Episode description

? Ideas Are Cheap … Execution Is Expensive!
 What’s the secret to getting and keeping attention in the zero-attention-span world we all live in today?
 
 I have a great NEW podcast for you, ESPECIALLY if you LOVE comedy, entertainment, and movies!
 
 Have you imagined yourself either BEING a comedian or actor on stage or in theaters?
 
 Maybe you’ve wanted to write, direct, produce, or invest in movies, music, or entertainment?
 
 What does it take to think like a talent agent, director, or producer in Hollywood and MAKE IT?
 
 Or maybe you just want to know what the big secret is to elevating your value as a business owner, entrepreneur, speaker, podcast host, interviewee, or writer?
 
 I had the privilege of interviewing Emmy Award-winning talent manager and producer Joel Zadak. If you haven’t heard of Joel before, you’ve definitely heard of and seen his clients including A-list comedian Tiffany Haddish, Randall Park from ABC’s Fresh Off The Boat, Ant-Man and Aquaman, Ronnie Chieng from The Daily Show and Crazy Rich Asians, Jimmy O. Yang from Crazy Rich Asians, Adam Conover from Adam Ruins Everything, and many more.
 
 Joel is going to take you behind the scenes with some fun Hollywood stories, and you’ll love this episode because you’ll learn how Joel THINKS and what he thinks about. His wisdom will rub off on you and you’ll realize, like I did, that we’re all in the entertainment and talent business—no matter what industry you’re in.
 
 Let’s meet Joel Zadak!
 
Joel grew up in Chicago and always enjoyed comedy, appreciating movies like Animal House and Cheech and Chong. His dad introduced him and his twin brother to R-rated comedies on cable far earlier than the average parent would allow, and that made him feel special. After college, he frequented The Second City Comedy Theatre where some of the greats, including Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Steve Carell, performed. That inspired Joel to take creative writing and screenwriting classes at Second City. He wanted to write the next BIG comedy hit.
 
His next move was to Los Angeles where he got into a grad program for screenwriting at UCLA but dropped out once he landed a job assisting a manager in the entertainment industry and realized Hollywood was a full-time job in and of itself. Shortly after, his boss left to start his own company and Joel was promoted to manager in just four months. That’s when his next-level comedy adventures began!
 
Fast forward to today. Here’s Joel’s philosophy on the ONLY people he’ll represent and work with: “It's pretty much a prerequisite for me that they have interests and talents in multiple fields. That means they are writer/performers, writer/directors, director/performers, stand-up comedian/actor. I really think it's IMPERATIVE that they are content generators. They're not just what I call vendors, vending their acting services or writing services. I want them to direct or perform because I really love multiple points of entry. I love those artists who can be not only the visionary, but also the implementer. The person who comes up with the idea and then also executes the idea. Ideas are cheap ... execution is expensive. And if you can do both, then you will have a long future in this or any business.”
 
It doesn’t get much more succinct than that. And it really is true, no matter what industry you’re in.
 
Two of Joel’s “superpowers” are networking and LISTENING. So, if you’d like to have the same kind of success in your own career, you’re going to want to hear this show!