The Kyle Thiermann Show
Conversations with intellectual athletes and athletic intellectuals. Kyle Thiermann, a writer, creative director, and sponsored surfer for Patagonia, hosts discussions with guests like Albee Layer, Matt Taibbi, Peter Attia, and Derek Sivers. His work spans editorial and creative projects for brands like Patagonia, Yeti, and MUD\WTR. The podcast explores deep topics through the lens of sports, science, and culture.
Episodes
#415 From Conception to Completion: Tacking Creative Projects - Adam Skolnick
Hello friends, enemies, and AI spam robots. We did one of our first-ever live podcast events at The Lighthouse in Venice, California, a swanky campus for creators where extravagant secret handshakes surely exist. The podcast focused on how to write a book specifically, but could be applied to any creative project generally. I had a great time talking in front of a live audience (probably because I
#414 Intimacy Rewired - Amy Baldwin
This episode is with Amy Baldwin, a Somatic Sex and Relationship Coach (trained in the Somatica® Method), Certified Sex Educator, and host of the Shameless Sex podcast. Amy has a passion for promoting shame-free, pleasure-focused sexuality education while emphasizing the deep emotional and energetic forces behind great sex and intimate connection, offering everything from how-to workshops to eroti
#413 From Chubby Gamer to Jiu Jitsu Blackbelt - Leor Weiss
Leor Weiss has been training jiu jitsu since 2007, when, at eighteen, he walked into a gym and began what would become a near two-decade education in controlled violence. He now holds a second-degree black belt under Daniel Gracie and teaches at the Renzo Gracie Academy in Brooklyn. What distinguishes Weiss from the more monastic practitioners of his discipline is the breadth of his curiosity. He
#412 The Power of Asking for Help - (Entrepreneur) Michael Chernow
Michael Chernow is a New York City restaurateur, entrepreneur, and television host who has spent over two decades building one of the more recognizable names in the city's food scene. He started in restaurants at thirteen, worked his way up through the ranks as a bartender and bar manager at Frank in the East Village, and earned his degrees in Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management from the Frenc
#411 Write What Sells: TV, Audio, and the New Hollywood - Matthew Starr
A comedian who found his footing at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York, where he spent the better part of a decade as a house writer and performer, Matthew Starr belongs to a generation of entertainers who were formed by the rigors of institutional improv and then quietly outgrew the institution. His most recent project is The Best Man’s Ghostwriter, an Audible Original he created, w
#410 Legalize Psychedelics - Jesse Gould
I’ve been out of the loop on the state of psychedelics these days, particularly in the realm of therapeutic legality. So, it was time for a talk with the man who has his finger on the pulse… Jesse Gould is a former Army Ranger and a pioneer in psychedelic therapies for veterans. As Founder and President of the Heroic Hearts Project, he has spearheaded the research and acceptance of ayahuasca, ibog
#409 The Dane Reynolds Profile - Tony Andrews
Tony John Andrews hails from Rhode Island, which despite being the smallest U.S. state in terms of landmass, has the second greatest ratio of coastline to landmass of all 50 states. He’ll take it. He is a former state champion swimmer who really wanted to surf, so he did the best he could to teach himself in the region’s piddling windslop. Now in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset, trying to wrangle Oce
#408 Whatever Scares You, Go Do It - Derek Sivers (Repost)
In case you missed the last episode, my big news is that I relocated to Brooklyn for the next few months. My fingers are numb as I write this, but I do love it. Also, I’m capping off my book tour on February 19th at Patagonia SoHo. If you’re in town, I would love to meet you in person. You can RSVP here. Okay, what else? Right, the latest podcast. You see, I’m an informational grazer, nibbling on
Live with David Litt
Get full access to Kyle Thiermann at thiermann.substack.com/subscribe
#407 Running a Big Creative Agency In a Small Town - David Littlejohn
