Best Geekly Closing Time Podcast Podcasts (2025)

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504: How I learn languages fast without studying 17:06

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7d ago17:06

17:06

What if you could learn a language without studying? Discover how to learn a language through reading and listening instead of memorising and drilling. Find out where to find the right materials as a beginner, why children's books don't work, and the 6-step process for learning naturally. No flashcards required. Grab your free language goal planner…

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503: You don't ACTUALLY need grammar 19:37

14d ago19:37

19:37

Stop obsessing over grammar rules! Discover why grammar study shouldn't be your focus, especially as a beginner language learner. Find out where to put your time and energy instead. Grab your FREE Grammar and Vocabulary Study Sheet 👉🏼 https://storylearning.com/free_grammar_vocab_sheet Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it…

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502: The hidden cost of learning two languages at once 16:03

16d ago16:03

16:03

Want to learn multiple languages? Here's the truth nobody tells you: there's a specific level you need to reach in your first language before starting another. Miss this, and you'll stay stuck at beginner level in both. Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner 👉🏼 https://storylearning.com/goal_planner_2_languages Got a question you want Olly to answer …

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501: The real reason I wrote my language story books 19:27

19d ago19:27

19:27

I've sold over 1.5 million copies of my short story books for language learners. But why did I write them all those years ago at my parent's kitchen table? Get the unfiltered, untold story of my books, including details of new languages coming soon. Grab your FREE StoryLearning Blueprint and find out how easy it can really be to learn a language 👉🏼…

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500: Meet the viral brain scan guy who speaks 26 languages 48:06

21d ago48:06

48:06

Vaughn Smith is a 26-language polyglot who had his brain scanned at MIT. Discover the man behind the scan and the surprisingly simple ways he learned so many languages. Grab your FREE StoryLearning Blueprint and find out how easy it can really be to learn a language 👉🏼 https://storylearning.com/freefluencyblueprint Got a question you want Olly to a…

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426: Which language should I think in? 11:52

3y ago11:52

11:52

In this episode, Juan asks: “I’m learning Portuguese. Which language should I think in - English or Spanish?“ Find a 5* language tutor!We're proud to recommend LanguaTalk as the best place to take language lessons online with a real teacher. StoryLearning is now part-owner of LanguaTalk, and that's because we're committed to building the best possi…

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425: The anatomy of a language learning "masterplan" 42:49

3y ago42:49

42:49

In today's episode, Olly speaks with Sam Hendry, who lives in Dubai, about his amazing journey learning Spanish in one year. Here's where you can watch the video of Sam surprising his girlfriend in Spanish: Watch on Facebook Watch on Instagram Find a 5* language tutor! We're proud to recommend LanguaTalk as the best place to take language lessons o…

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Chasing Your Goals as an Entrepreneur with Entrepreneurship Researcher Brandon Fong 1:12:47

3+ y ago1:12:47

1:12:47

Few things bring me more joy than seeing someone shoot their shot, and that’s how today’s episode came about. I got an email from Brandon Fong saying he loves the show and wants to kick it with me in the Diner and I just had to say yes. Brandon is the host of the podcast 7-figure Millennials and wise beyond his years (which sounds like an old-perso…

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Protecting Your Boundaries and Standing in Your Truth with TV Host Elizabeth Ries 1:21:54

3+ y ago1:21:54

1:21:54

Today in the booth is TV Host and all-around badass, Elizabeth Ries! I’ve had the privilege of sharing the microphone with her before on live TV, but today we got to kick it via audio. Elizabeth is the host of Twin Cities Live and is a breath of fresh air (which I feel like we all could use in our lives). She shared so much wisdom in this episode a…

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Practicing Assertive Optimism with Former Band Geek and Extreme Meetings Emcee, Brian Walter 1:12:21

3+ y ago1:12:21

1:12:21

Sliding in the booth with me this week is Extreme Meetings emcee, Brian Walter! To quote Brian, we are both “raging extroverts,” so this was a good time! We discussed our mutual love for mac n’ cheese and then dove into Brian’s band-geek-trombonist past. After that we talked about being extroverts and how we both have a need to be liked and how bot…

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424 - Behind the scenes at the StoryLearning team retreat in Turkey 13:23

3+ y ago13:23

13:23

In this episode you’ll drop in on the StoryLearning team retreat in Bodrum, Turkey. 14 of us descended on a hilltop villa for an entire week to spend some quality time together and plan for the future.

