizzi & Robert Rose
  • [44:52] What surprised Steven about becoming a professor
  • [46:00] What’s his favorite thing about teaching college students
  • [47:04] Who’s the funniest writer he’s ever met
  • [48:00] What’s the best comedy TV show of all time
  • [48:15] Carl Reiner, All in the Family, M*A*S*H, Friends
  • [49:22] Shoutout, Dana!
  • [49:28] Seinfeld, Frasier, Curb Your Enthusiasm
  • [50:25] Dancing with the Trickster
  • [50:38] Connect with Steven at SPritzker@Saybrook.edu
  • [51:34] What are Steven’s Final Thoughts
  • [51:51] Follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And show love (or roast me) by leaving 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify
  • [51:56] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Steven
  • [52:02] Check out the Wild Business Growth podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [52:04] Connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (aka X), and Threads @MaxBranstetter and TikTok @WildBusinessGrowth
  • [52:08] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [52:13] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, NFL RedZone, Big Mouth Billy Bass, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more Wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding and professional-looking podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Dr. Steven Pritzker on the Wild Business Growth podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about it. And do something creative with them. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!

• Episode Summary & Player
• Full Transcript
• Show Notes
• Wild Business Growth podcast Summary

Episode 285: Scott Dikkers – The Onion, How to Write Funny

Scott Dikkers, Founder of The Onion and Bestselling Author of How to Write Funny, joins the show to share his journey from cartoonist to building one of the funniest newspapers and websites in history. Hear the time he got stalked by Saul Goodman, how The Onion comes up with its headlines, how it evolved formats over the years, how to write funny jokes, and his all-time favorite article from The Onion. This episode covers everything from Bob Einstein to Rodney Dangerfield. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• Who are the most memorable famous people Scott has met
• How did Scott get involved with The Onion
• Jim’s Journal
• How did Scott grow the circulation of The Onion
• Drunk Of The Week
• How do we develop our sense of humor
• What are some examples of the Funny Filters
• Why is it called The Onion

Connect with Scott at ScottDikkers.Substack.com.

Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.

Show Notes

• Intro & Famous People
  • [0:29] Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:42] Connect with Scott at ScottDikkers.Substack.com
  • [1:54] Sorry
  • [2:25] Nailed it
  • [2:37] Oof
  • [2:58] How to Write Funny Episode #12: Bob Einstein
  • [3:14] Marty Funkhouser
  • [3:20] Super Dave Osborne, Smothers Brothers
  • [3:42] How was Scott’s experience interviewing Bob Einstein
  • [4:11] Yellow Pages
  • [4:37] Albert Brooks (Albert Einstein)
  • [5:00] Stephen Spielberg, DVD Commentary
  • [5:42] Masters of the Air on Apple TV
  • [5:56] Tom Hanks, The Bloody Hundredth
  • [6:49] Bob Einstein Jokes
  • [6:55] Who are the most memorable famous people Scott has met
  • [7:11] Garry Shandling, Chris Rock, Louis C.K., Tina Fey, Amy Poehler
  • [7:24] How did Bob Odenkirk stalk Scott at The Onion
  • [7:33] The Larry Sanders Show, Mr. Show with Bob and David
  • [8:25] Super Agent Stevie Grant
  • [8:43] Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles
  • [8:51] David Cross, HBO (Home Box Office)
  • [9:07] SNL (Saturday Night Live)
  • [9:14] The Dana Carvey Show
  • [9:20] ASSSSCAT, UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade)
  • [9:30] Ellie Kemper
  • [9:35] Conner O’Malley
  • [9:49] Late Night with Seth Meyers, Aidy Bryant
  • [10:07] John Belushi, Eric André
  • [10:35] Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
  • [10:48] “Stalked by Saul“

• The Onion Story
  • [11:05] “Ogres are like Onions” from Shrek
  • [11:12] How did Scott get involved with The Onion
  • [11:29] Jim’s Journal, The Pretty Good Jim’s Journal Treasury by Scott Dikkers
  • [12:27] Did Scott plan on buying The Onion
  • [12:32] “Twilio Co-Founder Acquires The Onion“
  • [13:07] What did The Onion strive/strove to do in the early days
  • [13:35] Bat Boy aka A Boy Raised by Bats
  • [15:05] Drunk Of The Week
  • [15:47] How did The Onion evolve formats over the years
  • [16:31] Howard Stern
  • [17:09] Internet
  • [17:22] TheOnion.com
  • [18:43] How does The Onion come up with its headlines
  • [19:15] Information Anxiety by Richard Saul Wurman
  • [21:32] Richard Saul Wurman – Wild Business Growth podcast #254: Creator of TED
  • [22:45] How did Scott grow the circulation of The Onion
  • [25:10] Car Talk
  • [25:31] Media Hits
  • [26:42] How does it feel to be incentivized to ruffle people’s feathers
  • [27:28] Come to CEX (Content Entrepreneur Expo) May 5-7, 2024 in Cleveland, OH! Save $100 off the in-person ticket price by registering at CEX.Events and using the coupon code: MAX100
  • [27:29] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Scott
  • [28:21] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
  • [28:22] Such an honor speaking at Podcast Movement ’23 in Denver! Sign up to grab the slides from my session at MaxPodcasting.com/PM23

