Worktank’s CEO is inspired every day by her team’s passion and talent, but what inspires the team? From video game-based hit television shows to apps, books and podcasts, Team Worktank shares what motivates them.
What Inspires the Worktank Team in 2023
Every day, I’m inspired by the passion and talent our team brings to work. The diversity of deeply-held personal interests and influences strengthen the Worktank team and help us learn and grow in the ever-evolving world of video communication and virtual event production.
As it turns out, we are gear-heads, audiophiles, filmmakers, photographers, bakers, cooks, podcast-walkers, knitters, builders, yogis, musicians, and animal lovers.
Here, I share a few of the things that matter most to us in 2023, in hopes of sparking a conversation, forging a common path, and learning something new about each other.
Mark Malcolm, VP Operations
I’m revisiting my jazz drumming roots and have been following the video series Sounds Like a Drum. It features tons of tutorials and recaps on the ins and outs of percussion tools and skills.
I’ve also been following Tony Nabors’ online offerings across multiple outlets. His website Racial Equity Insights covers a lot of points of view on diversity, equity, and inclusion that have really forced me to think and act deeper on a number of fronts.
As for podcasts, I‘ve been trying to focus more on local news offerings, and KUOW’s Seattle Now has been a good resource for coverage on issues important to our region.
Andy Majewski, Controller
My Kindle and Audible list is pretty diverse – from cyberpunk sci-fi to more new age stuff, including The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and Living Untethered by Michael Singer – but my inspiration for 2023 is The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers’ Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy. It’s hard to encapsulate, but, in this world of FOMO and never having enough, it reminds me to look at what I have and not at what I don’t have, and that’s just the start.
John McDonald, Technical Solutions Architect
I usually listen to the Sound on Sound (SOS) Recording and Mixing podcast while I’m out walking my two dogs. It helps me to detach from work and get an outsider perspective on new gear, technology, and sound design. And, if it’s an especially good episode, I’ll race back home so I can dive into my studio and put into practice what I’ve learned.
Chris Powell, Executive Producer
I’m reading The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams. It challenges the reader to think about how we perceive everyday life by taking us through the journey of how two of the most influential men in our time deal with everyday issues, and how we can apply the lessons they’ve learned to our own lives. Things as simple as relating to an individual can help us move past a tense conflict and bring greater perspective to the situation.
Kiko Toledo, Traffic Manager
I’m inspired by real-life adventure vlogs and docs, especially the lives of Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu. Their popular YouTube channel Sailing La Vagabonde shows how taking big risks off-the-grid can net amazing rewards. I love how it challenges us to think about what success looks like.
I also love repeat viewings of my friend Ricki Bedenbaugh’s incredible 5-minute short film Keep On Pushin’ that shows the passion of Los Angeles skateboarding culture with a beautifully-filmed tracking shot of skateboarders moving through a busy urban scene. It’s simple and effective.
Evan Sadler, Director of Content Solutions
I’m a better listener than casual reader, so I merge distance walking with audio books. Amy Bloom’s In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss and Michelle Zauner’s Crying In H Mart (read by the authors) are two of my favorites. Both are so different, yet unbelievably heartbreaking and grounded memoirs about how we crack open and show up when the most harrowing life events unfold.
As a cinephile and gear geek, my go-to inspirational reads include Cameron Crowe’s Conversations with Wilder and film critic François Truffaut’s Hitchcock. Both books dive into how the films of Billy Wilder and Alfred Hitchcock were made and, even in today’s dizzying changes in tech, the interviews reveal that the core of amazing storytelling remains unchanged. I also love Criterion, a streaming platform for the best movies ever made.
Marcy Stringfellow, Director of Client Services
I’m reading Untamed by Glennon Doyle, and I’m so moved by how the author positively changed her life through trusting herself, setting boundaries, and transforming into a mother who, against all odds, shows her children how to live fully and authentically. It’s a book with a big heart and it’s also hilarious.
To turn off my mind, I love the app Insight Timer with its incredible library of sleep music and soundscapes. There are also amazing bite-sized courses that I can play when I’m on a morning walk with my two dogs.
Molly Woodard, Operations Coordinator
As an avid gamer, my current obsession is the HBO series The Last of Us, based on the action-adventure game released in 2013. It’s wild how the creators follow the narrative of the game, and how a 60-minute episode can focus on key moments that last only seconds in the game itself.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
I truly enjoy working with this team every day, and I’ve no doubt our clients feel the same way. If you’re interested in continuing the conversation, give us a call at 877-975-8265 or contact us online.
For those interested in joining Worktank as a team member, please send your resume and cover letter to recruiting@worktankwebcasts.com.