Big news. I moved to New York for the next few months. My fiancé and I are renting a spot in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and I’ve already managed to get lost on the subway twice. Also, my book tour is coming to a close at Patagonia SoHo on February 19th. If you’re in New York, come out, I’d love to hang in person. Event details here. Okay, onto our regularly scheduled programming: David Littlejohn is
#406 Understanding Endometriosis - Soraya Simi
Hey Austin, Texas people. I’ll be doing a live reading of my new book at Patagonia Austin on January 8 at 7 pm. It’s a free event and you can RSVP here. Good food, cold drinks, and your future husband/wife will probably be there. Okay, onto the show.Soraya Simi is a writer, director, surfer, and damn sharp thinker. Her first documentary, ROW OF LIFE, follows renowned Paralympian and Marine Veteran
#405 Charging Jaws & Hunting Bucks - Wilem Banks (Repost)
In 2017, Wilem Banks (@Wilembanks) made headlines when he suffered a horrific fall at Mavericks and won WSL’s Wipeout of the Year (the most embarrassing award in surfing). The award seemed to put a chip on Wilem’s shoulder, and since then, he’s set out to prove that he can do more than paddle into gigantic waves—he can make them, too. This year, the humble warrior took his first trip to Jaws on Ma
#404 What Throwing Parties Can Teach You About Brand Strategy - Ned Lampert
Ned Lampert is an unpretentious dude with a bag of big ideas. As the founder of Zero Ambition, a creative and strategy studio that works with Nike, Vans, Whole Foods, and a roster of other AAA brands, his job is to come up with culture-shifting campaigns that make customers laugh, cry, and do a little shimmy. Ned is also an avid fly fisherman, mountain bike rider, and backcountry skier. In this ep
#403 How to Die - My Mom (Kimberly)
In one of the early chapters of my book, my mom assembles her Gravity Kit, an assortment of belongings she’ll leave behind once gravity wins. The kit includes passwords to her accounts, photos from her life, music that moved her, and a number of other personal belongings usually left in disarray for the children to rummage through. As she once said, “logistics often get in the way of grief.” In th
#402 The Hidden Benefits of Self-Publishing - Adam Skolnick
This podcast is with Adam Skolnick, an award-winning independent journalist and author covering adventure sports, environmental issues, travel and human rights for The New York Times, Outside, Playboy and Lonely Planet. He is the author of One Breath: Freediving, Death and the Quest to Shatter Human Limits, the ghost writer and narrator of David Goggins’ smash hit memoir and audiobook Can’t Hurt M
#401 Photography & Psychedelics - Chris Burkard (Repost)
Tuesday, November 25: Book tour event at Patagonia Santa Cruz @7pm. It’s free. BYOP (Bring Your Own Parent). RSVP here. Okay, onto the podcast…Chris Burkard (@ChrisBurkard) is an acclaimed American photographer, filmmaker, and storyteller known for his breathtaking landscape photography. Born in San Luis Obispo, California, Burkard rose to prominence through his striking surf photography in remote
#400 He Paddled 1,000 Miles Down Baja - Sean Janson (Repost)
Sean Jansen is a freelance writer and seasonal wilderness guide in Yellowstone National Park. He’s intense, slightly awkward, and deeply committed to dancing with the more raw frequencies of human experience. I love this guy. During his off-season from guiding, he partakes in a litany of expeditions from thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail to his recent trip, standup paddling more than 1,000 miles
#399 From Surfing Dungeons to Saving Coasts - Mike Schlebach
Mike Schlebach is a South African big-wave surfer and coastal-activist deeply rooted in the surf culture of Cape Town’s wild Atlantic coast. Mike made his name charging serious surf at spots like Dungeons and the offshore reef at Sunset Reef. More recently, he has emerged as a voice against illegal mineral‐sand mining along South Africa’s West Coast, using his platform to raise awareness and prote
#398 Navigating an AI Childhood w/ NY Times Writer Jess Grose
Jess Grose is an opinion writer at The New York Times covering parenting and culture, and the author of three books: Sad Desk Salad, a sharp and funny novel about the early days of online media; Soulmates, a novel that dives into love, marriage, and the strange search for connection; and Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood, a nonfiction exploration that cracks open
