Imagine in just twelve weeks going from:
“I have no idea what comes next…”
to
“I know exactly how to turn my dreams into reality!”
I’m not saying it won’t require (A LOT of) hard work.
But your path will become crystal clear.
Most importantly…you won’t have to walk that path alone.
“OMG doesn’t even begin to describe it…after the Office Hours with Zack I sent my dream contact an email about meeting, and we spoke TODAY! He was so impressed I got a hold of him and told me when I was back in LA we “have to meet up.” I’m on cloud nine right now! For the first time I really see myself on the pathway to the career I want. It’s not a dream anymore, it looks more like a reality.”
- Matthew Farrugia, Aspiring Editor & AE
Join an energetic, ambitious, and focused community of creative professionals just like you optimizing every aspect of our lives to reach our fullest creative potential.
Best of all…we’re doing it all from home in our pajamas. 
(you had me at ‘pajamas’)
“This feels weird to say during a global pandemic, but I am doing really good and getting so many things done that have been on my plate for a looong time. I would have lost my sh*t big time without this. Thank you Zack for helping me gain the abilities to deal with this situation. I can’t express my gratitude enough. You are a true leader!”
- Scott Davis, Feature Film Assistant Editor
“Why Didn’t Anyone Warn Me It Would Be This Hard?”
Whether you’re an editor like me, or a director, writer, composer, producer, or otherwise, your passion is telling stories. You live to make people feel something.
What you do for a living isn’t your job, it’s your identity.
There are few professions as rewarding as being a storyteller, but there are also few as draining, as frustrating, as soul-sucking, or as confusing to navigate.
When you began your career you gave it everything you had simply for the sake of learning, collaborating, and having the opportunity to help other people realize their dreams. You would do anything!
At one point “Exposure Bucks” were enough to pay your bills, and you took whatever gig came your way, working like a machine to build credits and hone your craft. You thought you were unstoppable.
Then came a whopping dose of reality…followed by “the crash.”
Little did you know all that energy directed towards helping others achieve their dreams would be at the expense of your own. Years later you are stuck in a job you don’t want, and the passion for your craft is all but gone.
Now you most likely find yourself asking:
“How did I end up here?”
Listen…life gets the best of all of us at some point. Any of these sound familiar?
You are stuck climbing the wrong career ladder but too afraid to make the transition to something more fulfilling because you have to pay the bills
Your default answer is “Yes” to the needs of others but the only person you say “No” to is yourself
You often take on too many projects because you don’t want to “let people down,” but the long hours and the insane demands of the entertainment industry have pushed you to the brink of exhaustion and burnout
You struggle to set boundaries around your time, and at the end of the day you end up only accomplishing a fraction of what you intended
You struggle to focus and you find yourself chronically procrastinating (until your deadline is so close it puts the fear of God into you)
You gave up trying because there are just too many people competing for so few opportunities, and there isn’t enough room for you
You feel stuck in a rut, and you’re not utilizing your time to move your career forwards
You’ve been doing the same job for years (or even decades) because it feels “safe,” and you feel the pressure to maintain instead of taking the chance to grow
You have no idea what the path looks like to get where you want to be
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY:
You are convinced that balancing a successful career and a life outside of your job is IMPOSSIBLE.
“What I really appreciate about working with Zack is that he’s so supportive. He helps me stay focused. We take a goal and he helps me focus on the most important point so I don’t get distracted by all the things I want to do. Having a structure that is so easy to understand is HUGE for me. Zack saved my life when I couldn’t find work and things were dark and depressing. He inspired me to still love my career.”
- Krysia Szyszlo, Film & TV Editor
The problem isn’t that you lack motivation, discipline, or willpower
The problem is YOU DON’T HAVE A PLAN
If you work in a creative industry, you know how important it is to have a plan, a schedule, and deadlines (even the insane ones). And there’s no doubt that when asked to do the impossible…YOU. ALWAYS. DELIVER.
So then why do we struggle to meet our own demands and achieve our own goals?
Because at no point in our lives has someone taught us how to define our goals and design a realistic plan to achieve them. (And don’t even get me started on time management for creative people like us…)
As an editor & director, I’ve spent the last twenty years of my career properly sequencing complex story structures with multiple twists and turns such that I can maximize the emotional impact for my audience.
As your coach & mentor it will be my job to help you restructure and rewrite the next draft of your story to maximize your impact on the world. But I can’t help you write your story without a plan.
Unlike becoming a doctor, lawyer, or accountant, there is no clearly defined path to becoming successful in the entertainment industry, so the story that leads to your success often appears unclear.
