Latest Podcasts
Ep 185: Dina Lovinsky – Write Like A Human
Dina Lovinsky is a Russian-born, SF-based writer. She is also the ghostwriter of the recent NYT and WSJ bestseller Tony Fadell’s Build – An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making. This is a fun episode. We cover Dina’s upbringing, and she shares some of her parent’s backstory from being
Ep 184: Negar Tayyar – Empowering The Forcibly Displaced People Through Her Values, Vision and Vitality.
Negar Tayyar is a philanthropic refugee rights advocate, life coach, and co-founder and director of the Global Whole Being Fund (GWBF), an international fund supporting the humanitarian and long-term needs of forcibly displaced people. We cover a lot in this episode from Negar’s early memories of growing up in Iran,
Ep 183: Matteo Vianello – A Life of Channeling Curiosity and Expressing Creativity to Create a Better World
Rarely do my guest’s serendipitous recommendations as to who I interview next lead me to someone from the same industry in which I work. This is one of those rare weeks. Born and raised in Venice Italy, Matteo Vianello is a Creative and Design leader who has led an extraordinary
Ep 182: Chris Debiec – The Rule-Breaking, Detail-Driven, Honest-Talking Path to Hollywood Production Success
Chris Debiec is an award-winning writer/producer/executive with a thirty-plus-year track record of producing film and tv series, working with icons across all aspects of the entertainment industry. Chris recently moved from LA to Austin, and as a result of a serendipitous connection, we sat down to discuss his insights and
Ep 181: Michael Plitkins – Redefining The Human Experience With Immersive Sound
This week’s guest is Michael Plitkins, co-founder and Co-Der of Spatial Inc – the Immersive Audio start-up that redefines the human experience by creating virtual soundscapes where you work, where you play, and where you stay. In this interview, Michael takes us on a serendipitous journey through his life; a
Ep 180: The Forced Displacement Of Ukrainians – Sana Mustafa
This week we have a follow-up to our recent interview with Sana Mustafa. When I interviewed Sana back in November 2021, we could not have imagined the Ukrainian refugee crisis. So I wanted to hear Sana’s perspective as Director of Partnership and Engagement at Asylum Access, on the mass migration
179: Walter Werzowa – Limitless Audio Creativity, Sound Inventions and Musical Medicine
Walter Werzowa is this week’s guest. Water has lived an extraordinary life. From his inspiring film scores, and globally recognized audio branding to creating music as medicine, creativity through sound has powered Walter’s life journey. I met Walter in March here in Austin, at SXSW 2022, through an old colleague from
178: Sana Mustafa – The Activist Fighting for Displaced Peoples’ Access, Agency and Dignity
Sana Mustafa is this week’s guest. We’re back. I had a nasty Scotter accident back in Nov 2021, and as a result, had to take four-month hiatus to recover. Bones are all healed so here we go We recorded this interview just before the accident but given the recent geopolitical
177: Kathryn Finney – Her Single Minded Path To Inspiring and Funding Brilliant Black and LatinX Founders
Kathryn Finney defies norms, conventions, and stereotypes. For this powerhouse of a human, there is no glass ceiling. From epidemiologist to entrepreneur, to investor, author, and mentor, Kathryn is changing what is considered possible for a generation of marginalized and underrepresented Black and LatinX entrepreneurs. We cover a lot in
176: Sebastian Martin – The Serendipitous Path To Changing Lives Through Changing Education
Sebastian Martin is a young social entrepreneur driven by self-less desire to change the lives of those less fortunate for the better. If you ever need to appreciate the positive influence and impact parents have on a child’s worldview and sense of self, look no further than this week’s guest,
175: Natasha Freidus – The Social Entrepreneur Applying Tech To Remove The Chaos In Crisis Relief
Natasha Freidus is a social entrepreneur with an unusual story. Sometimes circumstances beyond our control set us on a path we could never have conceived. This was the case for this week’s guest, social entrepreneur Natasha Freidus when during the Syrian refugee crisis in 2015, she witnessed the chaos of
174: The Alacrity, Wisdom and Wit Of Industrial Design Icon Lucia DeRespinis
Lucia N DeRespinis is this week’s guest. It marks the return of one of our favorite and most popular guests, industrial designer Lucia DeRespinis. With a career spanning seven decades, Lucia retired last year at the age of ninety-three. Now ninety-four Lucia was recently recognized for her outstanding contributions to
173: Abby Lehman – The Technology, Talent and Tenacity To Transform Lives and Build Communities
This week’s guest is native New Yorker Abby Lehman, a natural storyteller, connector, and social entrepreneur working at the intersection of community, government, and business. As a fourth-generation New Yorker, from a family of East European migrants, Abby is living evidence of the value and impact of immigration on a
172: Michael McElroy – The Inspirational Voice, Music And Mindset Changing Lives.