#397 Gardening for the Formerly Incarcerated - Chris Buroughs
After serving 14 years in prison, 90 days of which were in solitary confinement, Chris Buroughs is now the director of Garden 31, a group that works to localize food production in San Diego’s low income neighborhoods by training new farmers with a focus on formerly incarcerated men and women, as well as those suffering from substance abuse issues. Contact Chris at: cburoughs1129@gmail.comIf you di
#396 What's Your Big Wave Spirit Animal? - Bianca Valenti
Bianca Valenti is the 2024 Big Wave Challenge Winner, a 9-time Mavericks Awards Champion, 2-time Puerto Escondido Cup Winner, and one of the few women to compete in the Eddie Aikau Invitational, the world’s most prestigious big wave surf event. She led the fight for equal pay in surfing, securing it for all athletes worldwide. For her trailblazing impact, she has been inducted into the California
#395 Obama Speechwriter (& Surfer) - David Litt
David Litt is a writer, political speechwriter, and author best known for his work as a senior presidential speechwriter for President Barack Obama. Joining the White House at just 24, Litt became one of the youngest speechwriters in history, contributing to remarks on issues ranging from healthcare and climate change to comedy sketches for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. After leaving gov
#394 Wilderness Survival for the Sea - Greg Long
Greg Long is the most decorated big wave surfer in history. With 2 Big Wave World Titles and his name etched atop the podium at nearly every big wave contest around the globe, Long has experienced more moods of the ocean than just about any living human today. These days, the 41-year-old is focused on reducing needless ocean deaths through the Big Wave Risk Assessment Group (BWRAG), a course focus
#393 Comedian. Prankster. Visionary? - Bent Pella (Repost)
Although his comedic talents span the range of current events across the political spectrum, Brent Pella hit the cultural version of a nuclear reactor when he started writing jokes about new age spirituality, conspiracy theories, and human optimization. His videos have gained 500M+ views online, and he was recently named a "Creator to Watch" by the New York Comedy Festival. His debut comedy specia
#392 How to Throw a Dinner Party - Charlie Hart
Recorded north of the border, this episode with my pal Charlie Hart covers the ins and outs of throwing a party, upping your ancient philosophy game in 2025, and why, if you're starting a company, you should never try to build a cult, instead just be the Kool-Aid. At age 24, he became the 10th employee at RXBAR, the protein bar company known for its clean branding and "No BS" campaigns. Hart quick
#391 The Power of Habit - Charles Duhigg (Repost)
Charles Duhigg is the author of numerous books, including The Power of Habit, which spent over three years on the New York Times bestseller lists. His second book, Smarter Faster Better, was also a New York Times bestseller. And his latest, which hit the shelves last year, is titled Supercommunicators. Turns out ol’ Charles also lives in my hometown of Santa Cruz, California, and the dude surfs! W
#390 The Home Purchase From Hell - Chris Keener
Chris Keener is a master storyteller who helps brands translate their objectives into entertainment. Former Creative Director of MUD\WTR and Producer for outfits like National Geographic, Discovery Channel, PBS, ESPN, and the Travel Channel, Chris' film accolades span far deeper than this little bio has room for. But the dude knows his shit. Chris is also the founder of Goldenair Breathwork, whic
#389 Scripts to Ask for What You Want in the Bedroom - Kiana Reeves
For over a decade, Kiana Reeves has been working at the intersection of love, embodiment, relationships, sex, & spirituality. She is a Certified Somatic Sex Educator & Sexological Bodyworker, Certified Embodiment and Intimacy Teacher, Certified STREAM Pelvic Health Practitioner, Full Spectrum Doula, mother of two delightful and wild humans, and wife to one of my best friends (and frequent guest on
#388 WTF Is ÖTILLÖ SwimRun? - Chris Douglas
