We recently connected with Ryan Woldt and have shared our conversation below.
Ryan, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I don’t think that I have. I struggle with it on a daily basis. Most days, I’m grinding forward out of fear of failure or because I don’t know another way to go about my working life. I’m given brief interludes, flashes really, of reprieve during which I surge my efforts forward or take more risks with the brashness and confidence of a young John McEnroe—a younger reader might not get that reference. Think Harry Styles in tennis shorts.
It is during these interludes—an hour, a day, a week—that I can see all the work I’ve been grinding out day after day after day. More importantly, I can see how it projects into the future. I’m provided with a new goal a few steps or miles ahead. It is like going for a run or bike ride and seeing a physical finish line. Today, I’ll get to that lamppost, that stop sign, that corner.
I try to take advantage of these moments when I’m not an imposter and when I’m imbued with unexplained confidence to get to work. To go beyond the goals or destinations I had set before. I’ll get lost in it, but it is essential to my process because there will be a moment in the near future where that feeling of being an imposter creeps up from behind to embrace me again.
It isn’t a great moment, but now I have a new destination to grind towards. The imposter syndrome isn’t gone, but I’ll keep working until the finish line is near.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I find it difficult to answer the question of what I do. I’m an entrepreneurial raccoon. I see a shiny opportunity or idea, and I want it or want to do it. It is a lot of hustles in an effort to maintain a flexible life. I’m writing columns for a local newspaper, publishing novels—book three of the Eli & Jane series is almost ready to drop—and producing the Roast! West Coast line-up of podcasts. I also write the accompanying newsletter. There is more happening, but that is core.
The Roast! West Coast coffee podcast network (www.roastwestcoast.com) started as a pandemic project but has become a full-time job hosting and producing three shows: Coffee People, Coffee Smarter, and Coffee With.
The original Coffee People is in its 8th season. I interview professionals in the coffee industry about their entrepreneurial and creative journeys. These back-and-forth interviews cover how someone got their start in the industry, what motivates them, and how their career impacts the rest of their life. I’ve interviewed farmers, roasters, owners, artists, designers, and more. While focusing on one industry, the show skews more entrepreneurial and motivational than just coffee.
Coffee Smarter teaches listeners how to make a better cup of coffee at home. Buying good quality ethically-grown coffee can be expensive. It can be a real bummer to enjoy a great cup at a local shop, buy a bag, and then go home to brew a wildly mediocre-tasting coffee. This podcast is focused on helping listeners navigate the variables—water, grind size, temperature, time—to brew a great cup of coffee.
Coffee With is my newest show and is geared toward a wider audience. The long-form podcasts feature conversations with normal people who’ve endured or accomplished something extraordinary. The first episode featured Matt Hankes, a 40-year-old father of two and physical therapist who recently had a heart transplant. We sat down over a cup of coffee to talk about the experience, logistics, and emotions that accompany being a transplant recipient.
Finally, the books. This is my true passion. I’m in the final stages of editing the last Eli and Jane novel. Their love story is rooted in travel and exploration. In the first book, Eli and Jane meet while road-tripping across the country. In the second, they travel the California coast feeling out a new relationship. In the third, we find out where they are going. This last novel is based primarily in Joshua Tree National Park.
The books are rooted in real places. I’ve been postponing finishing the last book so I can continue visiting Joshua Tree with purpose and also because I’m not sure I’m ready to move on from two characters who feel real to me.
The books are available on Amazon and on my website, www.onewildlifeco.com. I’ve also been hosting mini-bookshop pop-ups at coffee shops and breweries around Southern California. They are like maker’s markets but feature local authors.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
That is a big question. One of the most impactful lessons I’ve learned is that sometimes persistence is more important than talent. Skills can be improved, but the willingness to continue when something isn’t going well is much more challenging. I learned to be dogged while playing sports in high school. I was never very naturally talented or athletic, but I was willing to outwork everyone else. I still wasn’t the star, but I got more opportunities than I may have deserved. That attitude has benefited me in my work life as I’ve found those areas I have a more natural aptitude for. The skills are backed up by the effort.
A second skill I’ve really worked on is identifying when to stay quiet. I like hearing myself talk. I think we all do, but in the past half-decade, I’ve done hundreds of interviews for the podcasts and columns I write for the local newspaper. By actively listening instead of just waiting for an interviewee to finish talking, I’ve gotten much better content. Often, an interviewee has something more to say, something that has been marinating while we’ve been speaking that they may not be confident about or may be feeling a little imposter syndrome over. By giving them space instead of interjecting, they’ll often open up and share. Those end up being the best.
Thirdly, I’ve seen a lot of people surpass me in their level of success by focusing on becoming excellent at one thing. That is absolutely a reasonable way to pursue a career. My brother is like that and is, by all accounts, wildly successful. Sometimes I wonder if I’ve made a mistake spreading a wide creative net, but I look back at all the experiences I’ve had…
That type of tunnel vision wasn’t for me. I wanted—want—a more versatile experience. Writing, designing, traveling, management, team-building, and so on, I want to do all of that. I’m rewarded in different ways by all of those experiences, which leads me to advice for those early on in their journey.
Your job is one thing. What you do is another. They don’t always overlap perfectly. There often isn’t a direct path to the goal career you see for yourself. Don’t overlook the value of the detours. I’ve gotten to my goals and found them wanting. I’ve learned that building, creating, and collaborating is the part I love. Often, the putting of the final block on the tower is a let down for me, at least until I start a new project.
I’d add that if you are choosing an entrepreneurial path, remember that the choices you make won’t only impact you. They impact your friends, family, kids, and partners. The stress you’ll feel and the risks you’ll take will impact them too. Make sure they get to be part of the successes.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Making my chosen career(s) financially viable is a never-ending challenge. The rewards I find in my work are intrinsic. In an ideal world, I wouldn’t have to care about the money. In this world, I do. Time spent selling my work or skills takes away from doing the work I love. A smarter person than me would figure out how to outsource that part, but I’m an entrepreneur! I can do it myself!
We talked about imposter syndrome earlier, and I find that intertwined with the finances of running my own business. It is hard to separate feelings of success or value from the financial ledger. I also want to be a provider for my family. Logically, I know my worth isn’t tied to how much money my various enterprises make. Emotionally, it is harder to separate the two.
I am always working to balance my work with the financial impacts they create—good or bad—and to figure out how to separate them from my feelings of self-worth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.roastwestcoast.com/, https://www.onewildlifeco.com/
- Instagram: @roastwestcoast, @onewildlifeco
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanwoldt/
Image Credits
Trina Woldt