And more importantly, nobody teaches you how to define what “successful” means to YOU.
For some “success” is all about awards, money, & prestige. But for others “success” could simply mean collaborating on projects that have a meaningful and positive impact on the world while simultaneously having the time & energy left over for the most important people in their lives.
Having interviewed over 200 industry professionals, Oscar and Emmy winners, New York Times bestselling authors in the fields of behavioral psychology, habit formation, health & well-being, cognitive fitness, and the science of success, I’ve discovered that although it might not be obvious…
There is a very clear path everyone follows that leads to their success:
-
You have to clearly identify the ladder you want to climb (and understand how climbing it is in alignment with your deeper ‘Why’)
-
You have to focus intensely on becoming awesome at your craft.
-
You have to focus the remainder of your time, energy, and attention on making sure the right people know you are awesome at your craft.
And none of the above happens without the meta skills of → Focus and Time Management.
“My mental energy has improved significantly since taking this program, I can now stay in a state of creative flow (thanks to time blocking!), and I now approach everything with intention. Learning how to separate ‘life management’ from ‘project management’ has taken a huge weight off my shoulders.”
- Patrick Norman, Documentary Director & Editor
Here’s what your life looks like when you work from a plan:
- You are focused on your goals and can identify your next steps, as opposed to feeling like you have to “take the next gig” because you’re not sure if anything better will ever come along
- You feel incredibly “productive” at the end of a long day having accomplished the right things, as opposed to always feeling “busy” like you’re spinning on a hamster wheel to nowhere
- You no longer procrastinate (or waste half your day reading the news or social media) because you have the tools, the strategies, and the mindset to better manage and prioritize your time
- You have established the daily & weekly habits necessary to move more, sleep more, and eat better thus having the resiliency to better manage the wear & tear of working in Hollywood
- You no longer believe “I’m not good enough,” or “I can’t make this happen,” or “This doesn’t work for people like me.”
- You love going to work so much everyday that you ask the question, “Are they really paying me to do this?” while at the same time getting paid well and still having energy left over to live your life outside of work.
Here’s the most powerful strategy you’ll learn in this entire program:
How to Identify Your ‘One Thing’
Here’s the key takeaway from this video:
You don’t need to summon superhuman focus & energy to topple the largest dominoes in your life such that it seems useless to even try.
All you have to do is prioritize the many things you could be doing down to literally the ‘One Thing’ such that if you accomplish it, everything after it becomes easier.
Stop trying to push a boulder up a mountain
I’m going to show you how to effortlessly roll a tiny snowball down the hill such that it becomes an unstoppable avalanche
“Before I was jumping around doing random things, and always around lunchtime I would get distracted (sometimes for hours). Having ‘Macro’ and ‘Micro’ goals helped me focus, and now I know I’m on the right path and this is the thing I need to do right now.”
- Emily Zhai, Editor
So...what’s your ‘One Thing’?
What is that single domino that if you knocked it over next would help you accomplish something small (yet important) that creates the positive momentum you need to move closer to your most important goals?
Time to level up your career and make a major career transition?
Is refreshing your résumé or portfolio website your “One Thing” so you can tell a better story about your skills to prospective collaborators because you’re concerned you might not have the experience yet to land your coveted dream job?
Or maybe the domino that starts the chain reaction is developing your outreach skills so you can virtually build your network from your laptop and connect with a mentor (or several) that will help you open doors you’ve struggled to open up until now?
Or is it perhaps time to become a time management ninja?
Are you so exhausted from spinning your wheels with busy work and putting out fires all day long that the mere thought of prioritizing your resume, portfolio, or networking seems impossible? Maybe your “One Thing” is eliminating distractions and becoming a master of Deep Work?
Or perhaps your “One Thing” is getting as good at using your calendar as you are at using the software that earns you a living so you can better budget your time, your energy, and your attention?
Or maybe there’s no way you can prioritize any of the above because you’re just too BURNED. OUT. All you have the energy for right now is survival.
If that’s the case, maybe your “One Thing” is developing healthier lifestyle habits such as:
Moving more throughout your workday so you don’t feel like you were hit by a truck after another 12 hour stretch at your computer?
Developing better morning & evening routines so sleep doesn’t continue being “optional”?
Prioritizing your needs above others all the time (gasp?) and advocating for yourself so you have the energy to serve others?
Let’s Be Honest…
I’m guessing the chances are good you’re reading all of this and thinking,
“Are you kidding about choosing my ‘One Thing?’ I’m too busy just making it through my day. I have no idea where to even start!”
