Bring A Friend

Bring a Friend is rising to new heights of conversation and insight on themes we all relate to: transformation and reframing. Whether it's guests who learn how to thrive through challenges by looking at them through a whole new lens, or guests who help lift others evolve by showing where transformation is possible, season seven will lift you, spin you around, and leave you thankful for all of the possibilities that lie ahead.

Ready to get into the dating world and to find the relationship of your dreams? Not so fast, says Amber Kellehar, Founder and CEO of the global and pre-eminent matchmaking firm, Kelleher International. The perfect match begins with you, and only happens when you not only know who you're looking for, but when you truly know yourself.

Code makes the world go around. (At least the digital world.) Come meet the team that is not only writing code to help businesses excel, but also breaking patterns and codes for women whose lives before coding brought their worlds to a standstill. This is the story of transformation, rebirth and empowerment that celebrates a cascade of women lifting those who follow.

Weddings are one of life's pivotal and most memorable moments. At least they are supposed to be. Chenai Bukutu has become one of Britian's most celebrated wedding planners, and she dished with Bring a Friend about some of the "must do's" and "never do's" when saying I do.

Susan Burton is our second chance queen. Not only did she relaunch her life by founding a socially-critical business when she was released from prison, she's laser-focused on giving women like her a path to freedom a greater chance of achieving their own dreams.

What's really going on when you feel stressed out? It's so hard to pinpoint the causes that push us over the edge. Luckily, Celine Tien and her partners at Flowly have found ways to meld technology, medicine and mindfulness to bring a newfound state of calm.

Women bring new life into the world, yet are the first to blame when pregnancy doesn't happen or go well. Leslie Schrock has parlayed her own personal experience into a second best-selling book that brings true insight into the process of fertility and the role that both men and women play in the process.

Athlete, media mogul, rebel and adventurer, Terry McDonell paints the external image of traditional masculinity. But under that rugged facade is a sweetness that was shaped by his mother. The former editor of Time Magazine, Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone has just released a memoir called Irma, paying tribute to his amazing mother and honoring the women who teach us what real grit looks like.

Oil paint? Water Colors? Pencil? No matter what's being applied, most painters start with a canvas. Not Alexa Meade: her canvas is the human body, and she's been transforming people into living works of art that will make your mind spin!

Meet the woman who is hell-bent on making the human sexual experience something attainable and pleasurable for all. Cindy Gallop got tired of her younger boyfriends learning about sex through old-fashioned pornography... which meant that for her they weren't very good lovers. So she set out to change that by highlighting how good real sex can be!

What were the life events that made you who you are? For our friend, Kirat Randhawa, a painful and winding path led her to the most peaceful place possible. We think her sense of calm will rub off on you!

What was your childhood dream? Today's guest might surprise you. While other girls her age were planning their careers in fields that exist, Kristen Griest was planning her career on a different one: the battlefield. The first woman to graduate from Army Ranger School and a leader of the women who ascend to the highest military ranks, Kristen has broken barriers and opened doors for thousands of our nation's heroes.

Today's guests are fighting for fairness and justice in a system that's pushed to its limit. With incarceration rates in America that are five times higher than most of the countries of the world, almost 2 million Americans are incarcerated at this very moment. Who is advocating for them and how do we support them as they transition back into society? Meet Susan Champion and Mike Romano, a dynamic duo working tirelessly to flip the script.Learn more: Three Strikes Project

We live in a world dominated by visual media, and the people who deliver the news shape our reaction to what's going on. This week's episode gets intimate and real with one of NBC's evening anchors, Jessica Aguirre. She's Latina, over 50, and still reigns supreme in a business where judging people by the molds they fit is part of doing business. How does she do it? Bring a Friend finds out.

Season 6 is back with more than a dozen episodes that show how we each have the power to lift those around us.Where it all began, and always comes home to: https://parlayhouse.com/

What do a popular actress, a filmmaker and a practicing monk have in common? They are all part of the life story of one person: Susan O'Connell. She's the Spiritual Director of the Zen Inspired Senior Living Community, and she has taken a very unexpected path to find her place of peace.

When you think of the wild, wild west, do you picture gold miners, cowboys, trappers and hustlers? Not so fast. This week's guest is Katie Hickman, a serial author whose latest book celebrates the unsung women who were much more than "along for the ride".

While there is a lot of debate about the truth in the media, Americans, for the most part, are able to report what they like. For Vera Kreichevskaya and her peers at Dozhd TV in Russia, telling the story of the Ukraine invasion became not only a fight for freedom of speech: it became a run for their lives.

