Is there even such a thing as “happily ever after”?

On most podcasts, it’s the hosts asking the questions. But then again, disruption strategist Shawn Kanungo does everything a little differently. So, when he came on the HowToFairytale pod, he asked *us,* this simple question, “Is there such a thing as ‘happily ever after’?”

The bold question surprised us, but should it really have? After all, Shawn’s known for his boldness. He travels the country inspiring individuals to explore how they can step into something new, something disruptive, something they’ve dreamed about but lacked the courage to dive in on. 

Follow along as Shawn talks about stretching, reaching, and boldly moving forward. . . always.

Get in touch with Shawn:

Website: https://www.shawnkanungo.com/

Twitter: ShawnKanungo

Thanks for listening to How to Fairytale! For more, check us out on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts or connect with us on social media @howtofairytale.

Zach needed a job. So, he signed on to be a project manager for a construction company.

He showed up to the first day of work, not knowing what they would be building.

Turns out, it was Galaxy’s Edge, (aka, Star Wars land, at Disneyland). That unexpected experience was a key in leading him to his current role, what he calls a unicorn of a job at Storyland Studios since it combines all of his experiences from creative writing to business to the Disney Parks.

Zach loves what he does, but he’s been in the shoes of someone who’s a bit stuck – someone dealing with imposter syndrome or someone who’s discouraged because they’ve been trying to reach their dreams and they’re stuck. If that’s you, this is your episode.

Connect with Zach on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachamiller/

Thanks for listening to How to Fairytale! For more, check us out on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts and on social media at @howtofairytale.

How do you find the intersection of passion and commercial viability? Said differently—is it possible to do what you love and make money on it?

That’s exactly what we asked editor Noah TK on this episode of #HowToFairytale. He has an interesting perspective—he’s an editor at Portfolio (a division of Penguin Random House, the largest publisher in the USA). From his vantage point, he gets to help authors’ dreams of getting published become a reality. But what about his dreams? Was being an editor what he always wanted to do?

Actually no. He had to find the intersection between his passion and what would pay the bills.

Join us for this very special —and candid—look at what it takes for creatives, artists, and others to “make it” in today’s world.

Thanks for listening to How to Fairytale! For more, check us out on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts and on social media at @howtofairytale.

Today, Brandon Hunt’s a voice actor, an international performer, and a story director for an upcoming hot video game. But you know what? He bombed his first audition, getting cut after a few hours. Then, he put his head down and got to work. He watched every piece of media ever created about Charlie Chaplin, studying him relentlessly for 6 months until he was eligible to audition for Disney again. This time, they loved him. That started his performing career, which took him across the globe.

In this episode, Brandon Hunt talks about going all-in—he calls it a non-negotiable for life. This 1 ingredient has led him to stages in the US, Japan, Hong Kong, and beyond. Halfway? Never an option for B-hunt.

Oh yeah, and 1 other thing about Brandon: He was one of my roommates at the infamous Wolf Den (just a fun name we called our house since there were 8+ of us living there)! And he's also responsible for introducing me and Miranda.

Show Notes:

Website: https://brandonhuntonline.com/

Twitter @huntbran

Thanks for listening to How to Fairytale! For more, check us out on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts and on social media at @howtofairytale.

Timmy didn’t want to wait for a year for a publisher to tell him he could (or could not!) write his children’s book.

So he did it himself.

He started by calling commercial printers, and he ended up publishing his own book, his own way, and then going to schools and reading his books to kids. Now, he owns his own children’s book publishing company. In this episode, he tells us all something interesting: He challenges the idea that we should just do “whatever we want with our lives.” Instead, Timmy lays out a plan we can all follow to find out what we should do with our lives.

Connect with Timmy at AuthorTimmy.com.

Resources we mentioned during the show:

• Timmy Reads Book (This is Timmy’s YouTube channel where he reads and acts out books for kids!)
• DinosaurHouse.com (Timmy’s kid’s book publishing company!)

Thanks for listening to How to Fairytale! For more, check us out on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

What does politics and fairytales---in fact, anything in *real* life---have to do with each other? How do we live our life to its fullest, surrounded by people with whom we (staunchly) disagree?

Well, we invited a real politician on our podcast to find out the answers to these questions and more.

As a student at the University of Colorado studying Political Science, Dave Williams never dreamt of joining politics. In fact, he doesn't even believe that politics and politicians drive most of the positive change in our society. But he found personal fulfillment in serving his district and having a family that keeps him grounded.

Lastly---and this is our favorite part---Dave talked about *why* it's so important to listen and engage with those we might really, *really* disagree with.

Thanks for listening to How to Fairytale! For more, check us out on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Want to build a castle? Start with one brick. Want to be a kinder spouse? Start with one word. Want to get to the Olympics? Start with one thing.  Don’t believe us — believe Lindsay Dare Shoop — Olympic gold-medalist, world-record-breaker, elite rower, and author.

Oh, and here’s the thing, for anyone who thinks “it’s too late for me.” Lindsay hadn’t even stepped into a racing boat until she got to college. By the time she did, she was out of shape and searching for purpose.

Tune in to hear how an out-of-shape college student started small, practiced, kept improving in small doses, until one day, she made it to the Olympics.

Connect with Lindsay:

• Instagram @lindsaydareshoop
• Website: lindsaydareshoop.com
• Her book, “Better Great Than Never,” tinyurl.com/bettergreatthannever