Podcasts about surprising

Surprising Koala Population Explosion in New South Wales: Colleague Jeremy Zakis reports a surprising population explosion of koalas in New South Wales, rising to 274,000 due to lush vegetation and fewer fires, explaining that advanced surveys using drones and acoustics confirmed these numbers and describing the surprisingly loud, guttural growls these animals make during mating season.

Mary and Joseph were surprised with a family before they were married. See how they responded to this and what it means for us today as Patrick Denis shares from Matthew 1:18-25.Welcome to New Life Online! We are so glad you are here! Learn more about New Life at http://newlife.church. Fill out a Digital Connection Card to ask specific questions at http://newlife.church/connect.

Mary and Joseph were surprised with a family before they were married. See how they responded to this and what it means for us today as Patrick Denis shares from Matthew 1:18-25.Welcome to New Life Online! We are so glad you are here! Learn more about New Life at http://newlife.church. Fill out a Digital Connection Card to ask specific questions at http://newlife.church/connect.

Life is full of surprises - some are welcomed and some not so much! If you've ever faced disappointment or rejection, it is easy to get cynical and be skeptical when good news comes your way. Christmas is a season that reminds us that God is a God of good surprises, and even when the day seems dark - dawn is right around the corner.

Welcome to Part 4 of my Top 100 Fantasy Reads of All Time (2025 Edition) — and now we're entering sacred territory. Ranks 40 through 21 are home to the books that shaped my taste, my reading habits, and in some cases my entire understanding of what fantasy can do.These novels are emotional heavy-hitters, foundational epics, brilliant sequels, unforgettable finales, and a handful of genre-defining masterpieces. Some placements might surprise you… but that's part of the fun of a highly subjective list from someone who reads a lot of fantasy.If you're loving this countdown journey, please Like, Subscribe, and tap the Notification Bell so you're ready for the grand finale.✨ In this episode:– Ranks 40–21 revealed– Some of the most influential reads in my life– Surprising movement since last year's ranking– Witty one-sentence synopses and personal reflections on each entryJoin the discussion below! Which of these do you consider top-20 material? Which do you want to read next?

The Ukraine-Russia war has been called the most technologically advanced war in history. In an episode from KQED's Close All Tabs podcast, Bay Area journalist Erica Hellerstein visits Ukraine to learn about how the nation's culture of tech innovation — and its surprising ties to Silicon Valley — are fueling the country's resistance through an army of engineers, coders, hackers, and tinkerers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover the 10 most common phrases narcissists use—and the shocking psychological reasons behind them. In this video, we break down exactly what narcissists mean when they say things like “You're too sensitive” or “You're overreacting.” Learn how these manipulative phrases are designed to control, confuse, and gaslight you. Whether you're dealing with a narcissistic partner, friend, coworker, or family member, understanding their language is the first step toward protecting your emotional boundaries.In this video, you'll learn: • The top 10 phrases narcissists use to manipulate others • The hidden meanings and tactics behind their words • How to recognize emotional manipulation early • Strategies to respond and protect your mental healthIf you've ever felt blamed, doubted, or confused by someone's words, this video will help you see through the manipulation and regain your confidence.#narcissist #gaslighting #things narcissists say https://youtu.be/2UqYx6Wy2Lo• Website & Coaching Enquiries: https:// www.weaponizedlove.com/Coaching & Speaking Engagements:narcscon@gmail.com* Read the Book: Weaponised Love -https://Im.fm/ r3aEwvK• Shop Designs & Technology: https:// www.tracyspence.co.uk• Support the Channel: Donate via PayPal - https:// www.paypal.com/paypalme/narcscon?country.x=.Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.NARCCON1Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/@narccon/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

1:30pm - Steve Tasker and Chris Trapasso are joined by Patriots Radio Play-by-Play Announcer Bob Socci to discuss the patriots season

“How much money do you think America spent on OnlyFans in 2025?” That jaw-dropping question kicks off one of the most outrageous and laugh-out-loud segments on The Ben and Skin Show. Join Ben Rogers, Jeff “Skin” Wade, Kevin “KT” Turner, and Krystina Ray as they dive into shocking stats, awkward hypotheticals, and some of the funniest off-the-cuff jokes you'll hear all week.

In today's solo episode, I dive into the profound connection between biological aging, health, and consciousness through the lens of my own DNA test journey. I recently took a gold-standard DNA-based aging test to measure my biological age, and the experience led to a personal breakthrough I'm excited to share. I won't spoil the results here, but let's just say I was initially nervous to peek at the numbers – and what I discovered gave me a whole new perspective on my wellness journey. Why mix health and spirituality? As someone who transitioned from the fitness industry to facilitating healing retreats, I've seen firsthand that our body and spirit are deeply intertwined. In this episode, I share openly how taking care of my physical health (from diet and gut health to sleep and exercise) has been crucial for my spiritual growth and even my ability to stay calm and centered. Our health truly is the foundation that supports higher consciousness and a regulated nervous system. I also reflect on some emotional and ancestral healing experiences that have shaped me. Over the years I've worked on releasing deep-seated traumas (some that felt generations old) and felt the energy shift in powerful ways. By healing these layers and calming my nervous system, I've noticed incredible changes – including what might be a slower biological aging pace. It's a reminder that inner transformation and outer health go hand in hand. In my usual transparent style, I share all of these insights openly. I even talk about the humbling moment when my ego showed up and how facing the truth turned out to be deeply healing. Thank you for joining me on this personal journey.  If something here resonates with you, feel free to leave a comment sharing your thoughts or your own experiences – I'd genuinely love to hear from you. And if you enjoy this kind of content, consider subscribing to the channel for more conversations on healing, science, and spirituality. Resources Mentioned:  DNA Company - SPECIAL OFFER For All Podcast Listeners  https://thednacompany.com/products/longevity-bundle?sca_ref=7999527.VBw69ibjjC  Enter discount code at check out: LETITINPODCAST  Lynda Griparic — Gut Health https://www.lyndagriparic.com/  My podcast with Kashif Khan https://youtu.be/CxQWIqcK2-w (00:00) - The Surprising Link Between Spiritual Evolution & Biological Aging (00:42) - Welcome to the Let It In Podcast (02:24) - The Importance of Consciousness (04:07) - The Interconnection of Health and Consciousness (05:33) - DNA Testing and Biological Age (07:31) - Understanding the Dunedin Pace Score (13:07) - Lifestyle Choices and Health (15:39) - Conclusion: Empowering Yourself with Knowledge  About me:My Instagram: www.instagram.com/guyhlawrence/?hl=en Guy's websites:www.guylawrence.com.au www.liveinflow.co''

In case you missed it, Pam Cook checks in with the doctor live at 6:20 AM on Wednesdays during Canton's Morning News to catch the latest news in health. This week, hear about the link between fluoride in water and better academic performance. He also covers hearing loss in teens, smartphone use at a young age and a drug price reduction for Ozempic and Wegovy.

Most people are aging far faster than they realize, and it often comes down to their daily routine. In this conversation, Dr. Darshan Shah breaks down the myths about aging, the health markers that actually matter, and three practical habits you can start this week to improve your energy and longevity. Watch The Dr. Josh Axe Show every Monday & Thursday on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjoshaxe

In this episode, Chris, Graeme and Neil discuss the latest FC updates, focusing on the Joga Bonito promo, player recommendations, and surprising performances. They share their experiences in FC26, highlight new heroes, and explore objectives and fun cards. The conversation wraps up with reflections on players that have exceeded expectations and the overall state of the game.TakeawaysThe Joga Bonito promo emphasizes flair and skill in gameplay.Players are finding the current FC content overpriced and less enjoyable.New tactics and formations can enhance the gaming experience.Certain players, like Alicia Thompson, are surprisingly effective despite their stats.The importance of play styles in player performance is highlighted.Heroes like Pablo Aymar and Cesc Fabregas bring nostalgia and excitement.Objectives in FIFA can be a fun way to engage with the game.Surprising player performances can keep players invested in FIFA.The community aspect of FC26, including Discord interactions, is valuable.The hosts express a mix of excitement and disappointment about the current state of FC26. Chapters00:00 Introduction to Joga Bonito and FC Gameplay03:05 Exploring the Joga Bonito Promo06:11 Player Highlights and Market Insights08:55 Evaluating New Heroes in FC11:55 Discussion on Evolution Cards and Their Value14:59 Fun Cards and Player Recommendations20:12 Chemistry and Player Evaluation23:02 Objectives and Gameplay Experience26:18 Promo Insights and Future Expectations27:49 Surprising Player Performances35:07 Gold Players Still in the GameCheck out our socials:X: https://twitter.com/futinreviewBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/futinreview.bsky.socialInstagram: https://instragram.com/futinreviewTolando's socials:https://x.com/Tolando77https://www.instagram.com/tolando77/?hl=enhttps://www.tiktok.com/@tolando77https://www.youtube.com/@Tolando77https://www.twitch.tv/tolando77Questions:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠futinreview@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/futinreview⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.futinreview.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/futinreview⁠

Join Dr. Martin in today's episode of The Doctor Is In Podcast.  

How do you build real allyship and create cultural change that actually sticks?This episode is one every leader should spend time with. Not because it's “nice to know,” but because the future of your culture depends on it.Lee Chambers, Founder & CEO of Male Allies UK, brings the kind of clarity and challenge most workplaces avoid. We talk about what it really takes to:Redefine outdated masculine stereotypesBuild workplaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and able to thriveLead in a way that strengthens culture rather than protects egoIt's a conversation that will stretch your thinking, spark uncomfortable-but-important questions, and give you practical ways to lead with more intention and courage.We also dig into Lee's research on young people, AI companionship, and how boys today are making sense of identity, relationships, and society. Some of it is hopeful. Some of it is confronting. All of it matters, especially if you're a parent or you lead the next generation.We cover:00:00 – Introduction 01:02 - What courage looks like for leaders today 02:31 – Why quiet courage matters as much as big gestures 03:49 – The tough decision to break with convention 06:06 – How stepping into new spaces changes your perspective 08:08 – The power of career “squiggles” and non-conformity 10:05 – Shedding old identities and building new ones as a leader 12:14 – What do boys really think about society? Surprising research findings 16:07 – Why boys care deeply but struggle to know how to help 20:08 – The decline of physical spaces for social connection 21:24 – Boys, girls and the challenges of communicating across gender 23:33 – Judgment vs. curiosity - what's holding us back? 27:20 – Navigating polarisation and building empathy at work 34:08 – Can younger and older generations find common ground? 43:50 – The rise of AI companions and what it means for young people 52:23 – Everyday bravery and the value of small changes over time 54:43 – How to focus on influence and control in uncertain timesDon't miss this thoughtful and practical conversation for anyone working in leadership or looking to create real change at work.