Who does what? Jen Siebel Newsom, filmmaker, activist and wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom started asking this question in relation to the work that happens in homes and among families. In her latest film, Fair Play, Jen shares her candid stories of navigating equal contributions to the responsibilities at home and gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how she got the Governor to pull his own weight.Learn more about the film: https://www.fairplaylife.com/documentary

Do you see the upside? Jazzie Fresh does. When she found herself pregnant at 20 and offered assisted housing for her and her daughter, she took it as an opportunity to finish school and get her degree. When her work/study scholarship required her to spend time supporting the school's administration, she saw it as a career opportunity. Jazzie seems to find that behind every "no" is a yes waiting to happen. You just have to see it.

Can we walk in each other's shoes? That's what documentary filmmakers Kelly Duane de la Vega and Jessica Anthony asked as they set out to film their latest film, In the Bones. What started out as a story of two women working together to pass an equal pay bill for women in the state of Mississippi became a collage of insights about the experiences of women throughout the Mississippi as they try to navigate their place to have their voices heard. A member of their cast, Cassandra Welchlin joins in this fabulous conversation.Check out their film here: https://threeframes.org/in-the-bones

Our world is filled with heroes we think we know as well as amazing influencers who the world has not yet heard of. George McCalman recognized this as a truth of Black people throughout American History, and set out to document and celebrate them. His latest creative endeavor, Illustrated Black History  features 145 people who have shaped our world and George tells their stories through a triple lens: as an illustrator, journalist and an acclaimed creative director.Pick up your copy of Illustrated Black History 

What you see is not always what you get. Throughout her life, Jessica Bejarano was misjudged. Too often viewed as "not fitting the mold", Jessica harnassed her passion for classical music and her extrordinary belief in herself to make it to a place never before inhabited by a female, Latina, queer immigrant. She now cherishes her role as Creative Director and Conductor of the San Francisco Philharmonic Orchestra, and is proving to young people everywhere that dreams are truly worth pursuing.

Optimism: Nature or nurture? Raised under a flight of stairs, deep in the heart of Calcutta, India, Jillian Haslam was dealt a difficult childhood hand. But through a series of lucky breaks and seized opportunities, she turned her dark beginnings into bright light for other children like her. Get an even more detailed look at her life with her book, A Voice Out of Poverty.

What do you learn from your pooch? Veterinary Oncologist, Dr. Renee Alsarraf learned far more than she imagined when given a diagnosis of cancer herself. The lessons from her pet patients (and the people who loved them) got her through her own challenge and gave her strength to write the insightful and moving new book, Sit, Stay, Heal.

How do you stand up for what you believe? Jen Pepper and Dr. Nikia Grayson know that in terms of their cause, access to reproductive care, the battle had to be fought on the front lines. Come join us as we hear about their travel from Memphis, TN to Carbondale, Illinois where they are setting up services for women in need.Learn more and help support their work here. 

Climbing the walls? That's almost what Dierdre Wolownick needed to do to build a connection with her son. He's Alex Honnold, the celebrated Free Solo rock climber. And since he was often away from home on his next climbing adventure, Dierdre decided that the best way to bond with him was to climb to new heights herself (breaking all kinds of records of her own as she went).

WE'RE BACK WITH SEASON 5!Who shaped you? This Episode's guest knows that behind most successful people lies someone who helped make them who they are. In her latest award-winning book, The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation, Anna Malaika Tubbs celebrates the women behind these men and how the lessons from those women are shaping her own journey.

FROM THE VAULT Enjoy this informative re-released episode from Season 2:Is “that person” in your life a psychopath, or just a sociopath? Triple A welcomes Maya Bourdeau, an empath and an expert on human behavior who created a business based on her understanding of why we do what we do. If you're wondering how to spot and avoid people who might take advantage of you, this episode is a must-listen.

FROM THE VAULTEnjoy this incredible re-released episode from Season 2:Content warning: this interview includes references to sexual assault and rape. Listener discretion is advised. If you need support, check out rainn.org for help 24/7.There are feminists, and then there are FEMINISTS! This week's episode travels halfway around the globe to talk with Maya, a graduate student in Amman, Jordan. Maya is on a mission to create environments where someone's assigned gender has nothing to do with their ability to thrive.

FROM THE VAULTEnjoy this inspiring re-released episode from Season 4:When she was a child, Wanda was among the first kids in New York City to be bussed from her predominantly Black neighborhood in Brooklyn to a mostly white school in Queens. And Wanda was one of a few girls of color to attend the exclusive Chapin School in Manhattan. In both cases, one of the school administrators saw her and helped make her experience positive. Fast forward to today where Wanda is the head of the Hamlin School for Girls in San Francisco, providing the same beacon of light, not only to her students and the faculty, but to parents and the community as well. Anne and Arielle fell in love with this vision of hope and possibility, and saved this interview for the last one of the season because she'll leave you smiling until Season 5 is ready to go.

