(6/7) CULT OF HAPPY

Artist Chad Rea is creating from an unusual place in his soul these days: JOY. It would be hard to summarize his journey any better than he has done himself in the description of his latest creation, Cult of Happy: "A love letter to the human spirit, a joyful rebellion against negativity, and proof that art doesn’t just transform spaces—it transforms lives." Trust us when we say this was another feel-good, leave-better-than-you-came-in hour for us. If that sounds appealing to you, join the cult today. Kidding. But do listen to the show. 

You can also visit these links for more from the show:

https://www.lockharthousetx.com/

https://www.instagram.com/cult.of.happy/

(6/6) DHARMATIC IMPACT

Guided by a deeply ingrained three-pronged family approach to service, guest Megha Desai's passions ultimately led her to a role she may have been destined for: president of the Desai Foundation. Her and the foundation's commitment to empowering women and children through community development to enhance health, livelihood, and menstrual equity is so wonderfully significant. Spoiler alert: we venture elsewhere in this conversation because her philanthropic inclination permeates everything she impacts!

(6/5) A DARING LEAP INTO NOODLES

Ramen might seem an odd thing to hang a show upon, but add the entrepreneurial firebrand Sarah Gavigan, and trust us, you have one heck of an hour ahead of you! Sarah's journey has been expansive in scope but anchored by one very key ingredient: obsession. What that word can mean is on tap in this talk, as well as her experiences and expertise as Founder / President at Otaku Ramen in Nashville, TN, plus much more!

(6/4) BOOK SLINGER

Barbara Thomas's journey from USAF Jet Engine Mechanic to owner of downtown San Antonio's Pandora's Bookstore and Coffee Bar (and all the fantastic things in between) can be summed up in two words: Why not? If you're a listener, you already know we are rabid fans of "why not." So it's no surprise that we had a blast talking with her about motivations, learning as you go, books, entrepreneurship, and the power of collaboration, even when serendipitous. 

(6/3) MAKE EVERYTHING ART

Bad news: we forgot to talk about League of Space Pirates with artist, author, and activist Noah Scalin—but boy howdy, did we cover a ton else! You might say our conversation was timely, but honestly, we believe that art, creativity, and their impact on society—and what the process unlocks within us all—are always relevant. As a founding partner of Another Limited Rebellion, Noah brings his extensive experience to the lives of others. It’s been said that creativity is the essential skill of the 21st century, and we hope this conversation strengthens that declaration. 

(6/2) IN THE SERVICE OF A STEADY MIND

Some shows splinter quickly into a thousand wonderful possibilities. We love it when they do, even when the anchor subject is, ironically, a steady mind! Guest J Miles, Yogi, martial artist, bodyworker, retired breakdancer, community activist, and student of Eastern arts and philosophy, joined us for just such a conversation. Given how important movement is to him and us, perhaps it was no surprise that we covered so much ground in an hour that left all three of us feeling steady, calm, grateful, and headed out to seek more joy.

Find out more about J by visiting Maha Vira Yoga. 

(6/1) THE WEIGHT OF IT ALL

Yes, it's a new year, but worry not—this isn't a show about resolutions, it's a deep dive into realizations about food, weight, biology, and joy. Guest Rebecca Thomas, founder of Not Another Diet, is on a mission to end generational diet culture by making a healthy weight clear and achievable. Want to navigate a world designed for weight gain and come out the other side a healthier, happier you? Our conversation with Rebecca is an excellent, gimmick-free place to start!

For more about Rebecca, Not Another Diet, and her course Cook!, visit:
notanotherdiet.co
notanotherdiet.co/cooksimple

(5/14) A LOCUTIONARY TALE

Vibes. Intuition. Alignment. Action, and then... more vibes, please! Our season 5 finale with Jess Verdi, author and Senior Editor at Alcove Press and Crooked Lane Books, is an absolute "fun on a bun" episode. Our conversation with Jess wasn't so much a how-to as it was a perfectly blended mix of her thoughts on writing, publishing, connections, diverse voices, the power of books, and so much more. It is an hour that we think is unequivocally a vibe unto itself.

To learn more about Jess and her books check out the hyperlinks in the blurb or visit these additional sites:
https://www.jessicaverdi.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6442339.Jessica_Verdi

(5/13) A TO WELL BEYOND Z

In 2020, longtime friends Carl Joseph and Dominic Wall (AKA Moral Support) came together on a compulsion to create positive change in Richmond, if not the world. Embrace Matters of Richmond was born, not only a podcast but a community movement with an inspiring aim: to enrich neighborhoods, education, and businesses through programming, live events, and multimedia storytelling that address issues threatening community growth and social connection, fostering healing and hope. We are huge fans of their show and their spirit, and it was an honor to have Carl and Moral Support on. Find their show on your favorite podcast platform!

(5/12) FOR REAL FOODIE

By no forethought of our own, we booked a true food legend right before arguably one of the biggest eating weeks of the year. Guest Ralph Jerome's journey into the understanding of and creation of food started young and hit hard. What's unfolded since is nothing short of amazing, including a run as the Chief Innovation Officer with Mars, Inc. Armed now with many decades of food know-how, an intellect far above that of a dolphin, and the very same passion he had as a boy to feed the world better, Ralph is advancing what can be done with nutrition with The March Group, RIVALZ, and the Rise Against Hunger organization. We don't tell all our guests they should have their own podcast, but we think you'll agree that after listening to this conversation with him, you would be an immediate fan. 
 
To learn more about Ralph and all he's involved in, visit the links in the blurb!

(5/11) RAPT UP

Guest T.Moore is an entrepreneur, creative director, photographer, brand manager, and the founder of Saint Louis Black Fashion Week. If that's not enough to pique your interest, then know this: if you don't already know his name, we're betting you will before too long. T's infectious energy and commitment to creation over "appearing important" is, we believe, exactly how stars are born. In just one short hour, this conversation covers a ton, including a possible blueprint for listening to what the universe asks of you.

Find out more about T or reference what was discussed at the following links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmooremedia/
https://www.tmooremedia.com/
https://www.stlbfw.com/
Sit Yuh Self Down by AJ McQueen

(5/10) OFF THE SOCIALS GRID

You won't find entrepreneur, writer, and podcaster Amelia Hruby on social media—and we love that about her! In our experience, few people seem to have a relationship with social media that they are 100% comfortable with. With new information and data on its effects coming out all the time, we consider our relationship with it often, even the idea of going cold turkey. But if you are an artist, small business owner, author, or anybody else, you might wonder, can I be successful without it? This conversation is an excellent start to answering that question, and her podcast Off The Grid: Leaving Social Media Without Losing All Your Clients might just be for you (or at least for Peter)!

We also talked a bit about her business Softer Sounds, a feminist podcast studio for entrepreneurs & creatives, and we invite you to give it a look as well!

(5/9) FIRST GENERATION CREATOR

Our guest, Thalia Forbes, ticks off ALL the boxes for an interview we knew we'd love well before we had it: creator, writer, thinker, sober person, creative director, passionate leader on a healing journey, and countless others. Even so, our conversation went deep into some cosmically abstract space of sociology, empathy, and how to be in the world that neither of us could have expected. This is an episode your heart, mind, and soul will thank you for. 

(5/8) COULDn’T HAPPEN TO A NICER GUY

If you ever get the chance to sit across from guest Brach Thomas, ensure your ears are all the way on! Yes, he’s the KWVH Production and Ops Manager, but more than that, he’s a natural-born storyteller with a personal journey that rivals the best rollercoasters on earth. There are highs, quite literally in some cases, and lows, fires, arrests, heart attacks, and, of course, the lessons and growth that come with it all. Not everyone is built to share their journey so freely, and as you’ll hear, we’re big fans of Brach and appreciative of his candor because his story is relatable on a multitude of levels.

(5/7) ARCHITECTONICS

The structure of human knowledge meets architecture with human intention in this conversation with Burt Pinnock, principal and chairman of the board at Baskervill, a 125-year-old design firm. Of course, there's more stuffed into this hour than that, including Burt's journey from Tuskegee, Alabama to Richmond, Virginia where he's currently leading a team realizing The Shockoe Project: a comprehensive, experiential destination that places Richmond at the center of the American story by recognizing the history of enslaved and free Africans and people of African descent. Few can speak to all of it like Burt can. It was an honor!

Learn more about Burt and the Shockoe Project at these links:
https://burtpinnock.com/burt
https://theshockoeproject.com/

(5/6) SEEK AND DESTROY

If you are familiar with author Autumn Christian and her novels, you already know this show dives into some delightful and sometimes dark observations about humans, modern civilization, what motivates and what should not, and how sometimes you have to blow up everything you thought you knew to keep going, both artistically and as a person. If you aren’t familiar with Autumn and her Substack, Teach Robots Love, that only makes this episode more urgent for your ears, in our opinion. 

(5/5) UNIVERSAL FLOURISH

In the spirit of everything Dr. Hollee Freeman has accomplished, we told her before our conversation, “We want to cover all you’ve done and do!” And BEElieve it or not, we did. If you've ever wanted to talk about bees and holding space for black and brown people and beekeeping and following your heart and bees and running to what calls you and how to behave around bees and STEM education and then just a bit more about bees with the former Executive Director of the MathScience Innovation Center in Richmond, VA, well then… this episode with Hollee is precisely what you've been waiting for. Buckle up!

More about Dr. Hollee Freeman and what we mentioned on the show here:
STEM Education: Giving Space Makes a Lasting Impact
Hollee Freeman's Website
City Bees RVA

(5/4) A NEW NARRATIVE AROUND AGING

Sometimes, you must have a short conversation to inspire a much longer one. We hope this hour with Dr. Corinne Auman is the start of an important talk for you and yours. Americans are notoriously bad at getting ready to be old. Anti-aging culture plays a significant role, but in the end, is it our fear of death and stereotypes that prevent us from embracing a time that many people earmark as the happiest days of their lives? Dr. Auman’s expertise as a Gerontologist, Certified Senior Adviser, and Advanced Professional member of the Aging LifeCare Association, as well as a bit about her book Keenagers: Telling a New Story about Aging, are all here in what we believe is an invaluable hour for anyone getting older. (Spoiler Alert: IT’S YOU). 

To find out more or connect with Dr. Auman, visit the following links:
https://corinneauman.com/
https://www.instagram.com/keenagersbook/
Keenagers: Telling a New Story about Aging

(5/3) THAT 33-YEAR-OLD RETIRED GUY STORY

Alan Lastufka's journey is as varied as his talents. Excitingly atypical at times but guided by a passion near and dear to us: creativity. Once a 33-year-old retiree thanks to a pioneering indie merch company for online content creators, he now finds himself at the helm of a relatively prolific indie publishing company, Shortwave Publishing. Authors and other indies are well aware of the incredible ruckus he’s made in just under three years, but of course, there's more to Alan's story: social anxiety as a superpower, his novel, his music, education by experimentation—we stuffed a ton into this ep for you.

Check out more from Alan at the following links:
Shortwave Publishing
Alan Lastufka dot com 

(5/2) FUNNY SERIOUS

Outside of the lives we curate online is real life. Sometimes, longtime friends are taking a weighty journey we know nothing about. Such was the case with our friend: award-winning Creative Director, Writer, former boss, and all-around good guy Kevin Roddy. Having him on to share his story about tackling Mantle Cell Lymphoma was an expectedly good time—a serious conversation done humorously and insightfully, as we've come to count on from Kevin. 

To find out more about Kevin, visit the following links:
https://www.greaterest.com/
https://www.roddykevin.com/