Jul 6, 2021
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Benjamin Goodly, the host of The Count 9 Podcast and a senior process engineer at a Fortune 100 company based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Prior to his current work, Goodly was a performer, boasting a diverse career. Benjamin’s move from the stage to the office was a smooth transition; however, he’s fully aware of the myths surrounding career transitions for dancers. And, now, he’s looking to debunk those myths via his podcast.
For an artist, leaving the stage is like dying a death — a death that sometimes feels as painful as actual death. Benjamin’s podcast hopes to ease those painful feelings, and he hopes to encourage transitioning dancers through hearing from fellow dancers who have successfully transitioned to different careers. On the podcast, Benjamin discusses his podcast and the importance of the topic, as well as his process in developing his podcast from the first idea to the first episode.
Moving Quotes:
"Martha Graham is often quoted, 'Every dancer dies twice. The first death is more painful.' The first death is referring to the career transition."
"My biggest aspiration is that, through the podcast, dancers would become so empowered that retiring dancers become a hot commodity across the entire business and nonprofit economy."
"One of the great things about having a really well-rounded career is that you are able to be a little more free and loose with your own personal time."
"When you can clearly answer your 'why,' that's more than enough information to keep going."
Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:
3:12: Goodly, a fellow podcast host, discusses his podcast and the important conversation that his podcast engages in.
6:28: Benjamin, who is a veteran dancer, speaks to his own dance career and why he decided to ultimately step away.
12:58: Benjamin describes his thought process when weighing the option of returning to school after the stage — and speaks to his love of pro and con lists.
16:15: Goodly, who is now a senior chemical engineer, discusses his unique motivations behind pursuing engineering.
18:51: Benjamin walks through the process of bringing his podcast idea to life.
23:20: Benjamin discusses the ultimate goal that he is looking to achieve through his podcast.
Bullet List of Resources –
Benjamin Goodly
The Count 9 Podcast