In this episode, famous and important person Alex Goldman tells me all about the making of Reply All, a podcast about the internet. I try to keep it cool. (Spoiler alert: This girl cannot play it cool at all.)

In this episode, Aaron Francis (founder of Try Hard Studios, devoted husband and father, Laracon speaker, coolest person in Dallas) walks me through how he built four giant handwriting robots. It involved almost burning down an office building. This episode was almost called "I Don't Know How Men are Still Alive." (Just as a disclaimer, intellectua…

The year is 2016. At the University of Texas at Austin, four student government presidential candidates were eagerly clamoring for voter support, the chance to pass university reforms, and a seat at the table. Beautiful, bright, and blonde, 22-year-old Kappa Kappa Gamma member Kallen Dimitroff was poised to win the presidency. Unfortunately, as soo…

How did the 1996 welfare reform act impact the American working poor? In this episode, a food service industry veteran (of 20+ years!) shares the harsh realities of her life with me. She tells me all about working in fast food as a child, what it's like to be homeless, what happens when she wants to leave a job (but can't), surviving while living b…

While cleaning out my garage, I found one of my favorite childhood books, Aesop's Fables! So I decided to share some stories with you! They're not directed at anyone in particular. No one at all.

"What came first, the music or the misery? Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?" – Rob Gordon, High Fidelity This episode is from the archives and has be…

Recorded for my dear friend L. We all love you! You are so special to us!

In this episode, I read the story of David and Angelina, from the book Anger by Thich Nhat Hanh. This episode was made in collaboration with Plum Village, a Buddhist monastery.

While in Miami for Art Basel, I stumbled across a studio, Robohood, owned by the developers of the original robotic painting technology! In this episode, I interview the studio artist, Crystal Joynt, about the future of creativity. (All I can say is WOW! I learned a lot! The future is so cool!!) This episode is from the archives and has been edited…

"The Rampage of Gratitude" is a meditative practice developed by Abraham Hicks. It's supposed to help you align with the positive energy of the universe. (Olivia Eden shared this technique with me on the Children of God series, and I thought I'd try it! Raise the vibrations! It was fun! You should try it too!)…

In this short meditation tape, Go Fast Don't Die and I will show you how to let go (for dear life).

So it looks like your girl became an accidental cult reporter! Many people are e-mailing, calling, and texting me with stories of their cult experiences and escapes. One potential interviewee mailed me a DVD with some interesting audio demonstrations, including one about how to become a cult leader. This TOTALLY BANANAS track shows how cult leaders…

Olivia Eden was born into the Children of God, a notorious cult led by treacherous leaders David Brandt Berg and Karen Elva Zerby (also known as “Mamma Maria”). Rising Up from the Ashes of the Children of God Cult, Fire Walk with Olivia Eden – The Complete Series combines all three acts of her story: the Escape, the Confrontation, and the Resolutio…

Look, I think Terence Mckenna (RIP) would have loved speaking to my tech-addicted, drinking-coffee-for-breakfast, giant-watch-wearing, productivity-book-consuming, living-on-the-Internet audience. So! Big software CEOs! Listen to him!

Your well-being depends on regular nourishment, not unlike flowers! In this short meditation, we'll create an emotional garden together.

Feel the Mystery! I have been doing this for a long time, and it is the best and most important feeling of all. (Here is a link to the original material.)

In this interview, Aella tells me a bunch of wild stuff about polyamory. (Spoiler alert: I think it's exploitative towards women. Also, did you enjoy this interview? Please show your support by donating to Breaking Free!) The two songs featured in this episode, "Whoa Ho Ho" and "Strong Legs," were sung by Mary Bryce. We love her! Support her by str…

This episode has been archived. Please check out Episode 35, Rising Up from the Ashes of the Children of God Cult – The Complete Series. (If you click play here, you'll just hear Episode 35!)

Hey, have you recently lost your tech job? Your work-from-home perks? Your marbles? Well, if you need help figuring out what to do next, listen to this episode! In this interview, Lindsey Ducroz (PocketHR, Frog Design) offers emotional support, practical advice, and some radical candor (that's a buzzword for "slap in the face!") to the many, many A…

What happens when you make people wear yellow stars? What happens when you call them not by their first names, but by the names of animals and vermin? What happens when you separate them from their families, crowd them into tiny rooms, and restrict their access to food? In this episode, I listen to the testimonies of Holocaust Survivor Slava Fintel…

In this episode, Coachvox AI founder Jodie Cook talks to me about how she clones people through artificial intelligence. She tries to convince me to make a Paige-bot. (Hey, have you read Ray Bradbury's The Veldt? Welcome to the future!)

After escaping an abusive relationship, local media founder Krystl Fabella (Filipina on the Rise) decided she needed a fresh start. So she moved to Miami, looking for blue skies, piña coladas, beaches, and sunshine. Unfortunately, she'd soon find herself at the heart of a dark, spooky scam, as run by a predatory witch. Somebody call Buffy!…

Warren K. Carlyle IV is the world's leading expert on octopuses. He's their PR agent. He's their savior! He's also the founder and CEO of OctoNation, a nonprofit organization that works to inspire wonder of the ocean by educating the world about octopuses. In this episode, Warren tells me all about the life & times of everyone's favorite sea animal…

In this episode, a Tall Man with a Giant Watch (Eric Bandholz, founder and CEO of Beardbrand), talks with me about masculinity and fatherhood. Ryan Kulp also makes a surprise appearance.

