My guest today is Elizabeth Khuri Chandler. Elizabeth is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Goodreads, a website that helps people find and share books they love. Goodreads has over 90 million members and was acquired by Amazon in 2013.

Elizabeth is also the host of the podcast Books of Your Life with Elizabeth, in which she interviews some of the most creative people in the world about books that have had an impact on their life.

In this interview, we cover:
How Elizabeth uses calendars to organise her life
Elizabeth’s approach to prioritisation
The role unstructured time plays in Elizabeth’s life
How Elizabeth overcomes writer’s block
How to write well
How to write a great headline
Where she gets her best book recommendations from
How she prepares for interviews
Where her best ideas com from.




You can listen to Elizabeth’s podcast Books of Your Life right here.

Visit amanthaimber.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a short monthly newsletter that contains three cool things that I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co

My guest today is Elizabeth Khuri Chandler. Elizabeth is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Goodreads, a website that helps people find and share books they love. Goodreads has over 90 million members and was acquired by Amazon in 2013.Elizabeth is also the host of the podcast Books of Your Life with Elizabeth, in which she interviews some of the most creative people in the world about books that have had an impact on their life.In this interview, we cover:<ul>
<li>How Elizabeth uses calendars to organise her life</li>
<li>Elizabeth’s approach to prioritisation</li>
<li>The role unstructured time plays in Elizabeth’s life</li>
<li>How Elizabeth overcomes writer’s block</li>
<li>How to write well</li>
<li>How to write a great headline</li>
<li>Where she gets her best book recommendations from</li>
<li>How she prepares for interviews</li>
<li>Where her best ideas com from.</li>
</ul> You can listen to Elizabeth’s podcast <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/books-of-your-life-with-elizabeth/id1437108828">Books of Your Life right here</a>.Visit amanthaimber.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.auIf you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a short monthly newsletter that contains three cool things that I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at <a href="http://howiwork.co/">http://howiwork.co</a>

You know those annoyingly successful people who seem to have it all figured out? Time to steal their playbook. Organisational psychologist Dr Amantha Imber gets world‑class achievers to spill their secrets - the daily strategies behind their success through to life hacks and productivity hacks they’d rather keep to themselves. We’re talking practical tips for boosting your output (including clever AI tools and shortcuts that’ll make you look like a genius), managing overwhelm without losing your mind, and optimising both work and wellbeing. No motivational fluff. Just battle‑tested tactics from people who’ve cracked the code.

You know those annoyingly successful people who seem to have it all figured out? Time to steal their playbook. Organisational psychologist Dr Amantha Imber gets world‑class achievers to spill their secrets&nbsp;- the daily strategies behind their success through to&nbsp;life hacks and productivity hacks they&rsquo;d rather keep to themselves. We&rsquo;re talking practical tips for boosting your output (including clever AI tools and shortcuts that&rsquo;ll make you look like a genius), managing overwhelm without losing your mind, and optimising both work and wellbeing. No motivational fluff. Just battle‑tested tactics from people who&rsquo;ve cracked the code.

Have you ever wondered if the worlds leading entrepreneurs, writers, musicians and business people construct their day differently to you?

How I Work

My guest today is Elizabeth Khuri Chandler. Elizabeth is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Goodreads, a website that helps people f...

TED2019 Interview Series: Goodreads co-founder Elizabeth Khuri Chandler on how she plans for unstructured time and spontaneity

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/18a4d2ca-4ffb-4730-97f4-af4600677257/transcript

Every time you open a new AI chat, you're starting from scratch. You type out the background, explain your role, describe the project. Then you do it again tomorrow. And the day after.

There's a better way, and it takes about 15 minutes over a cup of coffee.

In this How I AI episode, Neo and I walk through the briefing document - a single context file that gives AI everything it needs to understand your world before you've typed a single word.

Neo and I cover:
Why context now matters more than a well-crafted prompt, and why even a clever prompt without background will give you a great average response rather than something targeted
What a briefing document is and why recreating that context in every new chat leads to lazy, generic results
How to use AI's advanced voice mode to interview you about your job so the briefing document gets built conversationally, not typed from scratch
The exact interview prompt we give Inventium AI workshop participants
Real examples from Neo's setup, including documents for Inventium's products and services, his AI programs, and a current client project
Real examples from Amantha's setup, including documents for managing her team, the How I Work and How I AI podcasts, and her upcoming book
Two ways to store and deploy briefing documents

The prompt for creating a briefing document:

“Run a short, adaptive interview that captures only what matters about my role, context, stakeholders, and how I work, then produce a single structured briefing that covers all information.

Be efficient, inquisitive rather than prescriptive, and tailor the depth and questions to my role and signals.”

