We had the good fortune of connecting with Marc Scheff and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Marc, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
As I’ve gotten older I’ve come to terms with the fact that my brain won’t stop spitting out new project ideas.
Getting good at knowing when to walk away (or not even start) has been an essential skill.
I’ve also been the guy pulling an almost all-nighter to figure out how to get that last 10% of bubbles out of my resin or that one pixel jump in my online course. In too many instances I’ve realized that the small shift in outcome and impact in people’s lives was tiny compared to the Herculean effort that went in.
To avoid this underslept outcome, one of the tools I now rely on is measuring Input vs Impact. This is a modified version of “don’t hang out with Energy Vampires who leave you drained.”
It works like this:
If I am working on a project, I regularly take an Input vs Impact assessment. The project could be a new method of creating art work, a new program for my coaching clients, a new digital tool to learn, a website to build, a social media feed, figuring out a more elegant way to attach a shelf in my kids’ rooms, etc. I list out all the things I need to put in to get it to work. I list the input and effort _others_ need to put in. Then I make a second list of what the impact will be. Time saved, joy received, money made; there are lots of ways to measure Impact.
If I feel like more effort will result in an outsized Impact, I keep going. If the effort is huge and the Impact is small, I find a way to walk away.
Caveats: Joy is real, and sometimes a lot of effort for a little joy is worth it.
And, don’t bail on stuff you committed to. The above doesn’t apply to client work, 99% of the time.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an artist and Coach. I make art, teach art, and Coach people to help them do what I call “amplify their impact.” I help them find where they hid their courage, I help them make a plan for impact, amplify it, and make it happen.
I am also a parent, and I think parents should list parenting as one of their most important places of employment. If you think I’m kidding, check my Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcscheff). Raising humans is _work_ and requires more Growth Mindset than any other job on the planet. I could list all the hard things, and all the joyful things, and all the essential communication and leadership skills I’ve learned thanks to the trial by fire that is my kids. To all the parents out there, the work you do has a huge impact in the world, it is work, it is incredibly high value, and it is worth it.
The work I am most excited about right now is my Coaching work because it both embraces and blends everything I’ve learned as an artist and parent and mentor. Over the last 20+ years I have been working with coaches and creating art, building a career first in illustration and then expanding into gallery work. Over the last 10+ years I have had the honor of teaching in a mentorship-based illustration program with Smart School (https://smarterartschool.com). All of this work was about helping people evolve and transform into something new. Even in Smart School, where the goal is often just “be really good at illustration,” I’ve found the real goals for my students most often has to do with the impact they want to make in the world, and who they want to become.
Artists want to make an impact, and I love helping people do that.
You ask if it was easy. The truth is, I worked hard, as hard as most, AND had it easier than most. I don’t think my art story is terribly unique: I worked hard, got better, met people, got some jobs, got some more, kept going. But I also don’t have any debt, my parents paid for undergrad. I paid for art school and paid off my loans fast thanks to the tech jobs I was able to get because of that gift from my parents. I’m also white, cis, male, and didn’t face many of the obstacles, biases, even violence that others in my peer group did. So I worked hard, yes, and I worked in relative safety.
I am well aware that I was able to take risks where many could not, and have dedicated much of my time to helping other people avoid pitfalls on paths I’ve walked. The thing I’m learning more and more is that these lessons aren’t always universal. Some _are_. For example, don’t email an art director 15 times a week demanding a reply. Like, just don’t. But much of what works for me works for ME, my life, my lived experience, my goals, my personality. In order to truly serve people, I went back and got training around meeting people where they truly are, how to listen deeply, and draw from a well of curiosity to serve more powerfully.
This learning and insight is part of why I’m where I am now, specifically Coaching for Impact.
I’ve had the good fortune (or privilege) to work with some truly amazing people. Most recently I’ve worked with a much wider variety of people than I have in the past. I certainly work with artists, run an artist community, and continue to help artists navigate careers. I also work with people who want to turn their transitions into transformations. Example, I have a current client who was a Senior Advisor in the Biden Administration and now through our work, she has launched some incredibly ambitious programs with a great team and mission. I even worked with a health care exec with the soul of a poet and activist when she was working on landing a role where she would reorient towards people, instead of just profits. And I’ve got artists, who want to navigate their careers with intention and purpose.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I spend my time between Brooklyn and Saugerties NY. Best time ever, for a week!
Brooklyn has so much to offer and so much I don’t know. If someone visited me for a week I’d likely set the expectation that they’d be doing a lot of walking and mostly on their own (see the last question about parenting and working hours).
What’s funny about New York is that everyone know what “the best pizza” place is and it’s always the one two blocks from their house. That said, we’d start at the best pizza place in the city which is of course Emily Pizza. I’d want to see what’s at the Brooklyn Museum (I think the curator there is thoughtful, filled with integrity, and smart), and the botanical garden is a restorative experience.
As for the rest, there’s theatre of almost any kind in New York. My favorites are immersive shows, where the audience is the one to break the 4th wall. We went to one called “Then She Fell” during which our group was led through a big old house on a random block in Brooklyn, by characters loosely based on Alice In Wonderland, and it was a wild trip. I think I went three times and didn’t see the same show twice. And comedy. Go see comedy in New York.
Upstate, it’s all about the outdoors. There’s bike trails, and swimming holes, and SECRET swimming holes, and hikes. We have three dogs, so we hike out the back of our property a lot, exploring. There’s also places nearby like Storm King, a huge and beautiful sculpture park, and towns like Kingston and Hudson with vibrant artist and gallery scenes.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’m going to pick one, but I have had so, so many people show up for me in my life. I couldn’t possibly be doing the work I do in the world without the incredible support of so many great people.
For this Shoutout, I still have to split it.
Dan Cohen (https://shoutoutla.com/meet-dan-cohen-fine-artist-and-muralist/), who inspires me with his dedication, passion, and willingness to see things through the long game. He also passed my info along for this piece. Thank you Dan!
Chloe Cockburn (https://justimpactadvisors.org) who is doing incredible work in LA and nationwide to end mass-incarceration. Also my wife, and I can’t say enough how any success I have is in part due to her support and wisdom.
Website: https://marcscheffcoaching.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcscheff/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcscheff/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marcscheff
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcscheff
Other: https://marcscheff.com https://www.instagram.com/marcscheffart
Image Credits
Studio shots by Sam Hopwood https://www.samhopwood.com Headshot by Chloe Cockburn https://instagram.com/chloecockburnart