Whether or not you’re already clear on what comes next for you and you require the tools, insider tips, and tactics to take action…
…or if you have no idea where to start because you are so overwhelmed with what you “should be” doing that you end up feeling frozen and you just do nothing (or you doom scroll social media all day and night)…
The Optimizer Coaching & Mentorship Program has your back.
Ready to Become the Newest ‘Optimizer’?
There are a multitude of ways for us to work together (based on your financial needs and available time) to help you define your own unique path to success and take action consistently so you can achieve your most important goals. No matter the level of coaching & mentorship that is the best fit for you.
Here’s what’s included for every member of the Optimizer coaching & mentorship program:
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ALL COURSE
MATERIALSLifetime Access to all existing course materials, “Netflix-style”
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SLACK CHANNEL
ACCESSAccess to all public & private Optimizer community Slack channels
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OFFICE
HOURSAccess to all past audio recordings & searchable transcripts (over 100 hours!)
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OPTIMIZER MEMBERS
DATABASEConnect with other likeminded members of the community
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MASTERMIND Q&A
LIVE CALLSLearn from and connect with other successful community members as well as industry experts
-
THE FOCUS
GYMSchedule a Zoom session 24/7 to flex your focus muscles and Get. Things, Done
1 - Lifetime access to all current course materials
For the first time ever I’m offering new students LIFETIME ACCESS to ALL of my current online courses, workshops, and masterclasses “Netflix-style” to ensure that you have access to whatever strategies, tools, and tactics best support your current (and future) needs. This includes all content updates to existing materials as well!
‘Focus Yourself’ is a self-guided 8-module online course with over 9 hours of video training (not to mention 12+ hours of expert interviews) where I’ll teach you how to better manage your time, your energy, and your attention so you can summon your creativity on demand, organize your life so you can stop focusing on busy work, and start focusing on your life’s work.
In today’s hyperconnected world of 24/7 distractions (especially working from home), focus has become the superpower of the 21st century.
Master your calendar so you can do higher quality creative work in less time (and actually enjoy your life outside of work)
THE MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE IN YOUR LIFE IS YOUR TIME
In this online workshop, I’ll teach you how to transform your calendar from the random app you occasionally use so don’t forget a doctor’s appointment to becoming the master budget for how you spend your time, prioritize your life, and manage your most important asset → YOUR CREATIVITY.
‘Advance Yourself’ is a brand new online course in early beta development* (all materials should be available by the end of 2022) that will help you develop the strategy to define your own unique version of “success” and pursue projects that fulfill you. This will be my most comprehensive and in-depth course yet!
Identify your ideal projects & collaborators. Build relationships. Promote yourself. And land your dream job.
A single well-written outreach email can literally change the direction of your career…but only if it’s sent to the right person at the right time (with your specific career goals in mind).
Learn in this 5-lesson, self-guided Masterclass how to use IMDbPro to build a robust list of creative professionals you can reach out to so they can help you open doors in your career that you previously only dreamed of.
‘Move Yourself’ is a self-guided four module online course with over five hours of video training & tutorials (including 10 hours of expert interviews) that will teach you how to:
Sit Less. Focus More. Live Longer.
And become so active through your workday you’ll never feel guilty for skipping exercise again.
» The ‘Pain Relief & Mobility’ Library
Designed and demonstrated by licensed chiropractors, this portion of the video vault contains over 80 educational & instructional videos, exercises, and routines to help you eliminate pain.
» The ‘Office Yoga’ Library
Designed and demonstrated by a certfied yoga instructor, this portion of the video vault contains Office Yoga routines designed to help you reverse the effects of sitting (or standing) all day
» The ‘Energy & Focus Library
Designed and demonstrated by Zack Arnold, creator of the Optimize Yourself program, this portion of the video vault to boost your energy and focus.
2 - Lifetime access to the ‘Optimizer’ Slack Community
We are a global network of creative professionals here to provide you with support, accountability, and a fresh & honest perspective about how you can take the most effective action towards your goals. As soon as you join the community you will have lifetime access to our private Slack workspace and the public channels.
As long as you are an active (i.e. paying) member of the community, you will have me in your back pocket 24/7 via Slack direct message to personally answer any questions you have throughout the program, and you’ll also have access to all of the private channels which include:
#accountability
Where we motivate and support each other to achieve our goals and stick with healthier, more productive habits. We also do fun monthly challenges with prizes included!
#workshopping
Where you can get group feedback on your cover letter, resume, portfolio website, demo reel, outreach emails, and so much more.
#jobs
Where community members often share work opportunities before they hit the Facebook groups and job boards.
#networking
Where you can connect with other members of the community for personal accountability, sharing skills, or group masterminds based on your career goals.
#meetups
Where you’ll be the first to hear about upcoming networking events, conferences, workshops, and more.
#wins
Where you and other Optimizers will share wins big & small - inspiring each other and celebrating together.
3 - 90 days access to my Weekly ‘Office Hours’ (including recordings)
As long as you are an active member of the community you’ll have ongoing access to attend my weekly Office Hours as a background participant. You can also chat with me during the informal Q&A afterwards (schedule pending).
→ BONUS: Listen to and/or read the transcripts from over 100 hours of past Office Hours “Hot Seat” sessions* (all searchable by keyword, member name, and topic).
Now with over 100 hours of content (and counting!!!), there’s bound to be a session to suit your unique needs and goals, including topics such as:
- Workshopping an outreach email
- Workshopping your résumé
- Workshopping your portfolio website
- Debating between job offers
- Preparing for a job interview or meeting
- Building or refining a productivity workflow (Trello, GTD, Calendars, etc)
- Building healthier habits & systems to avoid burnout
- Workshopping your creative process (writing, editing, etc)
- Any additional work-life balance challenges
*Note: If you upgrade to a live coaching option (e.g. small group or private), you’ll retain lifetime access to any recordings & transcripts for your small group or private sessions.
4 - 90 days access to the Optimizer Member Directory
Search the Optimizer member database* to network with like-minded members in the community with similar goals as you to create masterminds, find a mentor, share skills, secure a shadowing opportunity, and possibly even land your next gig!
5 - 90 days access to Live Mastermind Q&A Calls
These monthly Zoom sessions are a way for you, as a community, to ask questions of a selected community member or industry expert. It’s a great way to have a conversation with them about their career path, how they got started in the business, and anything else that may be valuable to you and your career.
6 - 90 days access to ‘The Focus Gym’
Need some accountability to keep you focused and engaged with your creative work? You’ll have 24/7 access to schedule unlimited Zoom sessions with community members around the globe to flex and strengthen your ‘focus muscles.’ Procrastination will become a thing of the past!
“I’ve gotten so much done over the last few months I didn’t think was possible. I’m almost done with a pilot that has confounded me for YEARS. For some reason I had a mental block. If I hadn’t done this program I wouldn’t have had a seven page short ready submit when the right opportunity came up… which it did!”
- Sam Lavin, Writer & Director
Ready To Get Started?
If you prefer to learn at your own pace and you simply need some accountability from our community to motivate you and keep you on track,
Enroll today in the Self-Guided “Community Coaching” option.
(I’ll even throw in a bonus 20 minute Hot Seat session with me 1-on-1!)
OR
If you’re looking to dive deeper down the rabbit hole and you’d like to work with me more intimately – whether that’s regularly scheduling one-on-one “Hot Seats” with me, or in a more intimate Small Group class, or working together Privately – read more about each of those options below.
Here Are Your Upgrade Options
If you want to take your experience to a whole new level and you’re ready to step outside your comfort zone to achieve results even faster, here are your upgrade options to work with me directly.
THE “ALL-ACCESS” PASS UPGRADE
UP TO 20 MIN OF 1-ON-1 TIME PER WEEK
Enroll today and get started right away
- 12 weeks worth of Office Hours access (attendance is optional)
- Work through the course materials self-guided at your own pace
- Schedule a 20 minute one-on-one “Hot Seat” per week (as needed)
- Group sizes vary call-to-call, but expect anywhere from 5 to 25 people on a call
SMALL GROUP COACHING
90 MINUTES PER WEEK
Enrollment by application only
- 12 weeks of small group classes (between 5-15 students per class)
- Work through the course materials step-by-step with the other students in your group
- Schedule a 20 minute one-on-one “Hot Seat” per week (as needed)
- Group sizes vary between 5-15 students (depending on the curriculum)
PRIVATE COACHING
60 MINUTES PER WEEK
Enrollment by application only
- 12 weeks of private instruction working with me (or a trained member of my team)
- Custom design the course materials that best meet your needs and work through them at your own pace
“It was a pure delight working with you Zack and making my goals happen. I feel like I just did something I didn’t know how to do in the past, and it’s an invaluable life skill that will continue to reap rewards throughout my life. So thank you.”
- Graham Elliot, Animation Editor
Where Do You Want Your Life to Be In 3 Months?
I’ve been told by numerous students this is one of the most challenging experiences they’ve ever been through (but also one of the most rewarding). You will be pushed outside your comfort zone and learn more about yourself than you ever thought possible. But with that discomfort will also come tremendous personal and professional growth.