Connect with Neo Aplin on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/neoaplin/) and via inventium.ai (https://inventium.ai), where he leads Inventium's AI training and upskilling work with organisations and teams.

 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/

Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

Credits: Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

Every time you open a new AI chat, you're starting from scratch. You type out the background, explain your role, describe the project. Then you do it again tomorrow. And the day after.
There's a better way, and it takes about 15 minutes over a cup of coffee.
In this How I AI episode, Neo and I walk through the briefing document - a single context file that gives AI everything it needs to understand your world before you've typed a single word.
Neo and I cover:
<ul>
<li>Why context now matters more than a well-crafted prompt, and why even a clever prompt without background will give you a great average response rather than something targeted</li>
<li>What a briefing document is and why recreating that context in every new chat leads to lazy, generic results</li>
<li>How to use AI's advanced voice mode to interview you about your job so the briefing document gets built conversationally, not typed from scratch</li>
<li>The exact interview prompt we give Inventium AI workshop participants</li>
<li>Real examples from Neo's setup, including documents for Inventium's products and services, his AI programs, and a current client project</li>
<li>Real examples from Amantha's setup, including documents for managing her team, the How I Work and How I AI podcasts, and her upcoming book</li>
<li>Two ways to store and deploy briefing documents</li>
</ul>
The prompt for creating a briefing document:
&ldquo;Run a short, adaptive interview that captures only what matters about my role, context, stakeholders, and how I work, then produce a single structured briefing that covers all information.
Be efficient, inquisitive rather than prescriptive, and tailor the depth and questions to my role and signals.&rdquo;
Connect with Neo Aplin on LinkedIn (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/neoaplin/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/neoaplin/</a>) and via <a href="http://inventium.ai">inventium.ai</a> (<a href="https://inventium.ai/"></a><a href="https://inventium.ai">https://inventium.ai</a>), where he leads Inventium's AI training and upskilling work with organisations and teams.
&nbsp;
My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: <a href="https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/">https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/</a>
Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber">https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber</a>)
Instagram (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/amanthai">https://www.instagram.com/amanthai</a>)
If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at <a href="https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe">https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe</a>
Visit <a href="https://www.amantha.com/podcast">https://www.amantha.com/podcast</a> for full show notes from all episodes.
Get in touch at <a href="mailto:amantha@inventium.com.au">amantha@inventium.com.au</a>
Credits: Host: Amantha Imber
Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

The #1 mistake people make with AI

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/d904a6e3-3cb8-45a7-b331-b41800308b91/transcript

You're in sales. Even if your job title has nothing to do with sales, you are selling every single day. Ideas, proposals, budget requests, buy-in. The only question is whether you're any good at it.

In part two of our chat, I sit down with Sabri Suby, founder of King Kong and a shark on the most recent season of Shark Tank Australia, to get into the skills that have helped him close over $300 million in deals. We cover how he trained himself to communicate with clarity and authority, why he believes the video sales letter is the single most powerful tool any business can have, and the negotiation mistakes that cost people deals before they've even started.

Whether you're pitching to a client, selling an idea to your leadership team, or trying to get your team bought into a new direction, this episode will change how you think about communication.

Sabri and I discuss:
How Sabri built his communication skills from scratch, starting at 16 in a Byron Bay call centre
The "game tape" method: why watching and listening back to yourself is the fastest way to improve
How to eliminate filler words and why pausing is more powerful than filling the silence
What a video sales letter is and why Sabri believes it's the most leveraged tool in any business
How to apply the VSL approach inside a corporate setting, from pitching ideas to running internal meetings
Why the deal is closed in the discovery, not the close
The one mistake almost everyone makes going into a negotiation
Why you should always negotiate price and terms separately

Key quotes

"Communication is the number one superpower that you can ever get."

"Whether you like it or not, you're in sales. Everything that you want is a commission."

Connect with Sabri Suby on Instagram and LinkedIn and check out KingKong.