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Vulnerability vs. Perfectionism with Healthy Relationships Speaker, Bonny Shade 1:11:04

3+ y ago1:11:04

1:11:04

Diner Talks with James this week is with my dear friend, Sexual Violence Awareness and Healthy Relationships Speaker, Bonny Shade. We first kicked it off talking about buffalo wings with proper “wingo” and diner orders. She then told me about growing up with less than enough in Lake Worth, Florida, and what decisions her family made to set her up f…

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Instincts vs. Training as a First Responder with Former Fire Chief Rich Gasaway 19:50

3+ y ago19:50

19:50

This conversation was so powerful that it had both of us welling up. Joining me in the booth was former Fire Chief and lifelong first responder, Rich Gasaway. It’s so fascinating to think about individuals in those roles that we often take for granted until we need them, and it was so beautiful to hear Rich describe the work that he does, how he go…

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Pregnancy loss and powerful parenting with my wife, Tina VanSteenbergen! - Encore 1:24:03

3+ y ago1:24:03

1:24:03

We are excited to bring you this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy! This week’s diner guest is my favorite human because it’s my wife - Tina VanSteenbergen Robilotta!!! We kicked off the conversation learning about Tina’s love of bourbon and bubbly water then we dove off the deep end. Tina told me about why …

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Carving Your Own Lane with Comedic Musician and American Idol’s Tom McGovern 1:05:27

3+ y ago1:05:27

1:05:27

With me in the Diner today is the man, the myth, the musical comedian – Tom McGovern. I love having fellow comedians in the booth with me because we can riff on everything from grape jelly to sharks (which is… what we did). In this episode Tom shared about his early love for theatre and how it morphed into this amazing career that he now has creati…

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The Beauty and Power of Clarity with Authentic Communication Expert, Dr. Amelia Reigstad 1:14:17

3+ y ago1:14:17

1:14:17

This week I got to hang out with communication expert, Dr. Amelia Reigstad, and I’m walking away with so many thoughts and ideas on how I can improve my communication and self-awareness. With her badass purple mohawk, she shares about the importance of living an authentic and brave life and I’m here – for – it! She discusses her research on gender …

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Announcement: New intermediate StoryLearning courses! 5:50

3+ y ago5:50

5:50

We're about to release a special new range of intermediate StoryLearning programmes, and I'm sooo excited! And as a loyal listener, I'd like to offer you early access and a very special offer to celebrate the launch. (It's something I always like to do whenever we release something new!) To get on the notification list, click: https://storylearning…

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What it Means to be Likeable with Human Behavioral Investigator and Speaker, Arel Moodie 1:12:12

3+ y ago1:12:12

1:12:12

Today I got to kick it in The Diner with fellow New Yorker, Arel Moodie. He’s a professional speaker who helps other speakers start and grow their own businesses. We talked about the experience of fitting in during our younger years (and the difficulty of blending his life growing up in the projects while simultaneously attending Jewish Day School)…

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From 911 to Peace to Empowerment with Self Defense Expert and Speaker, Jennifer Cassetta 1:12:31

3+ y ago1:12:31

1:12:31

Today’s conversation with Jennifer Cassetta was incredible. She shared a powerful story about her experience in New York on 9/11, how she found safety in her martial arts dojo, and how that moment and that feeling would become a thru line for her work in self-defense and personal development. We talked about confidence and our relationship with our…

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423: Lessons on Languages, Life & Leadership with Mike Shangkuan (CEO, Lingoda) 53:11

3+ y ago53:11

53:11

In this episode, Olly speaks with Mike Shangkuan, CEO of Lingoda. In a wide-ranging discussion, you'll hear about: Growing up as a Chinese-American with a passion for languages How Mike pivoted his career from banking to language tech The challenges of building a tutoring business Adapting language teaching for the online world Do You Have A Langua…

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422 - I'mmmm back! 17:20

3+ y ago17:20

17:20

In this episode, you'll hear from Olly about plans for StoryLearning in 2022! Do You Have A Question? This show exists to answer your language learning questions! Send me your questions by visiting: https://storylearning.com/ask ...and I’ll do my best to feature it on the show! Leave a Review If you'd like to support the show, the best way to do th…