Yes you’ll learn a bunch of cool new tips, tricks, and hacks. (And by God I will make sure you walk away from this program a Trello master!!!)
Yes, you’ll have a much better idea of your next action steps, no matter your goals.
And yes, you’ll have no choice but to become much better at managing your time and energy, because that’s what it’s going to take to achieve things that really mean something to you.
Ultimately you will walk away from this program with the same three fundamental things every other student does (or at least those who put in the work):
CLARITY
100% CLARITY about not only what you need to do in the next hour, but also the next day, week, month, or even this entire year.
CONFIDENCE
Total CONFIDENCE that the next items on your daily to-do list are the right actions that will lead you to your destination instead of feeling “busy” all the time and wondering what the heck you even accomplished this week.
CONSISTENCY
A plan that will guide you towards taking the right actions with CONSISTENCY and without struggling to summon willpower you can’t find, motivation you just don’t have, and discipline you’d rather not develop.
Most Importantly…
If you choose to work with me, there is one fundamental skill I want you to walk away with more than anything else: The ability to ask yourself better questions.
The quality of the questions you ask yourself dictates the quality of your life
So which question are you asking yourself right now?
“How much will it cost me to enroll?”
Or…
“How much will it cost me to stay stuck in the same place?”
Join the Optimizer Coaching & Mentorship Program
Here’s a quick summary of what’s included for every member of the community:
-
LIFETIME ACCESS to all current online courses, masterclasses, workshops, and bonus vaults
- Focus Yourself (a $497 value)
- Move Yourself (a $297 value)
- Advance Yourself (a $997 value…when complete)
- Masterclass: Virtually Build Your Network with IMDbPro (a $97 value)
- The Move Yourself Activity Video Vault (a $97 value)
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LIFETIME ACCESS to our private Optimizer Slack community (You'll have me in your back pocket via Direct Message 24/7)
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90 DAYS ACCESS to over 100 hours (and counting!) of past Office Hours audio recordings & transcripts searchable by topic & keyword
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90 DAYS ACCESS to the Optimizer Member Directory so you can connect with other members of the community for accountability, to form small group masterminds, find a mentor, or possibly even land your next gig!
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90 DAYS ACCESS to ‘The Focus Gym’ to flex & strengthen your creative focus muscles.
Ready to to become an “Optimizer”?
If you prefer to learn at your own pace and you simply need some accountability from our community to motivate you and keep you on track, enroll today in the Self-Guided “Community Coaching” option below.
(If you want to upgrade to the “All-Access” Pass, you can take care of that at checkout)
Join today for as little as 3 payments of:
$199
→ Click here to save $100 by paying in full today
Have questions before buying? No problem, that’s what this FAQ page is for!
OR
Want to Work Together One-on-One?
All Small Group Classes and Private Coaching options are available by application only.
I prioritize complimentary 30-min Zoom calls in the order I receive applications, so the sooner you apply, the better your chances of getting the spot that fits your needs the best.
(prices for all packages are available in the application)
“When we first met I had near zero confidence. While there’s much work to be done, you gave me enough ink, paper, and whiteout to start redrafting what was frankly a really sh*tty script. I’ve been spending the last month solving problems for seasoned editors, producers, and Amazon folks with more confidence that I thought was possible. The producers are already trying to book me for their next show! Thank you for an incredible six months.”
- Joseph Suzuki, Assistant & Visual FX Editor
Frequently Asked Questions
NO, this program is not just for editors. My job title might be “Film & Television Editor,” but my profession is “Storyteller.” In this program I’m going to use my storytelling skills to help you rewrite, refine, and retell your own story.
I have many members of this program who are not editors (and not even in the entertainment industry), including writers, directors, producers, composers, actors, entrepreneurs, college professors, engineers, and more.
The only prerequisite for this course is a willingness to get uncomfortable, roll up your sleeves, and start writing a new draft of your story with my guidance and support.
How much time we can work together in a one-on-one setting depends on your budget, your available time, and your willingness to get uncomfortable. 🙂
COMMUNITY COACHING
- Community Coaching is self-guided with the option to attend as a background participant in weekly Office Hours sessions.
- You will receive one 20-minute ‘Hot Seat’ reservation as part of this package (this session will expire at the end of your 12 weeks if you don’t use it)
ALL-ACCESS PASS UPGRADE
- The All-Access pass upgrade adds 12 more ‘Hot Seats’ to your Community Coaching package.