This week’s guest Michael McElroy is an actor, singer, musical director, educator, and founder of the Tony award-winning Broadway Inspirational Voices, the multi-racial gospel choir, ‘united in changing lives through the power of music and service.’’ In this shorter than normal interview, Michael explains how being immersed in the fusion
171: Geof Rochester: Sustainability Thought Leadership – Lead, Follow, Or Get Out of The Way
We’ve had to take an extended break in recent weeks due to moving home from New York to Austin, Texas. However, we’re back now with Season 4 and some fabulous guests lined up in the coming weeks. We kick off this season with an interview I did just before leaving
170: Susan McPherson – The Lost Art of Connecting and Living a Life of Purpose
We live at a moment in time where technology has connected the world yet for many people experience a rising sense of disconnection and research confirms feelings of isolation are increasing. This week’s guest Susan McPherson, provides an antidote. As author of the Lost Art of Connecting, Susan’s book provides
169: Tom Kitt – Award-Winning Broadway Composer’s Life of Creativity, Collaboration and Leadership Through The Pandemic
A Pulitzer Prize for Drama, two Tony awards, and a Grammy for a best musical theater album are just some of the accomplishments of this week’s guest – New York-based musician, composer, conductor, and orchestrator, Tom Kitt. Born and raised in New York State, Tom’s musical talent was recognized by
168: John Farnam – Living A Purposeful Life Through The Lens Of Yes
John Farnam lives every single day, in all his interactions focusing on making what seems impossible possible, viewing everything through the lens of yes. His life values, principles and work ethic were developed from growing up in a loving family environment in Helena Montana, USA. Given up for adoption by
167: Romany Romany – The Story of The Secret Life of Female Magician
Romany Romany – Guest overview There is no simple explanation for this week’s guest. I have struggled with how to do justice to her incredible journey. Romany Romany – aka ‘Romany The Diva of Magic’ is living evidence that when one sets their mind to something and takes action, anything is
166: Maryam Banikarim -The Purposeful Problem-Solving Mentality, Vitality and Curiosity of Next Door’s CMO
Maryam Banikarim does not see barriers, obstacles, or problems other than to seek out ways to remove or overcome or solve them. This week’s guest was born in Iran but raised in the US Maryam’s innately curious and inquisitive mind has enabled her to navigate every challenge that life has
165: Sav Rodgers – The Life Changing Serendipity of Discovering Ben Affleck and Chasing Amy
Sav Rodgers Imagine being assigned female at birth, growing up feeling isolated at school, having your sexuality weaponized against you at age 12, by so-called friends, and coming out and identifying as pan-sexual at age 19, well this was the beginning of this week’s guest, Sav Rodgers’ life. We cover
164: Maysoon Zayid – Challenging Conventions Through Her Comedy, Cerebral Palsy and Compassionate Activism
Maysoon Zayid is this weeks guest. Imagine being born with Cerebral Palsy, to Palestinian immigrant parents, growing up being the only disabled Muslim in a Christian New Jersey town. Yet, blessed with her father’s comic genes, her mother’s driving ambition, hard work ethic, and large family support network, Maysoon Zayid
163: The Solo Show – Why I Started The Podcast and What I Have Learned From My Guests
Mark Fallows Podcast Inspiration. Okay folks this week, it’s just a solo episode. I’m often asked about why I started this podcast and what it takes to keep going. We have to week, month after month now, two and a half years into this, I thought I would take some
162: Tweedy The Clown – Alan Digweed’s Perspective On Life As A Clown
Alan Digweed aka Tweedy The Clown, is this week’s guest. In this fascinating interview we discuss Alan’s early life and the serendipitous moment he announced to his parents his intention to build his career in clowning. Alan explains the appeal of clowning, the influence and inspiration of clowning genius due
161: Sarah A. Abdallah – Re-imaging, Re-designing, and Re-creating With Functional Creative Design.
Functional Creative Design Founder – Sarah A. Abdallah is this week’s guest. As a polymath, innovator, and founder of New York-based bespoke Architecture & Design Studio – Functional Creative Design, we deep dive into Sarah’s journey prior to starting her design studio Functional Creative Design, working with Rockwell Group, Tony Chi
160: The Non-Conforming, Curiosity Fueled Journey of Thought Leader and Entrepreneur – Sarah A. Abdallah
Sarah A Abdallah – Female Thought Leader and Entrepreneur, polymath, innovator, and founder of New York-based bespoke Architecture & Design Studio – Functional Creative Design, is this week’s guest. In this two-parter we spend the first hour exploring Sarah’s experience of being born a bi-racial child to Egyptian immigrant parents,
159: Art On The Ave – Shining a Spotlight On Under-Represented Artists – Jackie Graham and Barbara Anderson
Guest Overview This week we welcome Mother and daughter team Barbara Anderson and Jackie Graham, Founders of Art on the Ave. This New York-based social impact initiative spotlights the work of under-represented artists and turns storefronts into exhibition spaces and streets into open-air galleries. In the first part of this
158: Re-Engineering Education For A 2030 World – Kellie Lauth
Kellie Lauth is this week’s guest – a woman on a mission to re-engineer education and prepare children for the world of 2030, and mobilize a workforce capable of tackling the complex problems we are sure to face when the calendar turns to 2030. In this extended episode, we cover
157: Unpacking The Weird And Wonderful of Modern Cultural Phenomena – Charlie Quirk and Britton Rice
Guest Overview This week we interviewed the co-hosts of the podcast The Furious Curious – Charlie Quirk and Britton Rice. In the first 20 minutes of the interview, Chas and Brit explore the impact of their parents and upbringing on their values, cultivating curiosity and the life attributes that have prepared them
156: Rowan C. Leslie – The Serendipitous Path to Traditional Music Mastery
Guest Overview This week we interview our first musician, Glasgow-based, Irish born, Fiddle player, teacher, and composer, Rowan C Leslie. ( shout out to Scott Duncan for recommending) Rowan began playing the fiddle when his mother joined him in learning to play at age seven. Rowan recounts the experience of growing