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Musical Theater and Suicide Prevention with Mental Health Educator, Joshua Rivedal 1:16:20

3+ y ago1:16:20

1:16:20

Today in the Diner is my man, Joshua Rivedal – he’s an amazing storyteller who is full of compassion and wisdom, and he’s got a wit that won’t quit. He gave me so much to think about regarding how we as a society are approaching suicide prevention, and what we can do as individuals to be there for others. He has some dope insights on vulnerability,…

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Power of Perseverance in White America with Dr. James Smith, Jr. 1:17:13

3+ y ago1:17:13

1:17:13

My man Dr. James Smith Jr brought the heart today – the wordplay and wisdom was on point! He shared about his experience growing up in West Philadelphia (you know he sang it when he said it) and his experience growing up Black in America. We had a thoughtful conversation about the problematic phrase of “picking yourself up by the bootstraps” and th…

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Drama Squashing with Workplace Culture Expert and Speaker, Joe Mull 1:12:41

3+ y ago1:12:41

1:12:41

Today I was joined by professional speaker and storyteller, Joe Mull. This conversation was full of wisdom and wit as Joe shared about his experience of being a social chameleon and learning the moments where it’s more important to give up being liked in order to do the right thing. This ties into his work as a “leadership nerd” (his words) where h…

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How Being a Teen Mom Taught Resilience Expert, Summer Owens, to Say SO What! 1:14:39

3+ y ago1:14:39

1:14:39

Kicking it in the booth with me this week is Resilience Expert and Leadership Speaker, Summer Owens! I love that Summer’s late night guilty pleasure is dark chocolate and red wine. Pretty sure that makes her the classiest guest in the diner so far! Summer and I then discussed how she used to pull her hair out as a nervous twitch when she was much y…

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Stepping into Your Leadership Presence with Executive Coach and Speaker, Justin Patton 1:07:23

3+ y ago1:07:23

1:07:23

Executive Coach and leadership presence expert, Justin Patton, slides into the diner booth with me this week! We reminisce about eating late-night pizza and our topping preferences. Then I learned that Justin grew up on a farm in Kentucky shoveling manure and bailing hay. Though that was not his destiny it is where he learned a work ethic that he c…

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Falling In Love With Being Black with Rick Daniels - Encore 1:32:24

3+ y ago1:32:24

1:32:24

We are excited to bring you this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy! Rick Daniels dropped all of the knowledge in this episode. He and I recorded this the week that George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis so you already know that we had a lot to talk about. We discussed parenting in the middle of a powerful …

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Is Social Media Connecting Us Or Dividing Us More? With Dr. Josie Ahlquist - Encore 1:13:11

3+ y ago1:13:11

1:13:11

We are excited to bring you this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy! This week I am joined in the Diner by social media expert, Dr. Josie Ahlquist! We kicked it off by randomly talking about Josie’s high school dating life. We then discussed her huge transition moving from Wyoming and South Dakota to Los Ange…

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Processing The Fall Out Of A Million Dollar Business with Tom Krieglstein - Encore 1:08:03

3+ y ago1:08:03

1:08:03

We are excited to bring you this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy! Tom Krieglstein became my first guest to actually eat while he was in the diner! Since he was munching on a veggie pizza, we started by chatting about the impact The Simpsons had on Tom’s dietary choices. We then dove into Tom’s passion of c…

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Competing ambitions in relationships and trust building with Jess Ekstrom - Encore 1:32:05

3+ y ago1:32:05

1:32:05

We are excited to bring you this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy! I got to sit down with entrepreneur, speaker, and great friend Jess Ekstrom and we jumped right in with their decision to sell their apartment and move into an Airstream. Hearing about her relationship and having different ambitions as a par…

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Being in Your Underwear in Times Square with Stacy Nadeau - Encore 1:12:33

4y ago1:12:33

1:12:33

We are excited to bring you this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy! Joining me this episode in the Diner is body image expert, coach, speaker, and badass mom, Stacy Nadeau! She and I first discuss why she was in her underwear in Times Square and the journey to being comfortable in your body for men and women…

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Goats, Diabetes, and Stoicism with Consultant, Coach and Cook, Becky Schmooke 1:25:14

4y ago1:25:14

1:25:14

Today I was joined in the diner booth by leadership consultant and owner of Becky’s Mindful Kitchen, Becky Schmooke. Becky, her wonderful sarcasm, and I dove in discussing popcorn in bed and Minnesota diners. We then talked about what she wanted to be when she grew up and how she got to meet both Michelle Kwan and Jill Biden (but didn’t realize it …

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The Stories of A Radiant Haitian Queen with Storyteller and Activist Ferene Paris Meyer 1:17:54

4y ago1:17:54

1:17:54

Today I was joined by storyteller and activist, Ferene Paris Meyer. This episode was humorous and heartfelt as Ferene shared about her experience growing up in a family of Haitian immigrants and how that shaped her current world. She spoke about her awakening and coming alive as a proud Haitian woman and how she dove into her culture through food, …

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Being Between Dreams with Actress, Director and Reiki Practitioner, Leslie Meisel 1:13:07

4y ago1:13:07

1:13:07

My dear friend, Leslie Meisel, joins me this week in the diner. She is an actor who has appeared on Broad City, RISE, Difficult People, and a director. Recently she has also become a practicing reiki master! We talked about whether you should order steak at a diner and a fun quirk about her related to Grease 2. I loved hearing about how Leslie’s ac…

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Marketing and the Hustler’s Mindset with speaker and master marketer, Odell Bizzell II 1:08:50

4y ago1:08:50

1:08:50

My man Odell Bizzell II slid into the diner booth with me this week. He and I have known each other for a number of years from the speaker circuit and I have always respected his hustle. We talked about how he and I travel differently and why he typically spends all of his time on the road in the hotel. He told me some of the powerful lessons he fa…

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Turning You Mess into your Message with abuse survivor and victim advocate, Desi Garcia 1:10:42

4y ago1:10:42

1:10:42

This week in the diner I had a thoughtful and vulnerable conversation with Survivor and CEO of Candle In A Dark Room, Desi Garcia. Desi shared her gripping and heart-wrenching story of surviving childhood physical and sexual violence. She told the story of how she turned her “mess into her message” and how she felt called to help other survivors an…

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The Juxtaposition of Forgiveness and Discipline with high energy powerhouse entertainer, Ernee Peppers 1:04:37

4y ago1:04:37

1:04:37

You can skip today’s cup of coffee because today’s guest – Ernee Peppers – has enough energy for all of us. Ernie has an electric and contagious personality and will inspire you to drop your baggage and step into your badassery. Todays episode centered around the power of forgiveness and the gift that is for yourself. Ernee shared about some trauma…

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What Continuing to Believe in Yourself Looks Life with speaker and entrepreneur Jake Kelfer 1:01:58

4y ago1:01:58

1:01:58

Today we’re kickin’ it in the Diner with your new friend and mine, Jake Kelfer. He’s an incredible entrepreneur who shared story after story about how he would bet on himself and keep pushing and trusting his ideas until they either came to fruition or failed. He shared about massive successes – writing a bestselling book and starting an NBA draft …

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421 - Are Most YouTube Polyglots Lying? 19:33

4y ago19:33

19:33

🤥 From people claiming to learn a language in 24 hours to those shouting that "all YouTube polyglots are FAKE!", the online language learning world is fraught with controversy and vitriol. So what's the truth? And can a so-called "YouTube polyglot" (man, I hate that term) comment on YouTube polyglots lying? Well, I’m going try... 🦃 BLACK FRIDAY SAL…

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Do You Keep Promises with Yourself? With Hall of Fame Speaker and Entertainer, Jason Hewlett 1:11:34

4y ago1:11:34

1:11:34

Today in the booth, Jason Hewlett is coming in hot and ordering up a Moons Over My Hammy and dishing out advice that’s good for the soul. We talked about body image and being comfortable in our own skin, ways to discover our signature moves – or our natural strengths, how to be comfortable in the different seasons of parenthood and ditch the idea o…

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Be Ready For Your Story to Change Someone’s Life with Big Bang Theory Actor, Alessandra Torresani 53:13

4y ago53:13

53:13

Sliding into the diner this week is actor, Alessandra Torresani. You’ve seen her on Big Bang Theory, American Horror Story, and most recently the movie, Women is Losers. She and I kicked things off by disclosing our first on-stage kisses (spoiler, hers was Frankie Muniz) then made our way back to our favorite diner orders. Alessandra told me about …

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Living a Life Where You Need to Pinch Yourself with Stu Massengill 1:12:59

4y ago1:12:59

1:12:59

This week in the diner I hung out with my man, Stu Massengill. What I appreciate about Stu is that he is so dedicated to looking for what’s next and building his legacy, but he’s also so in tune with the present moment and savors every day, and I loved the way he talked about striking that balance. In this episode, we talked about Stu’s career as a…

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What Does it Mean to Show Up for Someone? with CEO Ercole Perrone 1:12:08

4y ago1:12:08

1:12:08

In the booth with me this week is the one and only Ercole Perrone (say it with a thick Italian accent or you’re doing this glorious name (and man) a disservice). This conversation was so good – it centered around the theme of being a better listener, leading and taking care of others with great empathy, and being a good human who stands up for othe…

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Divorce Sucks…Temporarily with "Our Happy Divorce" Authors, Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond 1:11:33

4y ago1:11:33

1:11:33

"Our Happy Divorce" authors, Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond slid into the diner booth with me this week. Divorce is never easy but these two have figured out a way to make it work for their son Asher. We started our conversation talking about how Ben and Nikki met, when the sparks flew, and what brought them from San Francisco to Tampa, Flor…

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Rewrite the Definition of Success with Washington Post Best Selling Author Laura Gassner Otting AKA LGO 1:20:50

4y ago1:20:50

1:20:50

Buckle up, y’all because this episode is jam-packed with nuggets of wisdom that will stick with you long after listening. Today I kicked it in the booth with bestselling author, socially conscious entrepreneur, and speaker Laura Gassner Otting (aka LGO). We talked about finding what you love to do, defining success and what is enough for yourself, …

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420 - JJsays (雪莲说) on How to Learn Chinese, Conquer Insecurities & Figure Out What Methods Work For You 1:04:30

4y ago1:04:30

1:04:30

Julian (a.k.a. "JJ") is the woman behind two popular YouTube channels: 1) JJsays - 雪莲说 (where she shares Chinese language learning tips and videos), and 2) JJsings (where you can hear her singing in Mandarin together with her mother). JJ is an extremely passionate language learner, and I really enjoyed digging into her methods and philosophy. We di…

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What Living in China for 6 years and Leaving Your Dream Job Taught Life Coach, Geneviève Pépin 1:08:09

4y ago1:08:09

1:08:09

I don’t even know if there are diners in the Canary Islands, but I do know that this week’s guest, Geneviève Pépin, slid into this diner all the way from off the coast of Morocco. Geneviève and I started off discussing the magical foods that are poutine (because she’s from Quebec City) and arepas (because they are delicious). Then she told me about…

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419 - Shocking your best friend with AMAZING language skills 47:34

4y ago47:34

47:34

Today I’m speaking with Jannah Hossain, who learned to speak Japanese in 6 months to surprise her best friend. Here’s her original video: https://youtu.be/W6Lnaf7Um2c To find out more about the course she used, Japanese Uncovered, visit: http://japaneseuncovered.com Do You Have A Question? This show exists to answer your language learning questions…

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The Pursuit of Truth with Emmy-Nominated Reporter and Anchor, Joe Mauceri 1:11:43

4y ago1:11:43

1:11:43

Longtime friend and Emmy-nominated anchor and reporter, Joe Mauceri, slid into a Brooklyn diner booth with me for this episode! Joe and I talked about a few childhood memories and what kind of burger you’re allowed to order in a diner. After asking Joe what he wanted to be when he was a kid, we learn about the home videos where his on-camera experi…

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How to Make Conversations Less Awkward with Networking Strategist and Speaker, Tollisha Joseph 1:09:08

4y ago1:09:08

1:09:08

This week in the booth is networking expert and Twix connoisseur, Tollisha Joseph. We spent our time talking about how to form relationships, how to stand out in a room full of people, and how to get out of our own way. We talked about boundaries and values, and she shared advice for looking to your past to help you figure out what you should do wi…