- You will receive one 20-minute ‘Hot Seat’ reservation per WEEK. Again, these sessions will expire at the end of your 12 weeks if you don’t use them.
SMALL GROUP COACHING
- Small Group Coaching will include 12 90-minute group calls per week, and attendance is mandatory (but if you can’t make it one or two weeks, no big deal. All sessions are recorded)
- You will receive an additional 20-minute ‘Hot Seat’ reservation per month as part of the package (these sessions will expire at the end of your 12 weeks if you don’t use them)
PRIVATE COACHING
- Private Coaching is a completely one-on-one experience which includes twelve 60 minute weekly calls
- You will not receive additional ‘Hot Seat’ reservations, but you do have the option to attend Office Hours calls as a background participant throughout the semester
In short, this program covers whatever you need it to cover. With access to all of my current online courses, masterclasses, and workshops, it’s Choose Your Own Adventure!
As a “Community Coaching” or “Community Coaching + All Access Pass’ coaching member you can learn from any material you’d like at your own pace.
If you work with me in small groups or privately, in the first twelve weeks of this program we will work together using my Focus Yourself online course where you will learn how to define your most important goals with 100% CLARITY, how to prioritize all of the things you could be doing down to your ‘One Thing’ such that you have total CONFIDENCE your next action is always the right one, and then you’ll learn a multitude of productivity tools & strategies to ensure you follow through with CONSISTENCY (Trello, calendar apps, to-do lists, etc).
If your goals are health-oriented, we’ll design the path to build the right habits for you to meet your goals.
If your goals are productivity-related, you’ll learn how to better manage your time than you ever thought possible. You will be well on the path to becoming a ‘Productivity Ninja.’
If your goals are career-specific, we’ll design the path that you thought didn’t exist before and prioritize your next most important steps.
While we will not specifically talk about networking strategies or how to get jobs in the Focus Yourself program, you can schedule a ‘Hot Seat’ to workshop anything you would like (e.g. workshopping your résumé, an outreach email, etc).
If you want to learn specific networking strategies, how to write amazing outreach emails, or how to pitch yourself for the right jobs with your résumé, cover letter, or your portfolio website, those are topics we cover in-depth in my 12 week ‘Advance Yourself’ career coaching & mentorship program.
SMALL GROUP
If you choose to work with me in a small group (groups of no more than 5 ), this will be just like joining an online college course. You will be expected to show up to all weekly 90 minute calls – attendance is mandatory (if you’re concerned about missing one or two weeks that isn’t a big deal. All sessions will be recorded so you can catch up with anything you miss). We will work through the Focus Yourself curriculum one module at a time week by week.
Small group is the best fit for you if you value accountability and you prefer getting the most out of the curriculum and being immersive. Small group is also the best fit if you also have more personal & sensitive topics to discuss in a more intimate setting (e.g. burnout, depression, overwhelm, limiting beliefs, etc).
Small group is NOT a good fit for you if you want to learn at your own pace or ask questions or advice about topics outside the curriculum, e.g. you want to workshop your résumé even though the weekly topic is time management.
COMMUNITY COACHING + THE “ALL-ACCESS” PASS UPGRADE
If you choose to work with me in the Community Coaching + All-Access Pass program there is no mandatory attendance requirement. You may attend as few or as many of the calls as you like. You will have access to my Office Hours on a weekly basis and can schedule up to 80 minutes worth of one-on-one sessions per month to address any specific needs you have.
Community Coaching + All-Access Pass is the best fit for you if you are already a motivated self-starter and prefer to work at your own pace. It’s also a good fit if you have various miscellaneous topics you’d like to address that might not fit into the Focus Yourself curriculum, e.g. networking strategy, workshopping outreach emails, résumés, websites, etc.
Community Coaching + All-Access Pass is NOT a good fit for you if you need accountability and support to stick with curriculum and you want me and the community to keep you on track on a weekly basis. It is also not a good fit if you have more personal, i.e. sensitive topics you’d like to discuss but don’t want a large group to listen to (e.g. burnout, depression, limiting beliefs, etc).
COMMUNITY COACHING
With the community coaching option you have the option to attend the Office Hours live coaching calls as a background participant, as well as listen to all Office Hours calls (past & present) as needed based on your own schedule and needs. Community coaching also includes one bonus 20-minute ‘Hot Seat’ to meet with me one-on-one during the semester based on your availability and needs.
I designed this program specifically for busy, ambitious working professionals (who probably also have a family). Anticipate an average of 3-5 hours per week of work outside the Zoom calls for video lessons, worksheets, and assignments.