Fans reaction on the news about Chad Bumphis has been passionate. No matter how one feels about it, the Bulldogs have to move forward.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-boneyard/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Send us a textIn this special episode of the Strong by Design Podcast, host Coach Chris Wilson sits down with Coach Zach Zenios, creator of Ageless Shoulders, and Coach Andy Tzinberg, a seasoned pickleball instructor, for an eye-opening discussion about shoulder health and longevity on the court. Together, they explore why pickleball has exploded in popularity—especially among players over 50—and the hidden toll it can take on your body if you're not prepared.You'll discover what makes pickleball so addictive, the real reason so many players develop shoulder pain, and how small daily habits can make or break your performance. Coach Zach breaks down the concept of Frozen Blood Flow and explains why dynamic movement—not rest or ice—is the secret to lasting joint health. Coach Andy shares practical insights from his years coaching players of all levels, including smart warm-up strategies and techniques to avoid repetitive stress.Stay tuned as the conversation dives into the power of Indian Club training and how the Ageless Shoulders program is helping players restore mobility, strength, and confidence—so they can keep playing the game they love, pain-free, for years to come. Time Stamps00:46 — Welcome to the Strong by Design podcast!01:19 — Host Chris Wilson with special guests: Coaches Zach Zenios & Andy Tzinberg01:58 — What you'll uncover in today's episode03:20 — Get to know Coach Zach & Coach Andy06:25 — Why pickleball is exploding and what draws people in10:59 — Pickleball rating system… decoded14:28 — How Andy went from the classroom to the pickleball court16:22 — Inside Coach Zach's daily routine21:10 — What really attracts people to pickleball24:58 — Smart strategies for managing repetitive stress28:40 — One thing you should never forget before playing33:32 — Secrets to staying injury-free and performing at your peak41:25 — Hear Andy's first-ever Indian Club experience45:13 — Tips for anyone struggling with body pain49:25 — What really happens when we stop moving dynamically?53:44 — What's the most dominant motion in pickleball?58:18 — How do you train to truly get better?01:04:19 — Surprising ways Indian Clubs reshape your body and movement01:09:15 — Andy opens up about how the game transforms people's lives01:11:46 — How Ageless Shoulders can help you—revealed here!01:13:26 — Curious about the Ageless Shoulders program?01:14:39 — Please share and leave ratings & reviews for the Strong by Design podcast!  Resources:AgelessShoulders.com Connect with Coach Zach:Instagram Connect with Coach Andy:Instagram Connect with Coach Chris:InstagramUse Code 'SBD25' to save 25% on Neuro-Thrive - Keep your Christmas Memories Alive!Support the showConnect w/ CriticalBench: Youtube Facebook Instagram CriticalBench.com StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Despite the gaming's near-omnipresence in our city (airports, grocery stores, and every corner bar), surprisingly little is known about the gambling habits of locals. That's changed with the release of a landmark study just released at UNLV that looked into the rates of problem gambling in Nevada — spoiler: it's a lot higher here than it is nationwide. Co-host Dayvid Figler talks with the study's author, Andrea Dassopoulos, about the study's surprising findings, who is at highest risk (it's not who you think), and what can be done. Learn more about the sponsors of this December 10th episode: Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram, or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las Vegas. Learn more about becoming a City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor at membership.citycast.fm. Looking to advertise on City Cast Las Vegas? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

This special ‘Best of 2025' episode compiles standout insights from top mobile marketing leaders who joined Apptivate this year. Across five segments, the show digs into the realities of AI in ad production, growth lessons from global brands, the rise of community-driven retention, loyalty tactics for the holiday season, and the intersection of brand authenticity with performance marketing. Guests include Andre Kempe (Admiral Media), Luca Stefanutti (Adidas Running), Advi Bishnoi (Social Plus), Sue Azari (AppsFlyer), and Shilpa Reddy (Acorns/Down Under School of Yoga). Listen in for actionable solutions for growth, retention, creative production, and privacy-first engagement, plus practical advice on what really works in mobile right now.Key topics and questions:Where does AI in ad production create results, and where do humans still win?How do brands like Adidas Running turn experimentation into meaningful growth?Why is retention now the core of mobile growth - and how does community drive it?How can e-commerce brands use ‘Q5' and loyalty tactics to turn new installs into revenue?Is performance marketing and brand-building a single story? And what role do podcasts play in establishing trust?Timestamps:Segment 1: Andre Kempe, Admiral Media(1:05) Workflow: AI tools vs. human quality control(6:20) How much faster is creative production with AI?(7:40) Where AI makes the biggest impactSegment 2: Luca Stefanutti, Adidas Running(8:18) Surprising growth learnings(10:56) Turning insights into action(13:03) Creative strategy for user acquisitionSegment 3: Advi Bishnoi, Social Plus(15:15) Why retention is the real growth lever(16:38) Marketing silos and who owns retention(19:45) Organic engagement vs. promos/events(21:06) First-party data for privacy and insightSegment 4: Sue Azari, AppsFlyer(24:11) Defining Q5 and end-of-year cycles(25:22) Loyalty, remarketing, and channel tacticsSegment 5: Shilpa Reddy, Down Under School of Yoga (formerly Acorns)(34:10) Marketing flywheel: fit, LTV, brand(40:28) Brand investments in LTVQuotesAndre Kempe(8:06) “We have a better win rate or success rate with creatives that we are still manually producing, no matter what.”Luca Stefanutti(11:40) “I think here that the most important part is to have a key connection with certain people that are constantly, consistently working and have a growth mindset.”Advi Bishnoi(16:00) “A lot of times, the actual act of nurturing existing customers is left to, let's say, the business development department or the customer success department.”Sue Azari(24:20 ) “Q5 is typically the period that sits towards the end of December into January, where it's that next wave of the increase that we see in shopping app installs and purchases.”Shilpa Reddy(40:27) ”LTV almost by definition is long-term. It allows you to justify investments in brand.”Mentioned in this episode:Andre Kempe on LinkedInLuca Stefanutti on LinkedInAdvi Bishnoi on LinkedInSue Azari on LinkedInShilpa Reddy on LinkedInRemergeAll Apptivate episodes

In this powerful episode, we sit down with two passionate voices in agricultural mental health: Lauren Van Ewyk, CEO of the National Farmer Mental Health Alliance — speaker, registered social worker, therapist, foster mom, sheep farmer, and agricultural mental health advocate, and Bridgette Readel, partner at Ag Mafia and co-host of The Rural Well Podcast. Together, we have an honest, grounded conversation about the reality of farmer mental health, the emotional weight carried behind the scenes, and what happens when we finally start talking about the hard things. This episode explores the real stories, the silent struggles, and the hope that grows when rural communities feel seen, supported, and understood.   Guest Bios Lauren Van Ewyk CEO, National Farmer Mental Health Alliance. Lauren is a registered social worker, therapist, speaker, foster mom, sheep farmer, and national advocate for mental wellness in agriculture. Her work focuses on breaking stigma, increasing access to care, and creating real-world supports for farm families. Bridgette Readel Partner at Ag Mafia and co-host of The Rural Well Podcast. Bridgette brings a voice of honesty, relatability, and leadership to rural conversations, helping create space for real dialogue about stress, identity, and resilience in agriculture. Topics Covered in This Episode • Why they felt called to create a podcast focused on farmer mental health • The personal moments that made this work feel urgent and necessary • How the farm community's response has shaped their mission • Which podcast topics have resonated most deeply with listeners • Surprising themes and patterns that emerged through their interviews • What they've learned about mental wellness through these conversations • The emotional landscape of farmers today • What farmers are really carrying behind the scenes • Why farmers often stay silent about stress and struggle • The cultural and practical barriers to reaching out • Misconceptions about resilience in agriculture • Powerful stories and moments from their podcast journey • How to move past the "I'm fine" response • What real conversation looks like around the kitchen table and on the farm • How farm families can support one another through hard seasons • A message of hope for farmers listening right now Episode Highlights ✅ Honest, real conversations about mental health in agriculture ✅ Practical insight for farm families and rural communities ✅ Breaking stigma and normalizing support ✅ Powerful storytelling from inside the ag world If this episode resonated, share it with someone in agriculture who needs to hear this message: You are not alone, and your mental health matters. Thanks for tuning in, Tracy Brunet ============ SHOW RESOURCES - National Farmer Mental Health Alliance https://nfmha.ca - Rural Well Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rural-well/id1763638851 ============ ✅ CONNECT With The Impact Farming Show & Farm Marketer

What if menopause wasn't something to “power through”… but an invitation to rediscover who you really are? In this eye-opening episode of the Vibrant Living Podcast, I sit down with certified health coach and international bestselling author Alyson MacLeod to uncover the misunderstood world of menopause. With warmth, wisdom, and a little humor, Alyson shares her personal story of being thrown into early menopause at 43, gaining weight seemingly overnight, and losing her sense of identity, only to emerge with a new mission to help other women thrive, not just survive, this season.You'll learn:✔️ Why menopause impacts far more than just hormones (think: purpose, sleep, confidence, and even relationships)✔️ The 6-phase framework Alyson uses to help women recalibrate, restore, and lead from a place of wholeness✔️ How nutrition, movement, mindset, and faith play a powerful role in healing the body and rediscovering your spark✔️ Surprising myths and truths about menopause symptoms, and why you don't have to “just deal with it”If you're in the midst of this transition (or you love someone who is), this conversation will empower you with truth, tools, and hope.BONUS GIFT: Book a FREE 20-minute Soul Session with Alyson to discover what's really going on in your body and how to start feeling like you again:

Countdown: Top 10 Most Loved Brands of 2025#10 — Olive GardenBreadsticks! Endless salad.General excitement.#9 — Mountain Mike's PizzaNot a local option for the hosts.Quick note that it's a national brand.#8 — Texas RoadhouseAcknowledgment of local locations, including new ones.Share personal experiences.#7 — Nothing Bundt CakesSurprise at the ranking.Reactions to the popularity of the brand.#6 — BJ's Restaurant & BrewhousePraise for the food.Mention the famous Pizookie dessert.#5 — In-N-Out BurgerNot available locally, but loved by those who grew up with it.Funny note about order 67 being removed due to customers' antics.#4 — First WatchGreat breakfast spot.Hosts discuss visiting frequently.Quick mention of bar options (bottomless mimosas?).#3 — BBQ Chicken (all lowercase)Not familiar in Florida.Quick commentary on unknown brands on the list.#2 — Trader Joe'sHosts don't shop there because it's not nearby.Talk about its cult-like fan base.#1 — Dave's Hot ChickenHighlighted as the #1 most loved brand.Hosts discuss:New locations popping up everywhere.Traffic chaos near locations.Surprising fact: Drake and Samuel L. Jackson invested, helping its explosive growth.Clarify it's Dave's, not Drake's Hot Chicken.Personal desire to try it.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Post your thoughts here. If you want a reply email me at connectTFJ@yahoo.com. I look forward to hearing from you.Could Jesus tell time? The answer might surprise you! He never saw a clock, but Jesus knew exactly what time it was. This episode dives into the Bible idea of the "fullness of time," showing how Jesus seized a historic window to change the world through love rather than political violence. Discover a fresh perspective on the Christmas season that goes beyond tradition and connects Jesus's purposeful life to our modern daily grind, inspiring you to stop just watching the clock and start seizing your own life-changing moments.Segments include:Two Kinds of TimeA Time for a People to ChooseOur Fullness of Time--NowSupport the showSubscribe to this podcast for only $5 per month to get a monthly bonus episode, access to exclusive subscriber-only episodes, and the POSTINGS weekly newsletter on Substack with more resources for well-being! Subscribe at https://tracksforthejourney.buzzsprout.comEnjoy the Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@tracksforthejourney77

Unlock the hidden benefits of Medicare Supplement that most retirees never hear about. In this episode, we reveal five surprising Medicare Supplement facts that can save you money, expand your coverage, and give you greater peace of mind. From unexpected foreign travel perks to the power of guaranteed renewability, you'll learn why choosing a Medicare Supplement plan could be one of the smartest decisions you make for your retirement healthcare.