• How to Write Funny
  • [28:22] Thesmings
  • [29:05] Personal Brand
  • [29:08] How to Write Funny by Scott Dikkers
  • [29:22] How do you write a joke
  • [29:27] The History of Comedy
  • [30:51] 11 Funny Filters
  • [31:15] What a fake laugh
  • [31:55] This Is Spinal Tap
  • [32:17] DnD (Dungeons & Dragons)
  • [32:25] How do we develop our sense of humor
  • [32:52] What are some examples of the Funny Filters
  • [33:48] Madcap vs. Slapstick
  • [33:55] What’s the most common Funny Filter
  • [34:18] What do different generations find funny
  • [34:23] Baby Boomers, Gen Z (Generation Z)
  • [34:51] How many Funny Filters should you use
  • [34:55] Everlasting Gobstopper
  • [36:02] How do you gather intel to write a joke
  • [37:13] How many drafts does it take to write a funny joke
  • [37:40] How does comedy writing compare to preparing for stand-up comedy
  • [38:42] George Carlin
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [39:33] Why is it called The Onion
  • [40:01] “Fuck Everything, We’re Doing 5 Blades“
  • [40:22] Gillette
  • [40:47] Chris Farley, Dave Gray
  • [41:58] Rodney Dangerfield one-liners
  • [42:12] Sphere, Airplane!
  • [42:29] What is Scott’s favorite one-liner or dad joke
  • [43:03] Connect with Scott at ScottDikkers.Substack.com
  • [43:34] What are Scott’s Final Thoughts
  • [44:40] Follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And show love (or roast me) by leaving 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify
  • [44:51] The Wild Business Growth podcast is on YouTube! Subscribe @MaxBranstetter to watch full video interviews with Wild entrepreneurs like Scott
  • [44:57] Check out the Wild Business Growth podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [44:58] Come to CEX (Content Entrepreneur Expo) May 5-7, 2024 in Cleveland, OH! Save $100 off the in-person ticket price by registering at CEX.Events and using the coupon code: MAX100
  • [44:59] Connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter (aka X), and Threads @MaxBranstetter and TikTok @WildBusinessGrowth
  • [45:01] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [45:06] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity. It’s where podcasting meets entrepreneurship – and terrible puns
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, NFL RedZone, Big Mouth Billy Bass, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more Wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Scott Dikkers on the Wild Business Growth podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth podcast and tell a friend about it. And write some jokes with them. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur or innovator joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the crazy creative and unusual ways they grew their business, and provides tips for you to do it, too. Hear the woman who became the voice of Siri, the man who’s reinventing the sandcastle, how GaryVee’s partners are turning the wine world upside down, and more wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

Episode #117: Julia McCoy – Escaping a Cult, Founder of Express Writers

Julia McCoy, the Founder of Express Writers and The Content Hacker, joins the show to share her journey from being born into a cult to escaping and building flourishing businesses. Hear how to go from freelancer to entrepreneur, evaluate talent, focus on what’s important for your business, go about creative writing, and how Julia made her escape and turned her life around. This episode covers everything from the incredibly tough times Julia went through to her favorite fiction books. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• What was Julia’s experience growing up in a cult
• How did she plot her escape
• What’s the difference between a freelancer and an entrepreneur
• How do you hire people that have the skillset your company needs
• Why is focus such an significant entrepreneurial quality
• How do you write creatively
• How does Poo~Pourri use clever puns in their marketing
• What can Julia share about playing the harp

Connect with Julia on Twitter at @JuliaEMcCoy, YouTube, and Instagram at @Fementrepreneur, plus ContentHacker.com, ExpressWriters.com, and Amazon.

Enjoy the show! Check out the show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

