Episodes

Santiago Paredes is a friend, inspiration, and leader. After traveling across the country with him, I decided we needed to run it back and reflect on his one-year anniversary of living in a new city. This is a helpful episode...

Karista Paredes is a soon-to-be published author, full-time Kids Pastor, and a community leader. She is an exemplar of how vulnerability can lead to breakthrough. Oftentimes on this podcast we talk about the importance of rel...

Emily Farley is a professional with 16 years of experience in the public health sector. She currently serves as the Director of Community Engagement at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center. Her knack lies in fostering...

Jeremy Newman is an educator, business owner, pilot, endurance athlete, and adventurer. He grew up in North Dakota, traveled the world, and found his way to Kansas. Growing up in a foster home, Jeremy learned how to make deep...

Annie Miller is a former Irish dancer, an avid long-distance runner, and my wife. Without Annie, this podcast would be a fraction of what it is. The whole 70 minutes of this podcast contain me laughing at Annie, us sharing st...

Kristen Kalinka is a friend, in particular, a long distance friend! The world has become an increasingly mobile and transient place. Because of this, our friends are moving everywhere, and oftentimes, it's easy for these frie...

Ebrima "Abraham" Sisay is a mental health storyteller and currently the Founder & CEO of Freedom Project - A multicultural Social Impact Agency. Previously, he worked as a fractional marketing & distribution executive for tec...

Sean Richards is a servant leader, a Sr. Account Manager with The Purpose Company, and the Lead Pastor at Open Door Church. Sean is wired towards people. Rather than finding meaning in money, career, or entertainment, he beli...

Ryan Walker is a friend and the Executive Director at Pioneer Ridge Independent Living. He is an active member of Morning Soccer Pickup (MSP) and a fan of people, cinema, and chicken pot pie. We live in an increasingly isolat...

Allow me to introduce you all to one of my favorite people, my mom (Kim Miller). If you want to hear someone who is a paragon of kindness, wisdom, and endurance, then you came to the right place. My mom has exemplified work e...

Chris Austin is the Site Coordinator at Lawrence Boys & Girls Club. I've often discussed the importance of an intergenerational community. If you have people in your life who are older than you and people who are younger than...

Paige Freeman, a Louisville, Kentucky native, graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Communication degree, went over to University of Mississippi for a master's degree in Higher Ed, and is now a doctoral student at...

Omri Gillath is an Israeli-American social psychologist. As a professor of social psychology at the University of Kansas , Gillath has spent over 20 years doing research, teaching psychology , and mentoring students. He is a ...

Matt Pool is an owner of Restaurant, Pub, & Games (RPG) in Lawrence, KS. Alongside three other owners, Matt opened up RPG six months before the COVID pandemic. It quickly became a favorite place for people to gather, eat a me...

Mia Santarelli is a street photographer, the Activity Director at Pioneer Ridge Independent Living, and the founder of the Joyful Palette Project. I've talked on this podcast a lot about the importance of social connection. O...

Kevin Tietz Kevin has served as Director for Young Life College at the University of Kansas for 13 years. His passion is to build meaningful relationships with college students to help them encounter Jesus Christ, while also ...

Mike Montague is a game show host, public speaker, podcaster, and writer at Playful Humans. He has been a radio DJ, karaoke host, virtual game show host, MC, and DJ for live events including opening for Billy Idol, Frankie Va...

Rachell lives smack dab in the middle of the US in Kansas City. She’s a corporate trainer by day and a Skip The Small Talk (STST) Facilitator by night. She stumbled upon Skip the Small Talk as an attendee whilst traveling for...

Keontay Gaines is the Assistant Director of Student Athlete Development at the University of Las Vegas. Keontay and I met in Lawrence, KS, where we quickly bonded over a fascination of the people around us. After growing up i...

Annie Miller is a former teacher of relational communication, an expert of belongingness, and an all-around all-star. Annie and I met in grad school at Wake Forest University where we were both teaching assistants. I invited ...

Damon Parker spent 21 years as a teacher and coach in both Missouri and Kansas. He has coached his wrestling teams to 4 Kansas state championships. Since 2011, Coach Parker has received Teacher of the Year honors on 4 occasio...

Scott Base is a Martial Arts Instructor for Prime Martial Arts. What I like most about Scott is his ability to work with the community, be it via teaching a group of realtors self-defense or hosting a martial arts tournament ...

Santiago is a friend, inspiration, and overcomer. As an immigrant from Ecuador to the United States, he broke down barriers and found purpose. This conversation was an encouragement to me, this podcast, and the life I hope to...

Adam Bush is comedian from Tulsa, OK. In 2018, he won a contest to perform stand-up comedy on Broadway, this beginning his comedy career. His Dry Bar special premieres in 2023. We talk about many things, but we focus in on st...