Tag Archives: professionalism

Episode #103: Savan Gupta on Collaboration

We welcome Savan Gupta to the show, but Tee is audio only… and it had nothing to do with Pip!

  • Savan kicks it off, and the party begins.
  • Having a company is apparently just as stressful as kids
We welcome Savan and all his universes

3:07 Savan begins to unravel all his creative endeavors

  • Steam-funk Studios– a multi-media and marketing firm
  • From that came the Living Multiverse, a cross-media fiction project… and World Domination
  • The Unconventional champions journalist and academic excellence in fandom—The Rolling Stone of Fandom. Fanthropolgy
  • Sepia Riot, a project in development, championing Indian, Arab and Asian representation in fandom
  • The Unconventional will be coming this year!

8:03 Tee asks Savan how he manages all these amazing projects

  • Savan keeps a regular schedule, military like
  • Manage expectations with those that are working with you
  • Savan vets everyone and gives them an orientation so that people are ramped up
  • Communicate any problems that crop up in life
  • Tee throws himself under the bus, but also owns his problems
  • Savan points out that when you act like a professional everything is simpler
We call it that too!

12:29 Pip asks Savan just how many people he’s collaborated with over the years

  • Savan remembers another collaboration, Geeks Gone Wild
  • Collaborating means having standards and processes to encourage others who want to work with you
  • Savan comes to this from a financial market
  • Pip gets jealous of Savan’s organization
  • Tee points out the collaboration with Galileo Games was very well organized
  • Savan mentions that he’s spent years all over the country, finding talent
  • Savan says past and present he’s worked with hundreds of people

17:41 Tee asks, so what do they all do?

  • Everything began as a performance troupe
  • In 2014 critical mass happened. Slick-brass and the Crew of the A.S.S. Titilus was joined by Rohan and the Dogs of War. Then more… and more… and consulting for others
  • It got so big, that they needed residuals to support the performance, so Savan changed tack.
  • Rebooting the brand, they turned inward to evaluate what goods and services work best, to make money
  • The Unconventional is free, because its aim is to make a community- but it gives plenty of attribution, and a bio
  • Attribution is something we need more of
  • Savan answers the question about how many people who work in the company
  • Shout out to Savan’s teams!
  • Pip’s mind is blown

27:01 Tee asks Savan how he handles when collaboration goes bad

  • Savan makes clear what expectations are, and how much time it will take to his collaborators
  • His exceptions clauses are; your health (you don’t have to disclose what those are, legally as well), day job/school (hell weeks do happen in both), and finally your family.
  • Everyone needs paperwork!
  • Tee, Savan and Pip discuss about deadlines
  • Savan describes his ‘break glass’ situation
No one wants to do this, but sometimes it is necessary…
  • Now the Hobbit comes up… we have all been forged by fire
  • Savan calls back to his father, for his fortitude and persistence

51:14 Tee makes sure when the pandemic is over, Savan will break bread with he and Pip once again

  • Tee reveals his love for Trejos Tacos cook book
  • Culinary arts series coming from the Unconventional!
Savan, often compared to Tony Stark

53:17 Where can we find Savan Gupta?

If you have an event in 2021 and want The Shared Desk to appear there, or if you just want to share an opinion about the show, here’s where to find us… 703.791.1701
pip@pjballantine.com
tee@teemorris.com
…and social media, of course.

Show art by Candy Cane Studios
Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
leave us a voicemail or questions for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on Spotify,  iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.
Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.

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Episode #58: A Crash Course in Networking (with Lauren “Scribe” Harris)

On the way up to the event that is Balticon, Lauren “Scribe” Harris spent the night with us…and then she spent another night with us on the way home! We fired up the mic to enjoy a one-show before-and-after to talk with this talented up-and-coming author about meeting agents at a con. How do you approach agents? How do you not come across like “that author” at an event? Pull up a chair and have a listen to what advice we offer before Balticon, and then see how she fared up afterwards.

Oh, and after Balticon? “Scribe” may have fixed cocktails for us. It’s an jam-packed show, heading beyond the hour mark so be ready!

00:00 —  Introduction

  • Holy crap, we’re back already behind the mic! And this time, we are not alone….
  • And our favorite Bavarian provides another drop-in for the show.