• Intro & Escaping a Cult
  • [0:27] Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com for help using your podcast as a business-building tool
  • [0:43] Connect with Julia on Twitter at @JuliaEMcCoy, YouTube, and Instagram at @Fementrepreneur, plus ContentHacker.com, ExpressWriters.com, and Amazon
  • [0:55] Cult
  • [1:09] Express Writers, The Content Hacker
  • [1:42] Serial Entrepreneur
  • [2:38] Woman Rising by Julia McCoy
  • [2:43] What was Julia’s experience growing up in a cult
  • [4:21] Tony Robbins
  • [4:41] Writing
  • [5:19] When did Julia start to realize she wasn’t growing up in a healthy environment
  • [7:02] Spinster
  • [7:46] How did Julia plot her escape
  • [7:56] The Shawshank Redemption
  • [9:17] Goodwill
• The Express Writers Story
  • [11:34] When did Julia realize Express Writers could be a real business
  • [11:48] RN (Registered Nurse)
  • [12:05] Florence Nightingale
  • [12:20] Content Marketing
  • [12:30] Homeschooling
  • [12:36] William Shakespeare
  • [13:13] Medieval Fiction
  • [13:18] Nursing School
  • [13:50] How to make money writing
  • [13:55] Freelance Writing, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Keyword Stuffing
  • [14:42] Google
  • [14:52] Upwork, Elance-oDesk
  • [15:04] Offshore Writers
  • [15:49] Income
  • [17:50] How do you go from Freelancer to Entrepreneur
  • [20:02] CTO (Chief Technology Officer)
  • [21:11] Clients
  • [21:52] Hiring, Core Competencies
  • [22:00] How do you evaluate talent
  • [22:25] Resume, LinkedIn
  • [22:37] Client Brief
  • [23:01] Research
  • [23:51] Phone Interviews
  • [24:51] Headline
  • [25:07] Content Marketing Automation, Thought Leaders
  • [26:52] Job Interview
  • [27:54] Basecamp, Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
  • [28:29] Slack
  • [29:42] How has Julia been able to grow Express Writers in addition to growing the team
  • [30:00] Content Marketing World 2020, #CMworld
  • [30:08] Joe Pulizzi on the Wild Business Growth Podcast and in the “Episode 100 Special“
  • [31:20] Customer Experience (CX)
  • [31:38] Customer Feedback
  • [32:24] Phone Apps, VoIP Apps (Voice over Internet Protocol)
  • [33:34] Metrics
  • [33:46] CTA (Call to Action)
  • [34:47] Bounce Rate
  • [35:37] The Tim Ferriss Show
  • [35:54] Why is focus so important for entrepreneurs
  • [36:36] EMT (Emergency Medical Technician)
  • [36:42] I do not charge per analogy
  • [36:45] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool

• Inspiration & Creativity: People, Hobbies, and Resources
  • [37:25] Working On the business vs. In the business
  • [37:36] How do you go about creative writing
  • [37:54] Content Writing
  • [38:16] Joe Pulizzi’s Random Newsletter, CMI (Content Marketing Institute)
  • [38:34] Ann Handley on the Wild Business Growth Podcast and in the “Episode 100 Special“
  • [38:49] Ann Handley’s Total Annarchy newsletter
  • [39:10] Blogs
  • [39:32] Amazon Fiction Best Sellers
  • [39:42] Wicked by Gregory Maguire
  • [39:47] Wicked the Broadway play (aka “The Witch”)
  • [40:50] Iceberg Skills
  • [41:31] All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
  • [42:01] Brainbox
  • [42:40] Tweet, Social Media
  • [42:55] How to be a better podcast host
  • [43:38] What are Julia’s favorite hobbies
  • [44:30] Round Rock, TX, Georgetown, TX
  • [44:45] Lake Georgetown
• Wild Business Shoutout of the Week
  • [45:59] Poo~Pourri
  • [46:05] Copywriting (Copy)
  • [46:15] How does Poo~Pourri go about creative marketing
  • [46:24] Twitter Chat
  • [47:19] CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
  • [47:56] Chatbot
  • [48:03] Target Audience
  • [48:26] Gotta love puns
  • [49:03] Suzy Batiz Instagram
• The Unusual: Pet Peeves, Quirks, and Weird Talents
  • [49:56] What are Julia’s pet peeves
  • [50:11] Billboards
  • [51:02] CTA Button, Services
  • [51:24] What are Julia’s weird talents
  • [51:43] Harp
  • [51:52] Guinness, Harp
  • [52:44] Reverse Alarm Clocks
  • [53:00] What are Julia’s quirks
  • [53:36] Famous Bald Guys: Bruce Willis, Jason Statham, The Rock (Dwayne Johnson), Stone Cold Steve Austin
  • [54:12] Context Clues
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [54:35] Texas-Sized Donut from Round Rock Donuts
  • [54:59] Travel Channel, Food Network
  • [55:18] Dallas Cowboys
  • [55:51] How do you play the harp
  • [56:35] What did Julia learn from working at McDonald’s
  • [57:14] Connect with Julia on Twitter at @JuliaEMcCoy, YouTube, and Instagram at @Fementrepreneur, plus ContentHacker.com, ExpressWriters.com, and Amazon
  • [58:04] What are Julia’s final thoughts
  • [59:01] Subscribe to the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast
  • [59:08] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on GoodPods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [59:12] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn at @MaxBranstetter
  • [59:15] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – Jungle Tribe – provided by Jamendo

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding podcast for your brand, but dreading the time commitment? I’ve got you covered. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Julia McCoy on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, subscribe to the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!