No Politics, Just People. With Matt Brooks

Avery Clyde discusses her 30 year career as an Actress and Producer, shares her infectious positive attitude, and offers lots of advice for young actors. 

American Mezzo-Soprano, Bonita Hyman, discusses her long career as an opera singer in Europe, her childhood, and her road to a life as a professional singer. 

Opera Singers Jean-Ronald LaFond, Emily Hindrichs, Bonita Hyman, and Zachary Wilder, discuss what life is like as American expatriates living and working in Europe. 

A very powerful episode! Tamarra Lynn Strawn Grenfell Smith discusses her “supremely awesome” life, giving up practicing law to live off-grid, battling pancreatic cancer, and her decision to exercise her right to die, as afforded in Maine's Death with Dignity Act.  

Author, Poet, Marketing expert, Writing Coach, and Life Coach, Sage Cohen, discusses her life, her passion for writing and poetry, and her work supporting parents with her Radical Divorce Project.

Roughly 1% of people are diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly called Multiple Personality Disorder. Lesa Weller bravely shares her own fascinating story of living with DID. 

Andy Turner, Ceo of Turner Financial, discusses his life in the insurance and retirement planning industry, the foundation he began in his father's name, being on the Board of Meels on Wheels, and what it's like being the baby of his family, with a 17 year gap between him and his closest sibling. He also gives helpful advice on insurance and annuities.

A panel of 3 divorcées now navigating the often crazy world of online dating, share funny, and sometimes creepy, stories from their experiences looking for love online. WARNING: This episode contains explicit language and, at times, includes graphic sexual content.

Geologist, Hydrogeologist, and Volcanologist, Samantha Smith, discusses her life-long passion for studying volcanos, her training as a geologist, her work as a hydrogeologist, and her passion for learning Scottish Gaelic, and Viking history.

Amanda Cushman has cooked, taught and written about food in Boston, New York, L.A., Miami, Valencia, and Jamaica. From caterer, to private chef, to restaurants, to teaching for major corporations, to recipe development for major magazines, she's done it all. 

President of the Colorado Football Officials Association, Matt Miller, discusses the intense world of football officiating and why he views it as his life's purpose. He also discusses running his 40 acre fish farm, and his views on fatherhood and relationships. 

Filmmaker and photographer, Toko Shiiki, shares her journey from childhood bullying in Japan, to becoming a professional filmmaker in the United States. We also hear clips from her band October Babies, as she discusses her passion for singing, and all artistic pursuits. 

After a stint serving in the Peace Corp in Africa, and 25 years as an educator in the United States, working as a classroom teacher, Assistant Principal, and Principal, David Bakalyan returned to Africa this past year. David discusses life in Cameroon, his career in education, growing up in a cult, and his famous uncle, the great character actor Richard Bakalyan. 

Deb Penner, Life Coach and owner of Drops in the Bucket, shares her thoughts on owning your own brain, redefining failure, her 3 day retreat called Fenomenon, and much more. She also reads some wonderful excerpts from her blog. 

Alex Kastrinakis is a Financial Advisor with LPL Financial, who first ran his own business for 25 years. He discusses running a business, helps us understand a broad range of investments, and shares the lessons he's learned from serving on the Board of Directors of an organization devoted to the developmentally disabled, and as Chair of his town's School Committee. 

Dan McCarthy is the Managing Editor for Photonics Spectra magazine. He discusses photonics, the roles of a managing editor, his career as a writer, and even his two stints on an Alaskan fishing vessel. 

Dietitian Heather Fiore, owner of Free State Nutrition, spends some time sharing her philosophies on good approaches to nutrition. Having worked in several different arenas, and with people of all ages, Heather's career has given special focus to children. She offers several insights for parents, along with her passion creating healthy habits.

Dr. Jean-Ronald Lafond is a classically trained singer who has sung, and taught in Europe, parts of Asia, and the North American Continent. He speaks about his childhood in Haiti, moving to New Jersey, and how his first experience at the Metropolitan  Opera inspired him to pursue singing instead of Engineering. He also discusses training singers, and his own philosophy marrying principles of Martial Arts with vocal training he calls Kashu-do. Lastly, he discusses the state of the opera world today—the effects of Covid, opera in the MeToo era, and racial reckoning in the industry. 

As a single mother of 3, Makayla Ruebush, owner of Indigo Crow Marketing, managed to earn 5 degrees while working and raising her children as a single mom. Makayla offers insights into owning your own business, and shares her approach to marketing. The extraordinary writer behind her Swallowing Stones blog, Makayla has inspired countless people with her stories of facing her own traumas. Her blog has recently garnered her attention from a publisher, resulting in a book deal.