What if the very thing you think is impossible for your body is actually just one metabolic reset away?Dr. Katie Deming sits down with Jenny Davis, world-class judo athlete and elite track cyclist now navigating a stage 4 diagnosis. Jenny was doing everything right. She'd spent over a year mastering the metabolic approach with the discipline and precision of an elite athlete.Yet despite her discipline and conditioning, she struggled to get into ketosis. Then she completed a 30-day water fast with Dr. Katie, and something remarkable shifted. Within 20 hours of fasting now, her body enters the healing state that used to take days to reach. But the metabolic changes were just the beginning of what this experience unlocked.Chapters:04:30 - Becoming a fat burning machine07:20 - Letting go of genetic limits10:15 - World class athlete to cancer patient13:45 - Discovering the root causes17:50 - When grief surfaces in silence21:30 - The healing power of being seen26:10 - Messages from ancestral trauma31:40 - Surprising lab shifts after fasting36:20 - Vision, smell, and senses rebooted41:15 - Scars waking up to heal46:30 - Turning a tumor into a teacher52:10 - Meeting the authentic self againJenny shares processing grief she thought she'd already released, receiving messages from ancestors through vivid dreams, and watching her body heal surgical scars that were years old. Her eye doctor, physical therapist, and other specialists documented improvements that left them calling her body "a complete miracle." Yet the most profound shift wasn't captured in any lab result.Dr. Katie walks us through the science of what's happening during a prolonged fast, from mitochondrial rejuvenation to the body's innate intelligence taking over when we finally get out of its way.  Plus, you'll hear how Jenny's relationship with her remaining lung nodule transformed from viewing it as a ticking time bomb to seeing it as something entirely different.Stay until the end to hear her powerful reframAccess the FREE Water Fasting Masterclass Now: https://www.katiedeming.com/the-healing-power-of-fasting/ Transform your hydration with the system that delivers filtered, mineralized, and structured water all in one. Spring Aqua System: https://springaqua.info/drkatieMORE FROM KATIE DEMING M.D. Work with Dr. Katie: www.katiedeming.com 6 Pillars of Healing Cancer Workshop Series - Click Here to Enroll Follow Dr. Katie Deming on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiedemingmd/ Email: INFO@KATIEDEMING.COM Please Support the Show Share this episode with a friend or family member Give a Review on Spotify Give a Review on Apple Podcast Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5LplU70TE9i01tW_7Tozi8b6X6rGBKA2&si=ZXLy5PjM7daD6AV5 DISCLAIMER: The Born to Heal Podcast is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for seeking professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Individual medical histories are unique; therefore, this episode should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease without consulting your healthcare provider.

Brian discusses the MLB Winter Meetings and some players he thinks that the Red Sox may be interested in, including Pete Alonso. Then, he chats with The Ringer's Michael Pina about the surprisingly good Celtics, Neemias Queta's remarkable improvements, where Joe Mazzulla ranks among the NBA's best coaches, and more (21:30). Then, he and Jamie answer a listener email on the Pats (1:01:00). We want to hear from you! Leave Brian a message on the listener line at 617-396-7172. Or send us your questions for our mailbag at offthepike@gmail.com. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Brian Barrett Guest: Michael Pina Producer: Jamie McClellan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

# Exploring Cosmic Frontiers: Webb Telescope's Mind-Bending Discoveries | Space Cowboy PodcastJoin the Space Cowboy on a fascinating journey through the James Webb Space Telescope's most groundbreaking discoveries. This episode explores the surprisingly mature spiral galaxy Alaknanda that challenges our understanding of early universe formation, the record-breaking oldest supernova ever observed from just 730 million years after the Big Bang, and compelling evidence of "monster stars" that may have seeded the first supermassive black holes.Discover how gravitational lensing helped Webb capture unprecedented details of distant galaxies, learn about the ongoing "Hubble tension" mystery regarding the universe's expansion rate, and hear about surprising findings in our own solar system. This thoughtful, accessible exploration of cutting-edge astronomy reveals how Webb consistently shows us a universe that developed faster and more creatively than our models predicted.Perfect for astronomy enthusiasts, space science fans, and anyone curious about our cosmic origins, this episode delivers frontier astrophysics with the Space Cowboy's signature contemplative style.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.aiThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

What does it really take to build a multi-six-figure author business with no advertising? Is running your own warehouse really necessary for direct sales success — or is there a simpler path using print-on-demand that works just as well? In this conversation, Sacha Black and I compare our very different approaches to selling direct, from print on demand to pallets of books, and explore why the right model depends entirely on who you are and what your goals are for your author business. In the intro, Memoir Examples and interviews [Reedsy, The Creative Penn memoir tips]; Written Word Media annual indie author survey results; Successful Self-Publishing Fourth Edition; Business for Authors webinars; Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant; Camino Portuguese Coastal on My Camino Podcast; Creating while Caring Community with Donn King; The Buried and the Drowned by J.F. Penn Today's show is sponsored by Bookfunnel, the essential tool for your author business. Whether it's delivering your reader magnet, sending out advanced copies of your book, handing out ebooks at a conference, or fulfilling your digital sales to readers, BookFunnel does it all. Check it out at bookfunnel.com/thecreativepenn This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Sacha Black is the author of YA and non-fiction for authors and previously hosted The Rebel Author Podcast. As Ruby Roe, she is a multi-six-figure author of sapphic romantasy. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights, and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Two models for selling direct: print on demand vs running your own warehouse. Plus, check out Sacha's solo Rebel Author episode about the details of the warehouse. Cashflow management Kickstarter lessons: pre-launch followers, fulfillment time, and realistic timelines How Sacha built a multi-six-figure business through TikTok with zero ad spend Matching your business model to your personality and skill set Building resilience: staff salaries, SOPs, and planning for when things change You can find Ruby at RubyRoe.co.uk and on TikTok @rubyroeauthor and on Instagram @sachablackauthor Transcript of the interview Joanna: Sacha Black is the author of YA and nonfiction for authors, and previously hosted the Rebel Author podcast. As Ruby Roe, she is a multi-six-figure author of sapphic romance. So welcome back to the show, Sacha. Sacha: Hello. Thank you for having me. It's always a pleasure to be here. Joanna: I'm excited to talk to you today. Now, just for context, for everybody listening, Sacha has a solo episode on her Rebel Author podcast, last week as we record this, which goes into specific lessons around the warehouse in more detail, including financials. So we are going to come at this from a slightly different angle in our discussion today, which is really about two different ways of doing selling direct. I want us to start though, Sacha, in case people don't know your background, in case they've missed out. Can you just give us a quick recap of your indie author journey, because you haven't just come out of nowhere and jumped into this business and done incredibly well? Sacha's Indie Author Journey Sacha: No, I really haven't. Okay. So 2013, I started writing. So 12 years ago I started writing with the intention to publish, because I was writing before, but not with the intention. 2017 I first self-published and then two years after that, in 2019, I quit the day job. But let me be clear, it wasn't because I was rolling in self-published royalties or commissions or whatever you want to call them. I was barely scraping by. And so those are what I like to call my hustle years because I mean, I still hustle, but it was a different kind. It was grind and hustle. So I did a lot of freelance work. I did a lot of VA work for other authors. I did speaking, I was podcasting, teaching courses, and so on and so forth. 2022, in the summer, I made a realisation that I'd created another job for myself rather than a business that I wanted to grow and thrive in and was loving life and all of that stuff. And so I took a huge risk and I slowed down everything, and I do mean everything. I slowed down the speaking, I slowed down the courses, I slowed down the nonfiction, and — I poured everything into writing what became the first Ruby Roe book. I published that in February 2023. In August/September 2023, I stopped all freelance work. And to be clear, at that point, I also wasn't entirely sure if I was going to be able to pay my bills with Ruby, but I could see that she had the potential there and I was making enough to scrape by. And there's nothing if not a little bit of pressure to make you work hard. So that is when I stopped the freelance. And then in November 2023, so two months later, I started TikTok in earnest. And then a month after that, December the eighth, I went viral. And then what's relevant to this is that two days after that, on December the 10th, I had whipped up my minimum viable Shopify, and that went live. Then roll on, I did more of the same, published more Ruby Roe books. I made a big change to my Shopify. So at that point it was still print on demand Shopify, and then February 2025, I took control and took the reins and rented a warehouse and started fulfilling distribution myself. The Ten-Year Overnight Success Joanna: So great. So really good for people to realise that 2013, you started writing with the intention, like, seriously, I want this to be what I do. And it was 2019 when you quit the day job, but really it was 2023 when you actually started making decent money, right? Sacha: Almost like we all need 10 years. Joanna: Yeah. I mean, it definitely takes time. So I wanted just to set that scene there. And also that you did at least a year of print on demand Shopify before getting your own warehouse. Sacha: Yeah, maybe 14 months. Joanna: Yeah, 14 months. Okay. So we are going to revisit some of these, but I also just want as context, what was your day job so people know? Sacha: So I was a project manager in a local government, quite corporate, quite conservative place. And I played the villain. It was great. I would helicopter into departments and fix them up and look at processes that were failing and restructure things and bring in new software and bits and bobs like that. The Importance of Business Skills Joanna: Yeah. So I think that's important too, because your job was fixing things and looking at processes, and I feel like that is a lot of what you've done and we'll revisit that. Sacha: How did I not realise that?! Joanna: I thought you did know that. No. Well, oh my goodness. And let's just put my business background in context. I'm sure most people have heard it before, but I was an IT consultant for about 13 years, but much of my job was going into businesses and doing process mapping and then doing software to fix that. And also I worked, I'm not an accountant, but I worked in financial accounting departments. So I think this is really important context for people to realise that learning the craft is one thing, but learning business is a completely different game, right? Sacha: Oh, it is. I have learnt — it's wild because I always feel like there's no way you can learn more than in your first year of publishing because everything is brand new. But I genuinely feel like this past 18 months I have learnt as much, if not more, because of the business, because of money, because of all of the other legal regulation type changes in the last 18 months. It's just been exhausting in terms of learning. It's great, but also it is a lot to learn. There is just so much to business. Joanna's Attempts to Talk Sacha Out of the Warehouse Joanna: So that's one thing. Now, I also want to say for context, when you decided to start a warehouse, how much effort did I put into trying to persuade you not to do this? Sacha: Oh my goodness, me. I mean a lot. There were probably two dinners, several coffees, a Zoom. It was like, don't do it. Don't do it. You got me halfway there. So for everybody listening, I went big and I was like, oh, I'm going to buy shipping containers and convert them and put them on a plot of land and all of this stuff. And Joanna very sensibly turned around and was like, hmm, why don't you rent somewhere that you can bail out of if it doesn't work? And I was like, oh yeah, that does sound like a good idea. Joanna: Try it, try it before you really commit. Okay. So let's just again take a step back because the whole point of doing this discussion for me is because you are doing really well and it is amazing what you are doing and what some other people are doing with warehouses. But I also sell direct and in the same way as you used to, which is I use Bookfunnel for ebooks and audiobooks and I use BookVault for print on demand books, and people can also use Lulu. That's another option for people. So you don't have to do direct sales in the way that you've done it. And part of the reason to do this episode was to show people that there are gradations of selling direct. Why Sell Direct? Joanna: But I wanted to go back to the basics around this. Why might people consider selling direct, even in a really simple way, for example, just ebooks from their website, or what might be reasons to sell direct rather than just sending everything to Amazon or other stores? Sacha: I think, well, first of all, it depends on what you want as a business model. For me, I have a similar background to you in that I was very vulnerable when I was in corporate because of redundancies, and so that bred a bit of control freakness inside me. And having control of my customers was really important to me. We don't get any data from Amazon or Kobo really, or anywhere, even though all of these distributors are incredible for us in our careers. We don't actually have direct access to readers, and you do with Shopify. You know everything about your reader, and that is priceless. Because once you have that data and you have delivered a product, a book, merchandise, something that that reader values and appreciates, you can then sell to them again and again and again. I have some readers who have been on my website who have spent almost four figures now. I mean, that is just — one person's done that and I have thousands of people who are coming to the website on a regular basis. So definitely that control and access to readers is a huge reason for doing it. Customising the Reader Relationship Sacha: And also I think that you can, depending on how you do this model, there are ways to do some of the things I'm going to talk about digitally as well. But for me, I really like the physical aspect of it. We are able to customise the relationship with our customers. We can give them more because we are in control of delivery. And so by that I mean we could give art prints, which lots of my readers really value. We can do — you could send those digitally if you wanted to, but we can add in extra freebies like our romance pop sockets, that makes them feel like they are part of my reader group. They're part of a community. It creates this belonging. So I think there is just so much more that you can do when you are in control of that relationship and in control of the access to it. Joanna: Yeah. And on that, I mean, one of the reasons we can do really cool print books — and again, we're going to come back to print on demand, but I use print on demand. You don't have to buy pallets of books as Sacha does. You can just do print on demand. Obviously the financials are different, but I can still do foiling and custom end papers and ribbons and all this with print on demand through BookVault custom printing and bespoke printing. The Speed of Money Joanna: But also, I think the other thing with the money — I don't know if you even remember this, because it's very different when you are selling direct — you can set up your system so you get paid like every single day, right? Or every week? Sacha: Yes. Joanna: So the money is faster because with Amazon, with any of these other systems, it can take 30, 60, 90 days for the money to get to you. So faster money, you are in more control of the money. And you can also do a lot more things like bundling and like you mentioned, much higher value that you could offer, but you can also make higher income. Average order value per customer because you have so many things, right? So that speed of money is very different. Sacha: It is, but it's also very dangerous. I know we might talk about cashflow more later, but— Joanna: Let's talk about it now. Managing Cashflow With Multiple Bank Accounts Sacha: Okay, cool. So one of the things that I think is the most valuable thing that I've ever done is, someone who is really clever told me that you're allowed more than one business account. Joanna: Just to be clear, bank accounts? Sacha: Yes, sorry. Yeah. Bank accounts. And one of my banks in particular enables you to have mini banks inside it, mini pots they call it. And what I do with pre-orders is I treat it a bit like Amazon. So that money will come in — you know, I do get paid daily pretty much — but I then siphon it off every week into a pot. So let's just say I've got one book on pre-order. Every week the team tells me how much we've got in pre-orders for that one product and all the shipping money, and I put it into an account and I leave it there. And I do not touch it unless it is to pay for the print run of that book or to pay for the shipping. Because one of the benefits of coming direct to me is that I promise to ship all pre-orders early, so we have to pay the shipping costs before necessarily Amazon might pay for its shipping costs because they only release on the actual release day. But that has enabled me to have a little savings scheme, but also guarantee that I can pay for the print run in advance because I haven't accidentally spent that money on something else or invested it. I've kept it aside and it also helps you track numbers as well, so you know how well that pre-order is doing financially. Understanding Cashflow as an Author Joanna: Yeah. And this cashflow, if people don't really know it, is the difference between when money comes in and when it goes out. So another example, common to many authors, is paying for advertising. So for example, if you run some ads one month, you're going to have to pay, let's say Facebook or BookBub or whoever, that month. You might not get the money from the sale of those books if it's from a store until two months later. In that case, the cash flows the other way. The money is sitting with the store, sitting on Amazon until they pay you later. This idea of cashflow is so important for authors to think about. Another, I guess even more basic example is you are writing your first book and you pay for an editor. Money goes out of your bank account and then hopefully you're going to sell some books, but that might take, let's say six months, and then some money will come back into your bank account. I think this understanding cashflow is so important at a small level because as it gets bigger and bigger — and you are doing these very big print runs now, aren't you? Talk a bit about that. The Risks of Print Runs Sacha: Yeah. So one of the things I was going to say, one of the benefits of your sell direct model is that you don't have to deal with mistakes like this one. So in my recent book, Architecti, that we launched at the end of September, we did a print run of a thousand books, maybe about 3,000 pounds, something like that, 2,000 pounds. And basically we ended up selling all thousand and more. So the pre-orders breached a thousand and we didn't have enough books. But what made that worse is that 20% of the books that arrived were damaged because there had been massive rain. So we then had to do a second print run, which is bad for two reasons. The first reason is that one, that space, two, the time it's going to take to get to you — it's not instant, it's not printed on demand. But also three, I then had to spend the same amount of money again. And actually if we had ordered 2,000 originally, we would've saved a bit more money on it per book. So you don't — if you are doing selling direct with a print on demand model, the number of pre-orders you get is irrelevant because they'll just keep printing, and you just get charged per copy. So there are benefits and disadvantages to doing it each way. Obviously, I'm getting a cheaper price per copy printed, but not if I mess up the order numbers. Is Running a Warehouse Just Another Job? Joanna: So I'm going to come back on something you said earlier, which was in 2022 you said, “I realised I made a job for myself.” Sacha: Yeah. Joanna: And I mean, I've been to your store. You obviously have people to help you. But one of my reservations about this kind of model is that even if you have people to help you, taking on physical book — even though you are not printing them yourself, you're still shipping them all and you're signing them all. And to me it feels like a job. So maybe talk about why you have continued — you have pretty much decided to continue with your warehouse. So why is this not a job? What makes this fun for you? The Joy of Physical Product Creation Sacha: I wish that listeners could see my face because I'm literally glittering. I love it. I literally love it. I love us being able to create cool and wacky things. We can make a decision and we can create that physical product really quickly. We can do all of these quirky things. We can experiment. We can do book boxes. So first of all, it's the creativity in the physical product creation. I had no idea how much I love physical product creation, but there is something extremely satisfying about us coming up with an idea that's so integrated in the book. So for example, one of my characters uses, has a coin, a yes/no coin. She's an assassin and she flips it to decide whether or not she's going to assassinate somebody. We've actually designed and had that coin made, and it's my favourite item in the warehouse. It's such a small little thing, but I love it. And so there is a lot of joy that I derive from us being able to create these items. Sending Book Mail and Building Community Sacha: I think the second thing is I really love book mail. There is no better gift somebody can give me than a book. And so I do get a lot of satisfaction from knowing we're sending out lots and lots of book presents to people and we get to add more to it. So some of the promises that we make are: I sign every book and we give gifts. We have character art and, like I've mentioned before, pop sockets and all these kinds of things. And I get tagged daily in unboxings and stories and things like this where people are like, oh my gosh, I didn't realise I was going to get this, this, and this. And I just — it's like crack to me. I get high off of it. So I can't — this is not for everybody. This is a logistical nightmare. There are so many problems inherent in this business model. I love it. Discovering a Love of Team Building Sacha: And I think the other thing, which is very much not for a lot of authors — I did not realise that I actually really like having a team. And that has been a recent realisation. I really was told that I'm not a team player when I was in corporate, that I work alone, all of this nonsense. And I believed that and taken it on. But finding the right team, the right people who love the jobs that they do inside your business and they're all as passionate as you, is just life changing. And so that also helps me continue because I have a really great team. Joanna: I do have to ask you, what is a pop socket? Sacha: It's a little round disc that has a mechanism that you can pull out and then you — and it has a sticky command strip back and you can pop it on the back of your phone or on the back of a Kindle and it helps you to hold it. I don't know how else to describe it. It just helps you to hold the device easier. Joanna: Okay. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was confused. I'm like, why are you doing electrical socket products? Know What Kind of Person You Are Joanna: But I think this actually does demonstrate another point, and I hope people listening — I hope you can sort of — why we are doing this partly is to help you figure out what kind of person you are as well. Because I can't think of anything worse than having lots of little boxes! And I've been in Sacha's thing and there's all these little stickers and there's lots of boxes of little things that they put in people's packages, which make people happy. And I'm like, oh, I just don't like packages of things. And I mean, you geek out on packaging, don't you as well? Sacha: Oh my goodness. Yeah. One of the first things I did when we got the warehouse was I actually went to a packaging expo in Birmingham. It was like this giant conference place and I just nerded out there. It was so fun. And one of the things that I'm booked to do is an advent calendar. And that was what drove me there in the first place. I was looking for a manufacturer that could create an advent calendar for us. I have two. I'm not — I have two advent calendars this year because I love them so much. But yeah, the other thing that I was going to say to you is I often think that as adults, we can find what we're supposed to do rooted in our childhood. And I was talking the other day and someone said to me, what toy do you remember from your youth? And I was like, oh yeah. The only one that I can remember is that I had a sticker maker. I like — that makes sense. You do like stickers. And I do. Yeah. Digital Minimalism vs Physical Products Joanna: Yeah, I do. And I think this is so important because I love books. I buy a lot of books. I love books, but I also get rid of a lot of books. I know people hate this, but I will just get rid of bags and bags of books. So I value books more for what's inside them than the physical product as such. I mean, I have some big expensive, beautiful books, but mostly I want what's in them. So it's really interesting to me. And I think there's a big difference between us is just how much you like all that stuff. So if you are listening, if you are like a digital minimalist and you don't want to have stuff around your house, you definitely don't want a warehouse. You don't want all the shipping bits and bobs. You are not interested in all that. Or even if you are, you can still do a lot of this print on demand. Then I think that's just so important, isn't it? I mean, did you look at the print on demand merch? Did you find anything you liked? The Draw of Customisation Sacha: Yeah, we did, but I think for me it was that customisation. We are now moving towards — I've just put an order in this morning for 10,000 customised boxes. We've got our own branding on them. We've got a little naughty, cheeky message when they flip up the flap. And it's little things like that that you can't — you know, we wouldn't have control over what was sent. So much of what I wanted, and some of the reasons for me doing it, is that I wanted to be able to sign the books. I was being asked on a daily basis if people could buy signed books from me, and it was driving me bonkers not being able to say yes. But also being able to send a website mailing list sign-up in the box, or being able to give them a discount in the box. I mean, I know you do that, but yeah, there was just a lot more customisation and things that we could do if we were controlling the shipping. Also, I wanted to pack the boxes, the books better. So we wanted to be able to bubble wrap things or we wanted to be able to waterproof things because we had various different issues with deliveries and so we wanted a bit more control over that. So yeah, there were just so many reasons for us to do it. Print on Demand Is Still Fantastic Sacha: Look, don't get me wrong, if I suddenly wanted to go off travelling for a year, then maybe I would shut down the warehouse and go back to print on demand. I think print on demand is fantastic. I did it for 14 months before I decided to open a warehouse. It is the foundation of most authors' models. So it's fantastic. I just want to do more. Joanna: Yeah. You want to do more of it. Life Stage Matters Joanna: We should also, I also wanted to mention your life stage. Because when we did talk about it, your son is just going to secondary school, so we knew that you would be in the same area, right? Sacha: Yeah. Joanna: Because I said to you, you can't just do this and — well, you can, you could ditch it all. But the better decision is to do this for a certain number of years. If you're going to do it, it needs time, right? So you are at that point in your life. Sacha: Yeah, absolutely. We — I mean, we are going to move house, I think, but not that far away. We'll still be in reachable distance of the warehouse. And yeah, the staying power is so important because it's also about raising awareness. You have to train readers to come to you. You have to show them why it's beneficial for them to order directly from you. Growing the Business Year Over Year Sacha: And then you also have to be able to iterate and add more products. Like you were talking earlier about increasing that average order value. And that does come from having more products, but more products does create other issues like space, which may or may not be suffering issues with now. But yeah, so for example, 2024, which was the first real year, I did about 73 and a half thousand British pounds. And then this year, where — as we record this, it's actually the 1st of December — and I'm on 232,000. So from year one to year two, it's a huge difference. And that I do think is about the number of products and the number of things that we have on there. Joanna: And the number of customers. I guess you've also grown your customer base as well. And one of the rules, I guess, in inverted commas, of publishing is that the money is in the backlist. And every time you add to your backlist and every launch, you are selling a lot more of your backlist as well. So I think as time goes on, yeah, you get more books. Kickstarter as an Alternative Joanna: But let's also talk about Kickstarter because I do signed books for my Kickstarters and to me the Kickstarter is like a short-term ability to do the things you are doing regularly. So for example, if you want to do book boxes, you could just do them for a Kickstarter. You don't have to run a warehouse and do it every single day. For example, your last Kickstarter for Ruby Roe made around 150,000 US dollars, which is amazing. Like really fantastic. So just maybe talk about that, any lessons from the Kickstarter specifically, because I feel like most people, for most people listening, they are far more likely to do a Kickstarter than they are