 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/

Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

Credits: Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler

You're in sales. Even if your job title has nothing to do with sales, you are selling every single day. Ideas, proposals, budget requests, buy-in. The only question is whether you're any good at it.
In part two of our chat, I sit down with Sabri Suby, founder of King Kong and a shark on the most recent season of Shark Tank Australia, to get into the skills that have helped him close over $300 million in deals. We cover how he trained himself to communicate with clarity and authority, why he believes the video sales letter is the single most powerful tool any business can have, and the negotiation mistakes that cost people deals before they've even started.
Whether you're pitching to a client, selling an idea to your leadership team, or trying to get your team bought into a new direction, this episode will change how you think about communication.
Sabri and I discuss:
<ul>
<li>How Sabri built his communication skills from scratch, starting at 16 in a Byron Bay call centre</li>
<li>The "game tape" method: why watching and listening back to yourself is the fastest way to improve</li>
<li>How to eliminate filler words and why pausing is more powerful than filling the silence</li>
<li>What a video sales letter is and why Sabri believes it's the most leveraged tool in any business</li>
<li>How to apply the VSL approach inside a corporate setting, from pitching ideas to running internal meetings</li>
<li>Why the deal is closed in the discovery, not the close</li>
<li>The one mistake almost everyone makes going into a negotiation</li>
<li>Why you should always negotiate price and terms separately</li>
</ul>
Key quotes
"Communication is the number one superpower that you can ever get."
"Whether you like it or not, you're in sales. Everything that you want is a commission."
Connect with Sabri Suby on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sabrisuby/">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssuby/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;check out&nbsp;<a href="https://kingkong.co/">KingKong.</a>
&nbsp;
My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/">https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/</a>
Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber">https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber</a>)
Instagram (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/amanthai">https://www.instagram.com/amanthai</a>)
If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at <a href="https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe">https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe</a>
Visit <a href="https://www.amantha.com/podcast">https://www.amantha.com/podcast</a> for full show notes from all episodes.
Get in touch at <a href="mailto:amantha@inventium.com.au">amantha@inventium.com.au</a>
Credits: Host: Amantha Imber
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler

Sabri Suby on video sales letters, and the negotiation mistakes almost everyone makes (Part 2)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/5e530eeb-bc54-4a30-ba68-b4170036ad50/transcript

You are almost certainly doing most of your computer work the slow way.

Think about the last time you sat down to write an email, rename a file, or work through a tricky problem at your desk. Chances are, your fingers went straight to the keyboard. And you are not alone — when Neo and I ask audiences how much of their computer time is spent typing versus talking, almost everyone is close to 100% typing.

In this How I AI episode, Neo and I make the case for voice as a core part of your workflow, not just a novelty. We cover when talking beats typing, how the different voice modes in your AI tools actually work, and the specific software we both rely on day to day.

Neo and I cover:
Why talking is faster than typing for most people
The science behind why voice unlocks better ideas
When talking is clearly better
When typing still wins
The difference between dictation mode and advanced voice mode in tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, and Gemini, and which to use for different purposes.
wisprflow.ai, Amantha's go-to dictation software
Other dictation tools worth knowing about
How to combine voice and typing in a one-two punch

Connect with Neo Aplin on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/neoaplin/) and via inventium.ai (https://inventium.ai), where he leads Inventium's AI training and upskilling work with organisations and teams.

 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/

Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber)

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai)

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes.

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au

Credits: Host: Amantha Imber

Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

You are almost certainly doing most of your computer work the slow way.
Think about the last time you sat down to write an email, rename a file, or work through a tricky problem at your desk. Chances are, your fingers went straight to the keyboard. And you are not alone &mdash; when Neo and I ask audiences how much of their computer time is spent typing versus talking, almost everyone is close to 100% typing.
In this How I AI episode, Neo and I make the case for voice as a core part of your workflow, not just a novelty. We cover when talking beats typing, how the different voice modes in your AI tools actually work, and the specific software we both rely on day to day.
Neo and I cover:
<ul>
<li>Why talking is faster than typing for most people</li>
<li>The science behind why voice unlocks better ideas</li>
<li>When talking is clearly better</li>
<li>When typing still wins</li>
<li>The difference between dictation mode and advanced voice mode in tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, and Gemini, and which to use for different purposes.</li>
<li><a href="wisprflow.ai/">wisprflow.ai</a>, Amantha's go-to dictation software</li>
<li>Other dictation tools worth knowing about</li>
<li>How to combine voice and typing in a one-two punch</li>
</ul>
Connect with Neo Aplin on LinkedIn (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/neoaplin/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/neoaplin/</a>) and via <a href="http://inventium.ai">inventium.ai</a> (<a href="https://inventium.ai/"></a><a href="https://inventium.ai">https://inventium.ai</a>), where he leads Inventium's AI training and upskilling work with organisations and teams.
&nbsp;
My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/">https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/</a>
Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber">https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber</a>)
Instagram (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/amanthai">https://www.instagram.com/amanthai</a>)
If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at <a href="https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe">https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe</a>
Visit <a href="https://www.amantha.com/podcast">https://www.amantha.com/podcast</a> for full show notes from all episodes.
Get in touch at <a href="mailto:amantha@inventium.com.au">amantha@inventium.com.au</a>
Credits: Host: Amantha Imber
Sound Engineer: Martin Imber

Why you need to talk, not type, to your AI 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/11180138-a9d5-4785-9657-b41800308b94/transcript

TED2019 Interview Series: Goodreads co-founder Elizabeth Khuri Chandler on how she plans for unstructured time and spontaneity

In 1 playlist(s)

How I Work

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips