The Zack Arnold Podcast

An interview with Ergodriven CEO and Topo Mat creator, Kit Perkins about his new venture: New Standard Whole Protein.

For many of us working in creative industries (and even those that aren’t), we assume that competition simply comes with the territory of becoming successful. We have been taught the only way to get ahead is to push others out of the way as we climb the proverbial ladder to the top. But it doesn’t take long to realize this only perpetuates the stressful and high pressured environments that lead to...

If you’ve listened to at least an episode or two in the past, then it’s probably no surprise that I pride myself in being a time management ninja. I always say that the great equalizer is that we all have the same 24 hours in a day. But as technology advances and the pace of life gets faster, the expectations of what we can accomplish grow larger. Now with many of us working from home, we’re expec...

It’s astonishing that less than 5% of adults are moving 30 minutes or more a day 1 , so much so that it’s been said “Sitting is the new smoking.” Although, I’ve argued for years that it’s not so much sitting that’s the problem… it’s being SEDENTARY that is the new smoking (whether you are sitting or standing). Clearly working from home amidst a global pandemic hasn’t made this any less true. Being...

It’s no longer news that sitting is bad for us. In fact, it’s common knowledge that sitting has become the new smoking. And hopefully by now after years of me screaming from the rooftops, you now know that standing isn’t much better. Sedentary is the new smoking , not just sitting. The key to better health and sustained energy levels throughout the day is movement. But with a pandemic keeping us a...

With health (and more importantly maintaining strong immune systems) at the forefront of everyone’s minds these days, we’re all looking for simple ways to boost our immunity and increase our energy levels. Whether you are unemployed, working from home or back at the office, or just trying to juggle home-schooling the kids while maintaining your own sanity, the thought of implementing healthier nut...

If you’ve been listening to this show for any amount of time, you know that I love breaking seemingly impossible goals down to small, manageable steps. I’m all about creating tiny habits and incrementally building upon them to progress gradually - hence playing chess with your life instead of checkers. This is one of the key elements in my coaching and mentorship program and it’s also the foundati...

Have you ever wanted to pursue a passion your whole life that’s well outside your comfort zone…but felt like you missed your opportunity and now you’re “too old?” Maybe you always dreamed of running a marathon, or maybe you wanted to earn your black belt in martial arts, but somehow life always seemed to get in the way. If this sounds familiar, today’s guest Ginny MacColl has some sage advice to s...

Having spoken to and worked with hundreds of people worldwide over the last six months, if there’s one constant to the ever-changing landscape of 2020, it’s that this global pandemic has been a magnifying glass amplifying every tiny little detail about our lives (and society at large) that just wasn’t working. For many this intense awareness has been paralyzing while for others it’s been a motivat...

This episode is a reading of guest author, Debby Germino's article: I Said No to a Job (A Good One)…During a Pandemic » Read the full article here Continue to Listen & Learn: The “Passion Tax” - Why Artists and Creatives Are Exploited, And How To Say ‘No’ How to Handle Transition Times and Increase Your Resilience How to Stay Productive (and Stop Procrastinating) During Your Next Hiatus |...

When you think of film editors, let’s face it - healthy habits and good physical conditioning are not images that immediately come to mind. But with a pandemic upon us, and with the high cost of the ‘Passion Tax’ we constantly pay as Hollywood creatives, healthy living is no longer an option - it’s a necessity. If we want strong immune systems and creative minds that are resilient to high-stress e...

It’s an understatement to say Hollywood is undergoing major changes right now, but are these circumstances unprecedented? I argue things have changed a lot less than we want to believe over the last few months, the major difference is our level of awareness. And what we’ve become keenly aware of is how badly none of us want to go back to normal . There’s no question the pandemic has caused upheava...

The following is an episode where I provide my articles in audio form so you have the opportunity to walk and listen instead of sit and read if that’s your preference. My hope is that you’ll use this opportunity to get up and step away from your chair for the next 30 minutes and build the habit of moving more whether you’re working, stuck at home, or otherwise. The following is a reading of my art...

No matter the rung of the ladder you happen to be on in the entertainment industry, making it in Hollywood is no easy feat. And with how our world is evolving post-pandemic, you might think it will be nearly impossible to maintain any sort of work-life balance for our foreseeable future, especially if you’re fortunate enough to reach the top rung of the ladder like today’s guest. If you’ve ever wo...

Today’s interview is a little bit different than you might be used to where I’d like to introduce you to the newest sponsor of the Optimize Yourself podcast: Evercast . If you’re a content creator or someone who works in the entertainment industry and you’ve never heard of Evercast, you need to because this technology has the potential to change the way you work and live in our post-pandemic reali...

For some reason there seems to be this fallacy in Hollywood that someone has to “give you your big break” in order to make it in the industry, and in the meantime you’re just waiting for your big break to appear. The idea that you have to be in the right place at the right time, or worst of all, that you just need to have a lot of “luck” to make your dreams a reality (and you all know how I feel a...

Have you ever felt like you didn’t fit in? Have you ever struggled to find role models that looked like you and had similar life experiences? If you’re a person of color in Hollywood (specifically post-production), the likelihood is extremely high you know these issues all too well...like a likelihood of roughly 99% ( as I discussed in a previous episode with seasoned editor and mentor Monty Degra...

"It’s important not only to empower ourselves, but to empower each other. We are 200% stronger together than we are as an individual in our common endeavors.” Imagine a Post Department where you feel a sense of community and mutual respect. Imagine a Post Department where you are consulted about schedule changes and asked for your input in solving problems. Imagine a Post Producer who allows f...

» Read & Share the full article HERE When I published my article Dear Hollywood: We Don’t Want to ‘Go Back to Normal.’ Normal Wasn’t Working  I was absolutely floored by the response as I watched it spread like wildfire across social media in all sectors of the entertainment industry. I honestly never thought this message would ever reach beyond my tiny little (windowless) corner of the post-p...

In case you missed it, my recent article Dear Hollywood: We Don’t Want to ‘ Go Back to Normal.’ Normal Wasn’t Working ignited a firestorm of conversation, social media messages, and a barrage of emails (I promise I’m reading all of them!!!) that ultimately became the impetus for this candid conversation with MPEG National Executive Director Cathy Repola. Since 2016, Cathy has been one of Hollywood...

With work in the entertainment industry slowly beginning to trickle in and productions ramping up over the coming weeks and months, you’d think we could all just “go back to normal,” right? WRONG. The new version of post-pandemic work is going to be anything but normal ( and frankly Normal. Wasn’t. Working ), and for one very specific group, this is uncharted (and terrifying) territory: Parents. I...

Dear Hollywood, I have something I desperately need to share with you. You might find it surprising coming from a 20-year veteran who owes his livelihood to you. But it needs to be said. I apologize if this upsets you (actually….sorry not sorry). Your shows are not worth dying for. This is not the first time I have expressed my frustration with the insane way in which we approach our livelihoods i...

“It’s all about how you get to the starting line. That’s the real story.” – Wes Plate There aren’t many of us working 12 + hours a day in a dark room in post-production that think about running 240-mile ultra-marathons. We have enough to worry about on a daily basis, whether it’s building an at home work station (and fumbling with complicated WFH workflows) or learning new skills to weather the ma...

It’s amazing how global pandemics, worldwide protesting and riots, and the general upheaval of society as we know it can make you think. It certainly helps to lend perspective on what’s really important in life and the choices we’ve made that led us to where we are right now at this moment. One of the most important realizations I’ve had is that because of travel restrictions and both of my parent...

“This moment is necessary as much as it is uncomfortable.” - Monty DeGraff  (Comments on diversity in Hollywood June 2020) According to a 2019 survey of 1700+ post-production professionals (thanks to Blue Collar Post Collective ), 1.5% of those surveyed identified as ‘African-American’ with over 80% identifying as ‘White.’ Let this sink in for a second... 1% of people in post identify as African-A...