to start a warehouse. Pre-Launch Followers Are Critical Sacha: Yeah, so the first thing is even before you start your Kickstarter, the pre-launch follow accounts are critical. So a lot of people think — well, I guess there's a lot of loud noise about all these big numbers about how much people can make on Kickstarter, but actually a lot of it is driven by you, the author, pushing your audience to Kickstarter. So we actually have a formula now. Somebody more intelligent gave this to me, but essentially, based on my own personal campaign data — so this wouldn't necessarily be the same for other people — but based on my campaign data, each pre-launch follower is worth 75 pounds. And then we add on seven grand, for example. So on campaign three, which was the most recent one, I had 1,501 pre-launch followers. And when you times that by 75 and you add on seven grand, it makes more or less exactly what we made on the campaign. And the same formula can be applied to the others. So you need more pre-launch followers than you think you do. And lots of people don't put enough impetus on the marketing beforehand. Almost all of our Kickstarter marketing is beforehand because we drive so many people to that follow button. Early Bird Pricing and Fulfillment Time Sacha: And then the other thing that we do is that we do early bird pricing. So we get the majority of our income on a campaign on day one. I think it was something wild, like 80% this time was on day one, so that's really important. The second thing is it takes so, so very much longer than you think it does to fulfil a campaign, and you must factor in that cost. Because if it's not you fulfilling, you are paying somebody else to fulfil it. And if it is you fulfilling it, you must account for your own time in the pricing of your campaign. And the other thing is that the amount of time it takes to fulfil is directly proportionate to the size of the campaign. That's one thing I did not even compute — the fact that we went from about 56,000 British pounds up to double that, and the time was exponentially more than double. So you do have to think about that. Overseas Printing and Timelines Sacha: The other lesson that we have learned is that overseas printing will drag your timelines out far longer than you think it does. So whatever you think it's going to take you to fulfil, add several months more onto that and put that information in your campaign. And thankfully, we are now only going to be a month delayed, whereas lots of campaigns get up to a year delayed because they don't consider that. Reinvesting Kickstarter Profits Sacha: And then the last thing I think, which was really key for us, is that if you have some profit in the Kickstarter — because not all Kickstarters are actually massively profitable because they either don't account enough for shipping or they don't account enough in the pricing. Thankfully, ours have been profitable, but we've actually reinvested that profit back into buying more stock and more merchandise, which not everybody would want to do if they don't have a warehouse. However, we are stockpiling merchandise and books so that we can do mystery boxes later on down the line. It's probably a year away, but we are buying extra of everything so that we have that in the warehouse. So yeah, depending on what you want to do with your profit, for us it was all about buying more books, basically. Offering Something Exclusive Sacha: I think the other thing to think about is what is it that you are doing that's exclusive to Kickstarter? Because you will get backers on Kickstarter who want that quirky, unique thing that they're not going to be able to get anywhere else. But what about you? Because you've done more Kickstarters than me. What do you think is the biggest lesson you've learned? Reward Tiers and Bundling Joanna: Oh, well I think all of mine together add up to the one you just did. Although I will comment on — you said something like 75 pounds per pre-launch backer. That is obviously dependent on your tiers for the rewards, so most authors won't have that amount. So my average order value, which I know is slightly different, but I don't offer things like book boxes like you have. So a lot of it will depend on the tiers. Some people will do a Kickstarter just with an ebook, just with one ebook and maybe a bundle of ebooks. So you are never going to make it up to that kind of value. So I think this is important too, is have a look at what people offer on their different levels of Kickstarter. And in fact, here's my AI tip for the day. What you can do — what I did with my Buried and the Drowned campaign recently — is I uploaded my book to ChatGPT and said, tell me, what are some ideas for the different reward tiers that I can do on Kickstarter? And it will give you some ideas for what you can do, what kind of bundles you might want to do. So I think bundling your backlist is another thing you can do as upsells, or you can just, for example, for me, when I did Blood Vintage, I did a horror bundle when it was four standalone horror books in one of the upper tiers. So I think bundling is a good way. Also upselling your backlist is a really good way to up things. And also if you do it digitally, so for ebooks and audiobooks, there's a lot less time in fulfillment. Focus on Digital Products Too Joanna: So again, yours — well, you make things hard, but also more fun according to you, because most of it's physical, right? In fact, this is one of the things you haven't done so well, really, is concentrate on the digital side of things. Is that something you are thinking about now? Sacha: Yeah, it is. I mean, we do have our books digitally on the website. So the last — I only had one series in Kindle Unlimited, and I took those out in January. But so we do have all of the digital products on the website, and the novellas that we do, we have in all formats because I narrate the audio for them. So that is something that we're looking at. And since somebody very smart told me to have upsell apps on my website, we now have a full “get the everything bundle” in physical and digital and we are now selling them as well. Surprising. Definitely not you. So yeah, we are looking at it and that's something that we could look at next year as well for advertising because I haven't really done any advertising. I think I've spent about 200 pounds in ads in the last four months or something. It's very, very low level. So that is a way to make a huge amount of profit because the cost is so low. So your return, if you're doing a 40 or 50 pound bundle of ebooks and you are spending, I don't know, four pounds in advertising to get that sale, your return on that investment is enormous for ads. So that is something that we are looking at for next year, but it just hasn't been something that we've done a huge amount of. A Multi-Six-Figure Author With No Ads Joanna: Yeah. Well, just quoting from your solo episode where you say, “I don't have any advertising costs, customers are from my mailing list, TikTok and Instagram.” Now, being as you are a multi-six-figure author with no ads, this is mostly unthinkable for many authors. And so I wonder if, maybe talk about that. How do you think you have done that and can other people potentially emulate it, or do you think it's luck? It's Not Luck, It's Skill Set Sacha: Do you know, this is okay. So I don't think it's luck. I don't believe in luck. I get quite aggressive about people flinging luck around. I know some people are huge supporters of luck. I'm like, no. Do I think anybody can do it? Do you know, I swing so hard on this. Sometimes I say yes, and sometimes I think no. And I think the brutal truth of it is that I know where my skill set lies and I lean extremely heavily into it. So what do I mean by that? TikTok and Instagram are both very visual mediums. It is video footage. It is static images. I am extremely comfortable on camera. I am an ex-theatre kid. I was on TV as a kid. I did voiceover work when I was younger. This is my wheelhouse. So acting a bit like a tit on TikTok on a video, I am very comfortable at doing that, and I think that is reflected in the results. Consistency Without Burnout Sacha: And the other part of it is because I am comfortable at doing it, I enjoy it. It makes me laugh. And therefore it feels easy. And I think because it feels easy, I can do it over and over and over again without burning out. I started posting on TikTok on November the 19th, 2023, and I have posted three times a day every day since. Every single day without stopping, and I do not feel burnt out. And I definitely feel like that is because it's easy for me because I am good at it. Reading the Algorithm Sacha: The other thing that I think goes in here is that I'm very good at reading what's working. So sorry to talk Clifton Strengths, but my number one Clifton Strength is competition. And one of the skills that has is understanding the market. We're very good at having a wide view. So not only do I read the market on Amazon or in bookstores or wherever I can, it's the same skill set but applied to the algorithm. So I am very good at dissecting viral videos and understanding what made it work, in the same way somebody that spends 20,000 pounds a month on Facebook advertising is very good at doing analytics and looking at those numbers. I am useless at that. I just can't do it. I just get complete shutdown. My brain just says no, and I'm incapable of running ads. That's why I don't do it. Not Everyone Can Do This Sacha: So can anybody do this? Maybe. If you are comfortable on camera, if you enjoy it. It's like we've got a mutual friend, Adam Beswick. We call him the QVC Book Bitch because he is a phenomenon on live videos on TikTok and Instagram and wherever he can sell. Anything on those lives. It is astonishing to watch the sales pop in as he's on these lives. I can't think of anything worse. I will do a live, but I'll be signing books and having a good old chitchat. Not like it's — like that hand selling. Another author, Willow Winters, has done like 18 in-person events this year. I literally die on the inside hearing that. But that's what works for them and that's what's helping grow their business models. So ah, honestly, no. I actually don't think anybody can do what I've done. I think if you have a similar skill set to me, then yes you can. But no, and I know that I don't want to crush anybody listening. Do you like social media? I like social media. Do you like being on camera? Then yeah, you can do it. But if you don't, then I just think it's a waste of your time. Find out what you are good at, find out where your skill set is, and then lean in very, very hard. Writing to Your Strengths and Passion Joanna: I also think, because let's be brutal, you had books before and they didn't sell like this. Sacha: Yep. Joanna: So I also think that you leaned into — yes, of course, sapphic romance is a big sub-genre, but you love it. And also it's your lived experience with the sapphic sub-genre. This is not you chasing a trend, right? I think that's important too because too many people are like, oh, well maybe this is the latest trend. And is TikTok a trend? And then try and force them together, whereas I feel like you haven't done that. Sacha: No, and actually I spoke to lots of people who were very knowledgeable on the market and they all said, don't do it. And the reason for this is that there were no adult lesbian sapphic romance books that were selling when I looked at the market and decided that this was what I wanted to write. And I was like, cool, I'm going to do it then. And rightly so, everyone was like, well, there's no evidence to suggest that this is going to make any money. You are taking a huge risk. And I was like, yeah, but I will. I knew from the outset before I even put a word to the page how I was going to market it. And I think that feeling of coming home is what I — I created a home for myself in my books and that is why it's just felt so easy to market. Lean Into What You're Good At Sacha: It's like you, with your podcasting. Nobody can get anywhere near your podcast because you are so good at it. You've got such a history. You are so natural with your podcasting that you are just unbeatable, you know? So it's a natural way for you to market it. Joanna: Many have tried, but no, you're right. It's because I like this. And what's so funny — I'm sure I've mentioned it on the show — but I did call you one day and say, okay, all right, show me how to do this TikTok thing. And you spent like two hours on the phone with me and then I basically said no. Okay. I almost tried and then I just went, no, this is definitely not for me. And I think that this has to be one of the most important things as an author. Maybe some people listening are just geeking out over packaging like you are, and maybe they're the people who might look at this potential business model. Whereas some people are like me and don't want to go anywhere near it. And then other people like you want to do video and maybe other people like me want to do audio. So yeah, it's so important to find, well, like you said, what does not work for you? What is fun for you and when are you having a good time? Because otherwise you would have a job. Like to me, it looks like a job, you having a warehouse. But to you, it's not the same as when you were grinding it out back in 2022. Packing Videos Are Peak Content Sacha: Completely. And I think if you look at my social media feeds, they are disproportionately full of packing videos, which I think tells you something. Joanna: Oh dear. I just literally — I'm just like, oh my, if I never see any more packaging, I'll be happy. Sacha: Yeah. That's good. The One Time Sacha Nearly Burnt It All Down Sacha: I have to say, there was one moment where I doubted everything. And that was at the end — but basically, in about, of really poor timing. I ended up having to fulfil every single pre-order of my latest release and hand packing about a thousand books in two weeks. And I nearly burnt it all to the ground. Joanna: Because you didn't have enough staffing, right? And your mum was sick or something? Sacha: Yeah, exactly that. And I had to do it all by myself, and I was alone in the warehouse and it was just horrendous. So never again. But hey, I learned the lessons and now I'm like, yay, let's do it again. Things Change: Building Resilience Into Your Business Joanna: Yeah. And make sure there's more staffing. Yes, I've talked a lot on this show — things change, right? Things change. And in fact, the episode that just went out today as we record this with Jennifer Probst, which she talked about hitting massive bestseller lists and doing just incredibly well, and then it just dropped off and she had to pivot and change things. And I'm not like Debbie Downer, but I do say things will change. So what are you putting in place to make sure, for example, TikTok finally does disappear or get banned, or that sapphic romance suddenly drops off a cliff? What are you doing to make sure that you can keep going in the future? Managing Cash Flow and Salaries Sacha: Yeah, so I think there's a few things. The first big one is managing cash flow and ensuring that I have three to six months' worth of staff salaries, for want of a better word, in an account. So if the worst thing happens and sales drop off — because I am responsible for other people's income now — that I'm not about to shaft a load of people. So that really helps give you that risk reassurance. Mailing Lists and Marketing Funnels Sacha: The second thing is making sure that we are cultivating our mailing lists, making sure that we are putting in infrastructure, like things like upsell apps. And, okay, so here's a ridiculous lesson that I learned in 2025: an automation sequence, an onboarding automation sequence, is not what people mean when they say you need a marketing funnel. I learned this in Vegas. A marketing funnel will sell your products to your existing readers. So when a customer signs up to your mailing list because they've purchased something, they will be tagged and then your email flow system will then send them a 5% discount on this, or “did you know you could bundle up and get blah?” So putting that kind of stuff in place will mean that we can take more advantage of the customers that we've already got. Standard Operating Procedures Sacha: It's also things like organisational knowledge. My team is big enough now that there are things in my business I don't know how to do. That's quite daunting for somebody who is a control freak. So I visited Vegas in 2025 and I sat in a session all on — this sounds so sexy — but standard operating procedures. And now I've given my team the job of creating a process instruction manual on how they do each of their tasks so that if anybody's sick, somebody else can pick it up. If somebody leaves, we've got that infrastructure in place. And even things down to things like passwords — who, if I unfortunately got hit by a car, who can access my Amazon account? Stuff like that, unfortunately. Joanna: Yeah, I know. Well, I mean, that would be tragic, wouldn't it? Sacha: But it's stuff like that. Building Longer Timelines Sacha: But then also more day-to-day things is putting in infrastructure that pulls me out. So looking more at staffing responsibilities for staffing so that I don't always have to be there, and creating longer timelines. That is probably the most important thing that we can do because we've got a book box launching next summer. And we both had the realisation — I say we, me and my operations manager — had the realisation that actually we ought to be commissioning the cover and the artwork now because of how long those processes take. So I'm a little bit shortsighted on timelines, I think. So putting a bit more rigour in what we do and when. We now have a team-wide heat map where we know when the warehouse is going to be really, really full, when staff are off, when deliveries are coming, and that's projected out a year in advance. So lots and lots of things that are changing. And then I guess also eventually we will do advertising as well. But that is a few months down the line. Personal Financial Resilience Sacha: And then on the more personal side, it's looking at things like not just how you keep the business running, but how do you keep yourself running? How do you make sure that, let's say you have a bad sales month, but you still have to pay your team? How are you going to get paid? So I, as well as having put staff salaries away, I also have my own salary. I've got a few months of my own salary put away. And then investing as well. I know, I am not a financial advisor, but I do invest money. I serve money that I pay myself. You can also do things like having investment vehicles inside your business if you want to deal with extra cash. And then I am taking advice from my accountant and my financial advisor on do I put more money into my pension — because did I say that I also have a pension? So I invest in my future as well. Or do I set up another company and have a property portfolio? Or how do I essentially make the money that is inside the business make more money rather than reinvesting it, spending it, and reinvesting it on things that don't become assets or don't become money generating? What can I do with the cash that's inside the company in order to then make it make more for the long term? Because then if you do have a down six months or worse, a down year, for example, you've got enough cash and equity inside the business to cover you during those lower months or years or weeks — or hopefully just a day. Different Business Models for Different Authors Joanna: Yes, of course. And we all hope it just carries on up and to the right, but sometimes it doesn't work that way. So it's really great that you are doing all those things. And I think what's lovely and why we started off with you giving us that potted history was it hasn't always been this way. So if you are listening to this and you are like, well, I've only got one ebook for sale on Amazon, well that might be all you ever want to do, which is fine. Or you can come to where my business model is, which is mostly even — I use print on demand, but it's mostly digital. It's mostly online. It's got no packaging that I deal with. Or you can go even further like Sacha and Adam Beswick and Willow Winters. But because that is being talked about a lot in the community, that's why we wanted to do this — to really show you that there's different people doing different things and you need to choose what's best for you. What Are You Excited About for 2026? Joanna: But just as we finish, just tell us what are you excited about for 2026? Sacha: Oh my goodness me. I am excited to iterate my craft. And this is completely not related to the warehouse, but I have gotten myself into a position where I get to play with words again. So I'm really excited for the things that I'm going to write. But also in terms of the warehouse, we've got the new packaging, so getting to see those on social media. We are also looking at things like book boxes. So we are doing a set of three book boxes and these are going to be new and bigger and better than anything that we've done before. And custom tailored. Oh, without giving too much away, but items that go inside and also the artwork. I love working with artists and commissioning different art projects. But yeah, basically more of the same, hopefully world domination. Joanna: World domination. Fantastic. So basically more creativity. Sacha: Yeah. Joanna: And also a bigger business. Because I know you are ambitious and I love that. I think it's really good for people to be ambitious. Joanna: Oh, I do have another question. Do you have more sympathy for traditional publishing at this point? Sacha: How dare you? Unfortunately, yeah. I really have learnt the hard way why traditional publishers need the timelines that they need. This latest release was probably the biggest that — so this latest release, which was called Architecting, is the reason that I did the podcast episode, because I learned so many lessons. And in particular about timelines and how tight things get, and it's just not realistic when you are doing this physical business. So that's another thing if you are listening and you are like, oh no, no, no, I like the immediacy of being able to finish, get it back from the editor and hit publish — this ain't for you, honey. This is not for you. Joanna: Yeah. No, that's fantastic. Where to Find Sacha and Ruby Roe Joanna: So where can people find you and your books online? Sacha: For the Ruby Empire, it's RubyRoe.co.uk and RubyRoeAuthor on TikTok if you'd like to see me dancing like a wally. And then Instagram, I'm back as @SachaBlackAuthor on Instagram. Joanna: Brilliant. Thanks so much for your time, Sacha. That was great. Sacha: Thank you for having me.The post Two Different Approaches To Selling Books Direct With Sacha Black And Joanna Penn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift never fight. Nor do George and Amal Clooney. Not about work, money, cleaning, travel or whose turn it is to feed the dog (sorry, cats.) An aspirational relationship goal? Or a flashing red flag? Also, this week the whole world is looking at Australia as our world-first social media delay kicks in on Wednesday, December 10. So, what are we to make of the poll that says only a third of Aussie parents are actually going to enforce the ban that experts are calling "a mothers' revolution"? Plus, Oprah Winfrey is in Australia and drawing huge crowds with her trademark a-ha moments. So why is Oprah still so interesting to Aussie women in 2025? And, there's a very relevant Word of The Year, and a very intimidating Colour Of The Year, and Amelia, Jessie and Holly have a theory that they're linked. Support independent women's media Friends, what’s your Word of the Year for 2026, and why? Please let us know by emailing: outloud@mamamia.com.au or, even better, by leaving us a voice note. What To Listen To Next: Listen to our latest episode: The Seven Year Friendship Rule Listen: The 6 Different Types Of People Pleasers Listen: The Thing You Can’t Say About Having Kids Listen: The Good Guest's Guide To Wedding Etiquette Listen: The Woman Who 'Caused' Family Estrangement Listen: All The Things We Didn’t Need To Know About The Sex Scandal Of The Year Listen: So, Are You Rude With Money? Listen: The Women Quietly Quitting Their Husbands & Your High School Ghost Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts Discover more Mamamia Podcasts here including the very latest episode of Parenting Out Loud, the parenting podcast for people who don't listen to... parenting podcasts. Watch Mamamia Out Loud: Mamamia Out Loud on YouTube What to read: Oprah spoke to parents and kids on either side of 'no-contact.' These are their stories. HOLLY WAINWRIGHT: 'How to really have a conversation with your kids about the social media ban.' We break down everything you need to know about Australia's under-16 social media ban. 'Travis Kelce admitted one thing he never does with Taylor Swift. It's the biggest red flag ever.' Bonnie thinks all men should cheat on their wives. Before you get angry, read this. THE END BITS: Check out our merch at MamamiaOutLoud.com GET IN TOUCH: Feedback? We’re listening. Send us an email at outloud@mamamia.com.au Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message. Join our Facebook group Mamamia Outlouders to talk about the show. Follow us on Instagram @mamamiaoutloud and on Tiktok @mamamiaoutloudBecome a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Help Persecuted Christians TODAY! https://csi-usa.org/ Christian Solidarity International On today's Quick Start podcast: NEWS: Over 1,000 pastors gather on the Mount of Olives, commissioned to stand with Israel amid rising antisemitism. Chinese pastor Ezra Jin's family launches a U.S. Christmas campaign as Beijing escalates its crackdown on house churches. FOCUS STORY: A new survey shows how pastors are using artificial intelligence, the tools they're turning to, and why some experts warn caution is needed. MAIN THING: As anxiety surges nationwide — especially during the holidays — Dr. Linda Mintle joins Madison Seals to explain how a biblical worldview offers real hope and practical help. LAST THING: Micah 7:7 “I watch in hope for the Lord… my God will hear me.” PRAY WITH US! Faithwire.substack.com SHOW LINKS Faith in Culture: https://cbn.com/news/faith-culture Heaven Meets Earth PODCAST: https://cbn.com/lp/heaven-meets-earth NEWSMAKERS POD: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/newsmakers/id1724061454 Navigating Trump 2.0: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/navigating-trump-2-0/id1691121630