- If you enroll in the private option we will have one mandatory sixty minute Zoom session per week.
- If you enroll in the small group we will have one mandatory ninety minute Zoom session per week.
- If you enroll in the community coaching + All-Access Pass option I am available during ‘Office Hours’ for 4+ hours per week. You may choose to attend calls as you see fit, and you may schedule up to 80 minutes of one-on-one ‘Hot Seat’ sessions per month*.
*Please note that unused ‘Hot Seat’ sessions DO NOT rollover month-to-month. If you don’t schedule them, they will expire.
All coaching calls are held virtually via Zoom on weekday mornings.
If you are interested in either the private or small group options, you must be available for either 60 or 90 minutes once a week somewhere between 8-11am Pacific time. If you choose to apply for the private or small group options, we will discuss which day and time best fits your schedule and needs.
If you are interested in the Community Coaching + All-Access Pass option, I will hold ‘Office Hours’ for 4 hours per week on Zoom weekday mornings between 8-10am (days and time subject to change). Because attendance is not mandatory, you do not need to make yourself available during these times each week. But if you want to schedule a ‘Hot Seat’ with me, anticipate it will be a 20 minute block somewhere between 8-10am Pacific two mornings per week (usually Wednesdays & Fridays).
Unfortunately I currently do not offer coaching on evenings & weekends. If the above times do not fit your schedule, you may enroll in the Community Coaching option and work through the conten at your own pace.
If you enroll in either the private or small group options, attendance is mandatory. If you must miss a private session we can reschedule for a later date (with 24-hrs advanced notice). If you are enrolled in the small group program the call will continue as scheduled, but all coaching calls are recorded and you will have access to past session audio recordings & searchable transcripts.
If you enroll in the Community Coaching + All-Access Pass option, attendance is not mandatory. You may choose to participate as it suits your schedule. You are welcome to attend any and all sessions as a background participant, and you also have the option to schedule up to two 20-minute one-on-one ‘Hot Seat’ sessions per month during my Office Hours (schedule subject to change). All sessions are recorded and you will have access to past audio recordings and searchable transcripts.
Note: You will not receive prorated refunds for any missed sessions at the end of the semester.
Absolutely! You do not need to be local to Los Angeles, or California, or even the United States to get the most out of this program. You just need to be available for anywhere between 20 and 90 minutes per week between 8-10am Pacific time for coaching calls.
I have students all over the country and the globe from North Carolina, New York, Maryland, Ireland, Denmark, Columbia, Chile, Australia, and more.
The only prerequisite to being a member of this community is a willingness to work hard, step outside your comfort zone, and be a positive member of this global community.
No doubt your journey will have just begun after the first 12 weeks. When the time comes you’re ready to forge ahead you will have multiple options available to you:
- If you’d like to continue with small group coaching, you can join my Advanced Networking Program.
- If you’d like to maintain ongoing access to the community, you can subscribe to the monthly “Community Pass” for $50/month.
- If you’d like to maintain ongoing access to the community & schedule an additional Hot Seat each month, you can subscribe to the monthly “Hot Seat Pass” for $100/month.
- If you’d like full access to the community and weekly Hot Seat sessions, you can subscribe to the monthly “All-Access Pass” for $150/month.
If you cannot afford to enroll in any of the group coaching options at this time, I highly recommend checking out my self-guided Focus Yourself program as this is the EXACT same curriculum all my students use as the foundation of the coaching & mentorship program. You can go through it in as little as four weeks, or take as long as you need. You’ll have LIFETIME ACCESS.
If you’d like to enroll in any of the coaching options (private, small group, community+, community) the deadline to enroll or submit your application is Monday, April 26th, 11:59pm Eastern time. Spring semester orientation is Friday, April 30th at 8am Pacific.
If you missed the deadline but you’d still like to enroll in the Community coaching option, reach out to my team at [email protected] and let’s chat to see if we can find you a spot.
No matter the coaching option you choose and the number of Hot Seats you are granted, Hot Seats expire at the end of the semester. There are no exceptions.
Hot Seats also do not rollover month-to-month, meaning you cannot schedule all ‘Office Hours’ Hot Seats in the final weeks of the semester because you procrastinated and waited until the end of the program to dive into the course materials.
If you have unused Hot Seats at the end of the semester they do not carry any monetary value, and you cannot request a pro-rated refund for unused sessions.
It is your responsibility to prioritize your time and be intentional with it. Schedule accordingly.
If for whatever reason this program isn’t the right fit, you have 30 days to request a no-questions-asked refund at which point I will cancel your remaining monthly payments. You will also receive a pro-rated refund for any unused sessions in your first month.