Can robots make us more creative? Calmer? Happier? Will they save us time? Or will they take our jobs, make us super lazy, and destroy all of humanity? In this episode, AI wiz kid Richard Reis talks with me about Zen Buddhism in the age of technology. He's building 25 AI start-ups in 50 weeks. We argue a little bit. (Also, Richard disclosed to me t…

Most startup founders say they want achieve financial success before having kids. Well, what if you did both at the same time? In this episode, Laura Roeder, founder and CEO of MeetEdgar and Paperbell, talks with me about how she raises two tiny children while working full-time as a startup founder. She goes over how to choose a good relationship p…

After her entire life exploded (A broken engagement! A burned-down house!), artist Mary Bryce decided she needed a fresh start. In this episode, we listen to the musical stylings of her new persona, Alma Jette. Her album, "I Found A Reason," comes out April 19th! (You can buy it on Bandcamp!)

Are you ready to party? Have a good time? Celebrate who you truly are? Well, welcome to the Saturday Morning Drag Queen Brunch Show! In this episode, Rayley Saphron (@rayley_saphron) teaches me all about being a drag queen, the ABCs of gender identity, and how parents and friends can support transgender youth.…

Charity Barton, versatile storyteller, host of the podcast “Only in Your Dreams”, and children’s book author (“We Did That!”) is a total star. In this episode, she shares how to fully nurture and support the dreams of children. Episode notes: Some Tall Men with Giant Watches tried to interrupt us while we were recording. Look, Charity is going to b…

In this episode, Jason and I drink sake and lattes out of espresso shot glasses. In the WP Engine office. The best workplace on Earth. Look, we had a lot of fun, OK?

What are you doing for Valentine’s Day? No plans? Why don't you listen to Jamie McAvity, the founder and CEO of Cormint Data Systems, give me the run-down on cryptocurrency? DISCLAIMER: NOTHING IN THIS EPISODE REPRESENTS LEGAL OR FINANCIAL ADVICE.

This episode has been archived. Please check out Episode 35, Rising Up from the Ashes of the Children of God Cult – The Complete Series. (If you click play here, you'll just hear Episode 35!)

This episode has been archived. Please check out Episode 35, Rising Up from the Ashes of the Children of God Cult – The Complete Series. (If you click play here, you'll just hear Episode 35!)

Set in the early aughts, "Almost Famous" follows the young pop star Ryan (played by Ryan Kulp) as he tries to break into Hollywood. The only problem? He's not willing to compromise any of his ideals, personality traits, or even clothing articles to fit in.

Jake Harrison, my co-founder of Climate Detectives: Open for Business®, loves to play live-action role-playing games, like Dungeons & Dragons. He also lives in NYC! The Big Apple! Why would anyone play pretend fantasy games here? You already see wizards, sprites, and other magical creatures on the subway. In this episode, Jake teaches me how to pla…

Welcome to 2024! In this short episode, exercise trainer Meadow Zittel gives us some great strategies on how to keep our New Year's health & fitness resolutions.

Before starting this episode, make sure you have some popcorn and chocolate handy.

I gave Jason Cohen, founder and CEO of WP Engine (over $100m ARR!), Smart Bear (sold in 2017 for $450m!), and two other tech startups a giant latte. He gave me a TedTalk. (Jason may know a lot about startups and money, but I know coffee. The latte I gave him? Shots and shots of straight espresso! In this episode, we talk about the ABCs of startups,…

Life is just one big game of Whac-a-Mole.

After a friend attempted to recruit me for her cult, I was left with many questions. (Mainly, did Stanley Kubrick become Mayor of Austin?) In this special spooky Halloween episode, I interview a victim who successfully broke free of the Austin cult scene. (Jinkies! Zoinks! This episode is rated R, R for Ruh-Roh, Scooby Doo.)Copyright Disclaimer: Un…

Oana Johnson, a lawyer living in South Carolina, grew up under Romanian communism. She heard her president get shot in real time.

When Cathryn Lavery founded BestSelf Co, she started a thriving business that would ultimately generate millions in revenue. However, on her journey to success, she found herself tied to a business partnership gone wrong. Very, very wrong. In this episode, she shares her lessons learned after coming out on the other side.…

In this episode, Dr. Michael Housman, a big and important person in tech, tells me all about the impact A.I. will have on our world. He says it will see us like puppies. I'm not so convinced. Some questions from this episode were adapted from the article “Unanswered Questions About AI,” via https://aiartists.org. All rights reserved.…

Back in the late 90s, Marshall and his family got ensnared by a sex cult. This episode was a wild ride.

Grace, my 71-year-old neighbor, has been married for over 26 years. That's quite an accomplishment! Some of you can't even commit to a dinner reservation.

In this episode, Zodiac expert (oracle?) Daisy Martinez interprets some major star divination concepts for me, including birth charts, astrological placements, how our romantic lives are pre-determined by the universe, and why some signs have a bad reputation.

Brigitte Donovan, founder of Pineapple Studios, teaches me about life design. What's that? Well, it's a cool framework for approaching the future! Essentially, it means that the phrase "you've made your bed, now lie in it" is fake news! A product manager by trade, Brigitte shares the strategic insights and behavioral changes needed to create the be…