When we die, we will all go through not only one, but two judgments. Surprising! In the second episode of this 4-part series on the 4 Last Things, Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, explains the particular and the general judgments that we will undergo.Become a Marian Helper!Discover more about the Catholic faith on Divine Mercy Plus! 

In this episode, Hallie Bulkin discusses the complexities surrounding tethered oral tissues, specifically tongue ties, lip ties, and buckle ties. She emphasizes that not all ties require surgical release and that the decision should be based on functional impacts such as speech, feeding, and sleep. Hallie highlights the importance of thorough evaluations and the role of therapy in determining the necessity of a release. She advocates for a patient-centered approach, considering individual goals and the overall impact on health and function.In this episode, you'll learn: ✔️Not all ties need to be released; it depends on function.✔️Function is the key driver in determining the need for release.✔️Research is often behind clinical practice by about 17 years.✔️Therapy can sometimes eliminate the need for a release.✔️Evaluations should focus on how tethered tissues impact daily life.✔️Compensatory strategies can mask the need for a release.✔️Patient goals should guide treatment decisions.✔️Open mouth posture is a significant indicator for evaluation.✔️Therapy before and after release is crucial for success.✔️Individualized treatment plans are essential for optimal outcomes.RELATED EPISODES YOU MIGHT LOVEEpisode 200: Functional Impact: When A Tongue Tie Is ACTUALLY A Tongue TieEp 348: Airway Dentistry Demystified: Kassi Klein on Tongue Ties, Sleep Apnea & Childhood DevelopmentOTHER WAYS TO CONNECT & LEARN