FROM THE VAULT: Enjoy this fascinating re-released episode from Season 3:We're all born with certain natural strengths. Bo Shao's abilities happened to be math. In his early years, he became known as one of the greatest mathematicians in China. His success and celebrity catapulted him to Harvard, where he continued to thrive academically but also to realize that his single-minded focus could be made far more relevant by gaining emotional and spiritual insight into himself and the world around him. That was the true beginning of his astounding journey. While he went on to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in China and then a major player in venture capital on a global scale, Bo's passion has shifted to his focus to work that not only does well financially, but does good, too. He's one of those friends that blow our minds.

FROM THE VAULT:  Enjoy this insightful re-released episode from Season 4:Narcissistic partners, bosses or family members can be highly critical, cruel and impossible to live with. The same can be true for us when we become our own toughest critics. That's why Anne and Arielle reached out to Dr. Wendy Behary, author of the best-selling book, Disarming the Narcissist and a globally-respected psychotherapist. Wendy sees some through-lines between people who are critical of us and those of us who are cruel and critical of ourselves. Fortunately, she's got some great insights about how to deal with both types. Our conversation with her left us with hope that we can squelch our own inner critics and find the strength to protect ourselves from the narcissists in our lives as well.

FROM THE VAULT | Enjoy this moving re-released episode from Season 4:It's almost impossible to imagine losing a child to gun violence. But maybe even more unimaginable is having the strength to channel grief into action. Pati Navalta Poblete did just that. Following the tragic death of her son Robby, Pati began her quest to take guns that are turned in as part of government buy-back programs and to turn them into community art. What's more, she has been able to bridge the conversation between gun-owners and those who wish to curb gun possession, fostering understanding and dialogue that brings both sides closer together

FROM THE VAULT | Enjoy this inspiring re-released episode from Season 3:You understand isolation from your COVID days. And you know that there was more than one occasion when you thought you'd go crazy being stuck in that space, away from the people and the activities that you loved. Now imagine doing that in captivity halfway around the world, locked in a single cement cell, not understanding the language, and having no information about whether you would be killed or released. And imagine being in that situation for 410 days. This is the story of Sarah Shourd, an American journalist who wandered into Iran unknowingly and faced the trial of her life

FROM THE VAULT | Enjoy this fascinating re-released episode from Season 2: Who are the people shaping the books we read and stories we care about?Triple A gets up close and personal with Cindy Spiegel and Julie Grau, two of the publishing industry's most successful leaders about how they work together as friends and how they have become the culture-trackers who shape the books that change our lives.Follow Spiegel & GrauJoin us at Parlay HouseLearn more on Bring A Friend

FROM THE VAULT | Enjoy this inspiring re-released episode from Season 3: Imagine pushing and then steering a racing machine weighing over 280lbs down an icy track and reaching speeds of nearly 90 miles an hour. Any miscalculation, muscle twitch or slightly miscued decision could result not only in a loss of victory, but disastrous injury. Now imagine doing that with a newborn baby who travels everywhere with you and a husband with an identical career as a bobsledding champion. This interview with Elana Meyers Taylor, multiple-time world champion and Olympic medalist will give you chills and warm your heart.

FROM THE VAULT | Enjoy this inspiring re-released episode from Season 3:With eight New York Times Best-Selling books and a very public career investigating the potential of plants (and psychedelics) to positively affect the human experience, Michael Pollan is already a household name. (Or is he a garden name?) But what's actually going on inside his brain? There's a lot happening in there, and Michael opened up to us about his process, his craft, and why his life immersed in plants has led him down a hedge-hog hole of self-reflection, revealing possibilities, surprise and delight.

FROM THE VAULT | Enjoy this inspiring re-released episode from Season 3:As the President of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Sherrilyn Ifill has had her hands full lately. With a mission of seeking structural changes and eliminating disparities to bring equality to all Americans, Sherrilyn has carried a heavy load over the years. She's argued before the Supreme Court, supported the families whose lives have been devastated by racism, and has fought valiantly for fairness for so many who have been denied. What does it feel like to champion that mission and hold that responsibility when all eyes are upon you? You'll be surprised and delighted to hear the personal truths from a real, down-to-earth woman who is fighting for so many.

FROM THE VAULT | Enjoy this inspiring re-released episode from Season 2:What does it feel like to be a sex symbol, and how do you ensure that people pay attention to more than just what you look like? Brandy Ledford, centerfold, Bay Watch babe, actress, and model shines a light on the glory of airbrushed celebrity and the life moments that make her very, very real.

FROM THE VAULT | Enjoy this inspiring re-released episode from Season 1:Life's most trying moments often give us the greatest insight. This is certainly true for Season 1's final guest, Vicky Tsai. Founder of the globally triumphant skincare brand, Tatcha, Vicky's mission began as a way to personally recover from the trauma of 9/11 and has since evolved to become the story of a determined Asian female founder who found a way to integrate mind, body, and generous spirit into the products she creates and the way she does business.