Upon your 31st day after registration, if you haven’t requested a refund, you commit to the remainder of this program and no further refunds will be granted.
I stand by the quality of this program and the results it gets for my students. I’m happy to grant you a no-questions-asked refund within 30 days because I’m confident you’ll never need to ask for one. 🙂
If you have additional questions not answered above, reach out to [email protected]
About Zack Arnold
The host of the Optimize Yourself podcast and the creator of this coaching & mentorship community.
In this program my mission is to help you DO better and BE better.
“Doing” better means learning how to more effectively manage your time, your energy, and your creativity so you can produce higher quality work in less time (and ultimately become a productivity ninja).
“Being” better means doing all of the above while still prioritizing the most important people, things, and passions in your life…all without sacrificing your health (or sanity) in the process.
As an ambitious creative professional who’s spent the last twenty years working in Hollywood as a film & TV editor (recent shows include Netflix’s Cobra Kai, Empire, Glee, and Burn Notice), I’ve battled depression and burnout more times than I can keep track of. Having been diagnosed with adult-onset ADD in my mid-twenties, I spent over a decade flailing as I slowly learned how to balance a demanding career, having two kids, and just trying to survive.
Then I decided “survival” wasn’t enough...I wanted to thrive.
And that’s what brings me to you today. Having been on this journey myself from barely making it through the day to having so much energy left over that I’ve chosen to spend the last two and a half years training to become an American Ninja Warrior, I know how overwhelming it can feel taking the first step. I’ve got your back. I’m here to help shorten your learning curve so you can avoid many of the costly and time-consuming mistakes I’ve made along the way.
To be clear: If you’re looking for all the answers, I am not the mentor for you.
I am not an expert, and I’m definitely not your guru.
You and I are on the exact same journey, I just happen to be a step or two ahead on the path. Therefore my job is to shorten your learning curve by sharing my best discoveries with you over the next 12 weeks (and beyond!).
In my career I’ve worked with the following studios: Netflix, Home Box Office, Sony Pictures Television, Walt Disney Studios, 20th Century Fox Television, Paramount Television, Fox Searchlight, Universal Cable Productions, ABC, NBC, Dreamworks, Warner Bros, USA Network, Lionsgate Films, Paramount Classics, and many more.
My work as an editor, documentary director, teacher, podcaster, and writer has been featured in such publications as Forbes, The Huffington Post, NPR, I Will Teach You to be Rich, LinkedIn Learning, Cinema Editor Magazine (ACE), Cinemontage, Post Magazine, Post Perspective, Frame.io, Film Editing Pro, and many more.
At this point I’ve achieved my goals in the entertainment industry. Now I want to help you achieve yours.
My Commitment to You
If this program isn’t the right fit for you, if the timing isn’t right, or if financially you can’t make it work, I totally understand. No hard feelings whatsoever.
However, if you’re hesitating because this program seems scary, or I might push you outside your comfort zone, guess what? Outside your comfort zone is the only place things are going to happen for you. You can either continue waiting for opportunities to find you, or you can start creating your opportunities.
Here’s my promise to you:
The moment you enroll in this program, I will be 100% invested in your success.
- Your goals become my goals.
- Your obstacles become my obstacles.
- Your challenges become my challenges.
I will be in your back pocket 24/7 (via Slack) to answer any questions you might have during your journey, and we’ll work together every week via Zoom to clearly define your next steps, no matter your goal.
You’ll also have the support of everyone else in the ‘Optimizer’ community on the same journey as you. It’s literally like connecting to an instant network of new best friends and colleagues who are overcoming the same obstacles as you that want to help you succeed!
But here’s the thing…I can’t help you.
Wait…what?
Isn’t that what coaching and mentorship is all about?
Not quite. Only you can help you.
I can’t take the action that will lead you towards the most important goals in life.
My role is to make sure you are asking the RIGHT questions and taking the RIGHT actions for yourself. And like the sherpa leading you towards Mt. Everest, I’ll be there by your side to ensure you don’t take the wrong path.
I’ll give you the CLARITY you desire so you finally know what your goal is. And to clarify, there’s a big difference between your dreams and your goals.
I’ll give you the CONFIDENCE that every single action in your calendar is the right one. If you’re tired of being “busy” all the time and you’re ready to become “effective,” I’m your guy.
And I’ll help you build an action plan that ensures you follow through with CONSISTENCY.
Sound like a good fit so far? If so, then let’s do this!
P.S. If you’re a procrastinator, you can do that later.
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