December 7, 2025 Welcome to New Day!  Today's KEY IDEA is: God brings Good News in surprising ways. Communication Card: https://www.newdaywi.com/communication-card Online Giving: https://www.continuetogive.com/718973/donation_prompt ONLINE Teaching Sunday | 10am | Facebook Live Website: www.newdaywi.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/newdaywi Facebook: www.facebook.com/newdaywi/

Classifying the Dictator's Collection: Colleague Geoffrey Roberts reports that Stalin hired Lenin's former librarian to organize his growing collection, creating a handwritten classification scheme that prioritized Marxist thinkers, surprisingly ranking his rival Trotsky highly on this reading list; the Bolsheviks seized control of publishing to manage public thought, while Stalin adopted an ex libris stamp to identify his personal books. 1930

Join Las Vegas Raiders on Si Beat Writer Hondo Carpenter and family discussing the Silver and Black on the most recent Ridin' w/ the Carpenters on PFI, Pro Football Insiders. #Raiders #RaidersNation #NFL Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim kicks off this week's show with a wild winter travel saga involving airport shutdowns, missing donuts, and a 3 a.m. pickup run that somehow beats the incoming snowstorm. From there, he and Eric dive into a new Universal survey aimed squarely at teens, explore construction movement in Lost Continent, and track down the long-missing Monsters Café icons now hiding backstage in Dark Universe. They also unpack the Grinch's sudden takeover of holiday marketing before shifting into a deep-dive feature on the long, winding, neon-lit creation of Universal CityWalk Hollywood—a project Lou Wasserman first dreamed up nearly three decades before it opened. NEWS • Teen-focused Universal survey hints at interest in genre preferences, event awareness, and horror-driven engagement. • Activity in Lost Continent sparks renewed speculation about future land plans and potential tie-ins to Wicked's box office momentum. • Classic Monsters Café statues resurface behind Dark Universe, raising questions about their next life in the parks. • McDonald's unveils a Grinch meal, highlighting the odd licensing divide between animated, live-action, and promotional designs. • Universal updates its disability access program, shifting to a more streamlined digital Attractions Assistance Pass. FEATURE • How Lou Wasserman's 1966 idea evolved into the modern, open-air entertainment district known as CityWalk. • Why Universal insisted CityWalk be “not a mall,” but a curated neighborhood blending neon art, unique shops, and LA culture. • The surprising role of historic neon, UCLA programming, and an 18-screen movie palace in shaping the development. • Early expansions, closures, and how CityWalk continues to evolve ahead of Universal Hollywood's third on-site hotel. HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Eric Hersey - IG: @erichersey | X: @erichersey FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR This episode is brought to you by UnlockedMagic.com, powered by the DVC Rental Store. Planning a 2026 trip to Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando? Save 10 percent or more on deluxe accommodations at:UnlockedMagic.com If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From our little fur babies to “Herbie” the car, we imbue the world around us with wonderous human-like qualities. Justin Gregg is senior research associate with the Dolphin Communication Project and an Adjunct Professor at St. Francis Xavier University, where he lectures on animal behavior and cognition. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the benefits of anthropomorphism — and the detriments of its polar opposite — dehumanization. Plus, we'll be introduced to a wide world where we love to see animals and objects as reflections of ourselves. His book is “Humanish: What Talking to Your Cat or Naming Your Car Reveals About the Uniquely Human Need to Humanize.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

If you've ever wondered whether seafood proteins — especially squid — are safe for a Crohn's-friendly diet, this episode is for you. Today I'm joined by a guest expert who breaks down what squid protein really does in the body, how it compares to other lean proteins, and why it may not be the digestive trigger many people fear. We dive into: The nutritional profile of squid and how it supports gut repair Why some Crohn's patients tolerate squid better than traditional proteins How to identify food sensitivities without over-restricting Simple ways to incorporate squid into a low-inflammation diet What to avoid so your Crohn's symptoms don't flare This conversation brings a refreshing and science-backed perspective to Crohn's diet myths. Listen in to discover whether squid protein could be an unexpected ally in your healing journey. Steven Shonts struggled with an autoimmune digestive issue in his early 20s ( missing 6 inches of my small intestine), and found that he could achieve remission through clean eating. He majored in college in earth systems science and has always wanted to create a product that he felt had a positive impact on the earth. and he's spent the past two years travelling around asia, especially thailand where he lives part time, discovering a bunch of delicious and wonderful protein snacks. He wanted to meld all these passions and calamari jerky was the obvious vector to do so! Check out the jerky at  https://thehermit.com/discount/HEALING-AUTOIMMUNE or coupon code HEALING-AUTOIMMUNE for 30% off your order" Follow Steven on instagram at:  instagram.com/thehermitsquid My youtube channel with videos of this podcast and more. https://youtube.com/c/annalaurabrownhealthcoach Check out my essential oils membership and coaching and schedule a free consultation. http://essentialwellnesscircle.com Request a free foundations of wellness kit: https://forms.gle/jBoGuUSNJebET77B6 Watch my free 3 steps to an autoimmune energy reset: https://annalaurabrown.com/autoimmune-energy-webinar/  