FROM THE VAULT | Enjoy this re-released episode from Season 1:You think you know Tina Knowles-Lawson? She's a fashion designer. An entrepreneur. And of course, mom to Beyoncé and Solange. Triple A was blown away by Miss Tina, but not for the reasons you'd think. At the heart of this conversation is a queen whose heart of gold shines far brighter than all of the beauty and success you see on the outside.

FROM THE VAULT | Enjoy this powerful re-released episode from Season 1:Growing up as the daughter of undocumented parents, Jessica Oliveira-Haddad never knew whether a knock at the door might tear her family apart. She talks to Triple A about the catalytic moments that changed her outlook on life, centered her purpose, and empowered her to raise her voice to stand up for people going through the same things she did. Her story is one that will be all-too-familiar for some, but inspiring and hopeful for all.

FROM THE VAULT | Enjoy this spicy re-released episode from Season 1:Break out the blindfolds...in this episode, Mistress Heather invites Triple A into the world of kink. She may be a marketing consultant by day, but by night she helps people fill gaps in their sex lives in ways that are more empowering and transformative than you might imagine. This conversation is both juicy and poignant. Don't we all need a bit of that?

FROM THE VAULT | Enjoy this re-released episode from Season 1: Returning to public school in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban, Shabana Basij-Rasikh found her power. Shabana spoke with Triple A about her rise out of oppression, and how education is unlocking potential for girls in post-conflict countries to become the next generation of leaders. She's spearheading a national transformation, creating a model that can be applied around the globe.

When she was a child, Wanda was among the first kids in New York City to be bussed from her predominantly Black neighborhood in Brooklyn to a mostly white school in Queens. And Wanda was one of a few girls of color to attend the exclusive Chapin School in Manhattan. In both cases, one of the school administrators saw her and helped make her experience positive. Fast forward to today where Wanda is the head of the Hamlin School for Girls in San Francisco, providing the same beacon of light, not only to her students and the faculty, but to parents and the community as well. Anne and Arielle fell in love with this vision of hope and possibility, and saved this interview for the last one of the season because she'll leave you smiling until Season 5 is ready to go.

Narcissistic partners, bosses or family members can be highly critical, cruel and impossible to live with. The same can be true for us when we become our own toughest critics. That's why Anne and Arielle reached out to Dr. Wendy Behary, author of the best-selling book, Disarming the Narcissist and a globally-respected psychotherapist. Wendy sees some through-lines between people who are critical of us and those of us who are cruel and critical of ourselves. Fortunately, she's got some great insights about how to deal with both types. Our conversation with her left us with hope that we can squelch our own inner critics and find the strength to protect ourselves from the narcissists in our lives as well.

It's happened to most of us. The slow realization that your life is not where you want it to be. Some of us make the best of those times by powering through our careers, our marriages and the traditional expectations of us. Others, like our friend Hillary Jordan, take the risk of leaping into big new chapters. In fact, Hillary's life has been a series of pivots that have resulted not only in her personal freedom, but also fueled her career as an acclaimed author whose prize-winning novels have spawned an Academy Award Nominated film, a second career as a screenwriter and even the publishing of anonymous stories about sex from some of the world's best writers. 

Four out of five women who experience chronic pain feel that their doctors don't take their issues seriously. Women of Color report an even higher level of dismissal. Meet our friend Melissa Muganzo Murphy, known as MMM by the people who know her best. Melissa took her own experience of being discounted by her healthcare providers and decided that she would create real change for other women so that they don't have to suffer in the way she did. She's an activist, a filmmaker and a champion of the underserved who will leave you feeling that real change is possible.

Have you eaten “California Cuisine” lately? Maybe you call it farm-to-table or food based on locally-grown ingredients. Whatever you call it, you can thank Alice Waters for being the woman who began the movement to bring the people who grow, catch and ranch our food directly to the people responsible for turning it into delicious meals. As the Founder of Chez Panisse over 50 years ago, Alice has been feeding, nourishing and educating her diners all her life. Twenty six years ago she launched the Edible Schoolyard as a way to engage students and educators in the process of growing and preparing healthy meals. Fast forward to today, Alice is trailblazing again - this time with a regenerative food program within the University of California school system. 

Growing up in racially charged New Orleans, Nick Sensley learned at a young age that there was a tension between the residents of his inner city neighborhood and the police assigned to work there. Yet as a young man, he chose to follow a career in law enforcement himself. The murder of George Floyd resulted in Nick dialing up his efforts to provide insight and understanding across the divides, and our conversation with him shed light on moments that have the potential for us to create bonds between those who serve and those who benefit from safe and supportive communities.