01:22 — A Crash Course in Networking (with Lauren “Scribe” Harris) 

  • Lauren asks Tee and Pip to help her prep for Balticon 50
  • So we are clear what is NOT happening when George R.R. Martin is at Balticon.
  • Some background on Lauren’s quest for an agent.
  • How do you approach an agent and not be “that author” in front of an editor or agent?
  • There’s Verena again!
  • If you can tell a story, you can talk to an agent.
  • Have business card, will travel.
  • Different icebreakers for editors and agents
  • You never stop feeling like a n00b. Just ask Tee and who he almost did a panel with…
  • Eye contact. Firm handshake. (Lauren’s got this!)
  • Play up coincidences and be yourself.
  • Don’t always be pitching. That can get real old, real quick.
  • A quick tangent on moderating panels.
  • What we do and we don’t like in panels and panel moderation.
  • Lauren has a plan…kinda.
  • Tee’s got a few ideas on how to relax.
  • Pip evokes the “Pull Pip Back” drop-in….
  • Breathing is good. So is perspective.

22:26 — Elevator Pitching 101

  • Lauren pitches to Tee and Pip, and Tee goes to work.
  • Elevator Pitches for Tee’s works-in-progress
    • Blackstar Rising
    • Wolf in the Fold
    • Countdown
  • Tee gets a hold of Lauren’s query and tries to make a pitch on the fly…
  • Man—Lauren is a HARSH critic!
  • Look for the touchstones of your query, and build your elevator pitch around that.
  • Keep the elevator pitches short, quick, and all in one sentence.
  • And Lauren knocks it out of the park with an elevator pitch for Song of the Heretic!
  • We evoke Damon Suede once more on the show…
  • Check it—Tee stumped Lauren with a literature reference.
  • Remember: The Elevator Pitch is your hook.
  • Make sure the pitches line up.

38:14 — Fast Forward to Post-Balticon (with Lauren “Scribe” Harris)

  • We have cocktails!
  • Yes, PJ and Matt, we are thinking of you…and are bitter about it.
  • Lauren will be stepping in as a Deep Southern PJ Schnyder…
  • So, Lauren settles in with panels alongside the agent. How did it go?
    • Panel One: Dealing with Rejection
    • Lauren handles introductions with the agent like a boss!
    • Panel Two: The Fine Art of Negotiation (or Lauren Thinks Fast on Her Feet)
    • It is always nice to have an audience eager to ask questions.
  • Don’t always count on the audience to be hungry to talk to agents and editors.
  • 9 a.m. panels can have a good turnout.
  • Yes, Tee called Lauren “darling” and everyone was okay with it. #SouthernThang
  • Taking a moment to talk a bit about Balticon and their bumpy weekend, logistically speaking.
  • A.F. Grappin of the MeltingPotcast.com was taking advantage of the new scheduling app…but not everyone was using the app…
  • And the podcast descends into hashtags and drop-in’s…
  • Lauren manages to score a card! Good sign!
  • And another opportunity for Lauren to show some savvy.
  • Here’s a Myke Cole moment for you.
  • The verbal invite to pitch: Achievement Unlocked!
  • And we’re on boobs….for some reason.
  • Lauren critiques her con performance.

58:35 — Lauren’s Impromptu Pitch Development

  • Lauren got a few of the Balticon Tribe together and gave her pitch a screening.
  • A pitch should be like a picture of a meal in a sushi restaurant.
  • Lauren got a chance to WITNESS with Hugh O’Donnell, get to know new Tribe better, and just hang with others of the Smoky Writers Mafia.
  • Wrapping up the overall Balticon 50 experience.

1:03:23 — Wrapping up

  • I would not be so crazy as to purposefully cut off  “Scribe” but we have been going for a spell…
  • Oh my god, Pip’s glass is EMPTY!!!
  • Lauren adds praise for the new hotel.
  • Waxing nostalgic over the PG Holyfield Cookout…
  • BUDGET FOR PARKING!
  • Where Lauren will be?
  • What’s coming up for us?
  • Lauren tempts Tee and Pip with Farpoint in February…
  •  …while Tee and Pip tempt Lauren back up to our area with Steampunk unLimited.
  • Go find Lauren online. Her website is right here!
  • Got thoughts or comments on this show?
    • We have voicemail — 703.791.1701
    • I have email — tee@teemorris.com
    • Pip’s got email — pip@pjballantine.com
    • You can find us on social media…
    • …and yeah, Tee is on Snapchat as TheTeeMonster
  • Let’s all try and find Lauren on Snapchat…

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Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
on Tee, or the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences on Periscope
leave us a voicemail or question for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.

Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.

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