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:As expected, the U.S. Supreme Court has stayed the 2-1 lower court decision to block the racial gerrymander of Texas, paving the way for the new map Donald Trump ordered to be in place for the midterms: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/12/04/texas-redistricting-map-us-supreme-court-2026-midterms/...It's time for Democrats and progressives to get familiar with the new map, both for your own voting purposes and for bringing the fight to the most advantageous places: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/04/2025-texas-redistricting-maps/Progress Texas is hitting the airwaves in Houston this weekend! Our "In Progress" weekend roundtable will be featured on KPFT-FM HD-2 each Sunday morning at 11:30, starting this weekend on December 7. Our new radio initiative will require both new equipment and manpower expenses, and this Giving Tuesday, we could use your support: ⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/donate⁠⁠⁠We're excited to see YOU at one (or both!) of our 2025 Holiday Parties this December in Austin and Dallas - for the first time, featuring live podcast tapings! Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/progress-texas-holiday-parties-2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our web store, including our newly-expanded Humans Against Greg Abbott collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Our monthly donors form the backbone of our funding, and if you're a regular, we'd like to invite you to join the team! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Today's episode explores a pair of business stories in China that may be unexpected. We hear about the robust service industry springing up as young people in China increasingly choose having pets over having children. And we go to the Chinese town where nearly all of an iconic Russian handicraft are actually produced.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Today we take a closer look at Spotify Wrapped... the fun parts, the confusing parts, and the slightly uncomfortable data-awareness parts. We dig into creator stats, talk about whether these numbers actually matter, and explore the bigger conversation around how much data platforms like Spotify collect from us as creators and listeners. The team joins in with their own Wrapped surprises, frustrations, and questions, and we wrap things up with our Friday tradition: Wins of the Week from across the community.Episode Highlights:[00:05] Kicking off the episode and introducing today's focus on Spotify Wrapped[02:27] Creator reactions, badges, and what these stats actually represent[07:29] Surprising (and questionable) growth numbers across the team[13:05] What Spotify Wrapped reveals about data collection and listener tracking[15:15] The walled-garden analytics problem for podcasters[20:50] How much data is too much? Navigating privacy trade-offs[26:54] Wrapping the data discussion and moving into community wins[43:40] Final thoughts and what's coming next weekLinks and Resources:Spotify for Creatorshttps://creators.spotify.comEmpowered Podcasting Facebook Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredpodcastingSubmit your podcast for evaluationhttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8-Xv6O6lrNPcPJwj3N0Z5Osdl-5kHGz_PiAU45USend in your mailbag question:https://www.podpage.com/pmc/contact/or email: marc@ironickmedia.comWant to be a guest on The Podcasting Morning Chat?PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1729879899384520035bad21bJoin us LIVE every weekday at 7 am ETClubhouse: https://www.clubhouse.com/house/empowered-podcasting-e6nlrk0wChatter: https://preview.chattersocial.io/group/98a69881-f328-4eae-bf3c-9b0bb741481dYouTube: https://youtube.com/@marcronickBrought to you byhttps://www.ironickmedia.comSome links may be affiliate links that help support the show. Thank you!

This week, in Carmel, Maine, a woman vanishes, after spending a day with her family, leading detectives to a suspect, who has a history of being around women, who come up missing. This includes his wife, who has been missing for years. As it turns out, there are even more women that went missing, after spending time with this man. In the end, some very strange facts force him to fully confess, and lead police to his secrect serial killer graveyard!!   Along the way, we find out that Maine's Supreme Court features a member, who is actually a beaver, that the "she must've ran away with a trucker" excuse won't work with every woman you know, and that it may be more preferable to be in prison, in Masin, than free, in Texas!!   New episodes, every Wednesday & Friday nights!! Go to shutupandgivememurder.com for all things Small Town Murder, Crime In Sports & Your Stupid Opinions!   Follow us on... instagram.com/smalltownmurder facebook.com/smalltownpod   Also, check out James & Jimmie's other shows, Crime In Sports & Your Stupid Opinions on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!!

At what age does your body officially hit the “uh oh, this hurts now” tipping point? Bobby kicks things off breaking down why everything from recovery time to random aches seems to change overnight, and how he’s feeling about getting older in real time. Then he’s joined by college football reporter Ross Dellenger to tell the real story behind Lane Kiffin’s dog “Juice” — how a golden retriever became a sideline star, what’s true, what’s myth, and why the whole thing was a great PR stunt from Ole Miss over the years. Finally, former NFL wide receiver Allen Robinson stops by to talk about league life, from locker rooms to playbooks to the very important question: which team actually had the best cafeteria food? He shares his rankings, favorite meals, and behind-the-scenes stories from his time in the NFL. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook App today: https://dkng.co/bobbysports If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NJ/ NY/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. N/A in NH/OR/ON. New customers only. Valid 1 per new customer. Min. $5 deposit. Min $5 wager. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Ends 9/19/22. See http://draftkings.com/sportsbook for details. Follow the Show: @25WhistlesSports Follow the Crew: @MrBobbyBones @ProducerEddie @KickoffKevin @MikeDeestro @BrandonRayMusicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can Bitcoin actually buy you residency in Europe? In this Bitcoin Magazine X Spaces episode, host Mark Mason sits down with Allessandro Palumbo, CEO & co-founder of bitizenship, to dive deep into their groundbreaking new product: the world's first “Bitcoin Dolce Visa” — a €250,000 Bitcoin-aligned Italian Investor Visa that lets you live in Italy and travel freely across the Schengen Area with no minimum stay requirement.Chapters: 00:00 – Intro & Welcome to the Space00:52 – Meet Allessandro “Allie” Palumbo (CEO of Citizenship)03:18 – Allie's journey: from Italian lawyer to Bitcoin & global-mobility entrepreneur07:30 – Why Bitcoin + citizenship? The philosophy behind digital sovereignty12:39 – Balaji Srinivasan joins as shareholder; the Network State influence13:22 – Why Singapore as HQ? The 0-to-1 nation inspiration18:46 – Citizenship timeline: from idea to €25M+ in Bitcoin-aligned investments25:34 – What makes Citizenship different from traditional Golden Visa agents31:41 – The 3 types of customers (you'll be surprised by #3)36:02 – Launching the Bitcoin Dolce Visa: Italy's €250k Investor Visa explained40:24 – Timeline: visa in hand in as little as 12 weeks (and you invest AFTER approval)42:43 – Yes, you can pay in Bitcoin (with honest caveats)45:33 – Non-custodial Bitcoin treasury + Layer-2 staking strategy50:05 – Is Italy actually back? Surprising economic rebound & tax perks59:09 – Portugal vs Italy programs: key differences explained01:04:09 – Bitcoin Dolce Visa branding, pizza jokes, and what's next01:05:10 – How to learn more & connect with Allie and the team01:06:50 – Closing thoughts #Bitcoin #GoldenVisa #ItalyResidency #BitcoinDolceVisa #InvestorVisa #PlanB #DigitalNomad #GeoArbitrage #SchengenFreedom #BitcoinTreasury #NonCustodial #CitizenshipByInvestment #EuropeanResidency #TaxOptimization #PortugalGoldenVisa #NetworkState #Balaji #BitcoinMagazine #GlobalMobility #ResidencyByInvestment #ItalyIsBack #BitcoinLife #FreedomTech

In this powerful and eye-opening conversation, Jayme sits down with author and LifeWay speaker Melissa Spoelstra to explore a topic rarely talked about but woven throughout the entire story of Scripture—angels!Melissa recently released her eight-session Bible study Angels: Finding Hope in the God Who Reigns Over Heaven and Earth, and in this episode she helps us understand who angels are, what they do, and why it matters for our faith today.In this episode, Melissa unpacks:✨ Why studying the supernatural realm helps us overcome fear—not feed it✨ Common misconceptions about angels (Do they really have ALL have wings? Do we become angels when we die?)✨ Surprising biblical truths—including angels who pray, worship, defend, deliver messages, protect God's people, and enact His judgment✨ How angels point us to the greatness, power, and holiness of God✨ Melissa's A-N-G-E-L-S acronym that breaks down six key roles angels play in Scripture✨ Why remembering the unseen realm changes the way we pray, discern, and walk with JesusThis episode will expand your understanding of the supernatural, strengthen your confidence in God's protection and purposes, and renew your awe for the One who reigns over both heaven and earth.Whether you've always been curious about angels or never given them much thought, this conversation will open your eyes to the beauty, order, and intentionality of God's heavenly hosts—and how they're still at work today pointing us back to Him.https://melissaspoelstra.com/Amazon: Angels Bible StudyPersonalize Scripture With Me! Get Your Serenity Journal & Connect: https://www.jaymeelizabeth.com/CONNECT WITH JAYME ON SOCIALS: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ l⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ l ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pinterest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ l ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠

In this episode of the Jeep Talk Show, we sit down with Todd Pearson, Revenue Director at The Headrest Safe Company, to talk about one of the coolest and most practical products to hit the Jeep, truck, Bronco, and RV world in years — a fully hidden, lockable vault that literally replaces your passenger-seat headrest.

My dad used to say: "The holidays are when we feel obligated to spend too much time, in too small a space, with people we don't really know… and spend money on things nobody needs."  That's because holiday magic has nothing to do with perfection and everything to do with expectation management. You have my permission to simplify. Let go of the holiday in your head and enjoy the one happening in front of you.   This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers | Magnesium Breakthrough: Visit: https://bioptimizers.com/drphil Promo Code: DrPhil for 15% off and 25% off during black Friday. Stronger, longer, better life.

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Surprising good economic news as Americans head into the holiday season — what our shopping habits reveal about the state of the economy, and what the pundits are missing.Then, a sobering turn: the murder of a National Guard member in Washington, D.C., allegedly at the hands of a radicalized Afghan migrant. Stigall digs into the facts, the policy failures, and the political implications of a story that’s shaking the capital.An enormous scandal for Democrats in Minnesota and Tim Walz specifically as his own government is blaming him for the billion-dollar fraud. Stigall explains. Next, the GOP’s growing pressure on affordability. With cost-of-living frustrations boiling over, Republicans are scrambling to address the issue — and Stigall explains why this moment matters more than the usual election-year noise.We also cover President Trump’s escalating clash with Democrats over his approach to narco-terrorism in waters to America’s south — a fight that blends national security, geopolitics, and election-season theater.Finally, a provocative cultural question: Are Christians being manipulated by “toxic empathy”? We explore what the term means, how it shows up in politics and the church, and whether compassion is being weaponized. -For more info visit the official website: https://chrisstigall.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisstigallshow/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisStigallFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.stigall/Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/StigallPodListen on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/StigallShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3/4. Encountering Bennu: Unexpected Terrain and Science — Dante Lauretta — Asteroid Bennu presented surprising geological characteristics, displaying unexpectedly rocky, boulder-strewn terrain rather than the predicted smooth, "beach-like" surface indicated by telescopic observations. Bennu, a dark, compositionally active object, contained abundant carbon, complex organic molecules, and water locked within clay mineral matrices. Lauretta's team developed innovative "bullseye tag" guidance technology to navigate the treacherous and hazardous terrain, successfully executing sample collection using the TAGSAM (Touch And Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism), which yielded an unexpectedly substantial sample mass. 1958