Ep. 447: Networking Up: It’s Scary! (Do It Anyway)

Ep. 447: Networking Up: It’s Scary! (Do It Anyway)

Author: The Onward Project December 4, 2025 Duration: 32:21
Executive Coach and Friend of the Pod Michael Melcher joins Sarah to discuss the benefits of networking up. Making connections with higher ups is intimidating but worth it! Michael stays on as Guest Host to discuss the idea of an Admin Night— which is, essentially, a group Power Hour. Then, in Take Two, they discuss their current personal canaries in a coal mine. This week’s Hollywood Hack is Slidelock Carabiners! Finally, Sarah recommends the novel Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel and Simon Haisell’s accompanying Slow Read. Sign up for Liz & Sarah’s free weekly Substack newsletter at https://happierinhollywoodpod.substack.com. It will come right to your inbox! Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCra Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and Side Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! LINKS: Michael Melcher: https://m2leaders.com/team/michael-melcher/   Your Invisible Network, by Michael Melcher: https://amzn.to/440xy87   Slidelock Carabiners: https://amzn.to/4pHVLbs   Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel: https://amzn.to/48u01Vj   Simon Haisell’s Footnotes and Tangents: https://footnotesandtangents.substack.com   Photo by Thomas Le on Unsplash Note: Go to the Happier In Hollywood Facebook Group for Liz and Sarah’s extensive Teens/Tweens Gift Guide. Thanks to listeners for such great ideas! Link below. https://www.facebook.com/groups/903150719832696/permalink/3081705578643855/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For over two decades, television writers Liz Craft and Sarah Fain have navigated the unique pressures of Hollywood as a team, and their Happier in Hollywood podcast pulls back the curtain on that journey. This isn't just industry gossip; it's a candid conversation between two friends who have built a career and a life inside a famously tough town. Each episode feels like grabbing a table at the commissary with them, where they translate their personal and professional hurdles into relatable lessons. You’ll hear how a blend of stubborn optimism and pragmatic Midwestern grit helped them thrive in a male-dominated field, offering tangible advice that goes far beyond writing a script. Their discussions tackle everything from navigating office politics and difficult conversations to the small, daily practices that maintain sanity. This Happier in Hollywood podcast, from The Onward Project, transforms specific Hollywood struggles into universal themes about resilience, partnership, and finding your footing in any high-stakes career. It’s about the unglamorous work behind the glamour-the ass-kicking, the occasional ass-kissing, and yes, even the office yoga-that actually makes a sustainable life possible. Tune in for a surprisingly grounded perspective from two veterans who have learned to carve out happiness on their own terms.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Happier in Hollywood
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 478: Summer 2026 Listener Questions: Part One! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:48
Today Liz and Sarah are answering listener questions! If they weren’t TV writers, what career would they each choose? (Sarah would like to own a craft store, while Liz’s fantasy self is a birth doula.) What did they thin…
Ep. 477: The Universe Speaks & Career Lessons With Laverne [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:58
During a recent trip to the Santa Barbara Bowl, Liz and Sarah felt the universe was sending signs that they’re on the right creative path. One of the signs? A long line for the men’s room. In Career Lessons With Laverne,…
Ep. 476: How To Get A Rep! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:23
Liz and Sarah discuss their recent Bad Trip writing marathon in Santa Barbara. The highlight? Writing outside at Godmothers in Summerland. Then they interview Rina O’Malley, a writer who’s breaking into the industry, abo…
Ep. 475: Week Of Yes, Rabbit Holes, & Friendworking [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:04
Liz and Sarah had a Week of Yes! After months (years) of hearing “no” they’re finally starting to get some “yeses.” Yay! Next, Liz and Sarah each offer a Take A Hike suggestion. Sarah reveals why it’s a good idea to go d…
Ep. 474: Summeritis & Barn To Yarn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:57
Liz and Sarah are suffering from Summeritis! They’re managing to stay productive — but it’s not easy. In Take A Hike, they talk about the value of going on a learning retreat. Sarah just did a fiber retreat in Nome, ND a…
Ep. 473: Project Theme Songs & A Wrap On Whimsy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:14
As Liz and Sarah dive into the new draft of their novel, they’re experimenting with tense. They each wrote a scene in past tense, and now they’re going to write the same scenes in present tense. Which will they prefer? I…
Ep. 472: Baby Talk & Summer Schemes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:18
Liz and Sarah are trying out a new pitch technique — instead of writing out their latest pitch word for word, they’re prepping it in bullet points to keep the flow more spontaneous. In The Mailroom, Sarah answers a quest…
Ep. 471: Financial Wellness In New Hollywood (Yes, It’s Possible!) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:31
Liz and Sarah talk to trauma-informed financial wellness coach Katy Chen Mazzara about the connection between money blocks and creative blocks, why it’s never a good idea to negotiate with a “starving artist” mentality,…
Ep. 470: Prepping Small Talk & Lazarus Projects [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:27
Liz and Sarah talk about why it’s helpful to prepare small talk topics before a Zoom meeting. Knowing how to fill that awkward time before everyone arrives will reduce your anxiety and improve meeting flow! In The Mailro…