Chris Douglas is an endurance athlete, podcast host, and founder of Presidio Management. In 2023, Chris started his performance coaching practice and works with knowledge workers, executives, attorneys, students, entrepreneurs, and athletes on their performance and well-being. Chris has a long endurance resume and found Swimrun in 2018 and has been hooked ever since. The Löw Tide Böyz Podcast laun
#387 Photography & Psychedelics - Chris Burkard
Chris Burkard (@ChrisBurkard) is an acclaimed American photographer, filmmaker, and storyteller known for his breathtaking landscape photography. Born in San Luis Obispo, California, Burkard rose to prominence through his striking surf photography in remote and often icy locations like Iceland, Norway, and Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. His work captures the raw beauty of nature, often blending ele
#386 Derek Sivers on Courage, Bold Questions, & the Dangers of Chasing Status
When I started this podcast more than 7 years ago, I listed Derek Sivers as my dream guest (sorry Kelly Slater). Sivers’ gift, I believe, is the willingness to question the premise of all things, delightfully, humorously, and give anyone in his orbit the choice to follow a more original path. An author of philosophy and entrepreneurship, he’s known for his surprising quotable insights, pithy succi
#385 SURFER Magazine Is Back! - August Howell
Hailing from Half Moon Bay, California, August Howell grew up surfing up and down the state’s northern coast. He studied journalism at the University of Oregon and was a reporter for his hometown newspaper, the Half Moon Bay Review, for nearly five years. But he was raised on a diet of surf magazines, and surfing (and writing about it) remains his passion. He has written about teenagers at Maveric
#384 Your Subjects Are Not Your Friends - Chas Smith
Chas Smith (@BeachGrit) is a luminous figure in surfing, an adept journalist, and author. Born in San Jose, California in 1976, Smith’s family uprooted and landed in Coos Bay, Oregon where he learned to surf. After studying intercultural studies in undergrad, Smith graduated with a master’s in linguistics, going on to study in Egypt and at Oxford. Following a story he published in Australia Surfin
#383 Meet the Man Who Owns Nothing - Robin Greenfield
Robin Greenfield (@RobinGreenfield) is an American environmental activist, adventurer, and humanitarian known for his bold, experiential campaigns that challenge consumerism and promote sustainable living. He has become widely recognized for living in radical simplicity to inspire others toward sustainability, self-sufficiency, and ecological awareness. Greenfield’s work has included biking across
#382 Aboard Swell with Captain Liz Clark
Captain Liz Clark (@CaptainLizClark) spent her youth dreaming of traveling the world by sailboat and surfing remote waves. At the age of 22, she met a mentor who helped turn her desire into reality. Embarking on an adventure that most only fantasize about, she set sail from Santa Barbara, California, as captain of her 40-foot sailboat, Swell, headed south in search of surf and self. Liz captured h
#381 The Psychology of Giving - Kate Williams
Kate Williams is CEO of 1% for the Planet, a global organization that holds businesses accountable to donate 1% of their annual sales to environmental causes. In 2002, Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, created 1% for the Planet and started a global movement. Today, the network of 4,800+ business members have given more than $700 million in certi
#380 (Plastic) Art Lasts Forever - Ethan Estees
Every plastic bag has a silver lining, and Ethan Estees has made a career out of finding it. The marine biologist and artist specializes in turning ocean trash—from plastic bottles to discarded fishing rope—into spectacular art pieces. His seascapes give a second life to the otherwise mundane material, offering an attractive introduction to the often depressing topic of ocean pollution. In this co
#379 - NOAA Firings, the Checkerboard, & Saving Bighorn Sheep - Devin O'Dea (BHA)
Devin O’Dea grew up backpacking and fishing the Trinity Alps and Sierra Nevada Mountain ranges of Northern California and has been abalone diving, spearfishing and foraging in the Pacific Ocean for several decades. After getting a degree in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara, he worked in the environmental consulting industry and as a marketing manager for a carbon fiber division of Mitsubish
#378 Stop Motion Movies, Hunting, & the Wisdom of Lloyd Kahn - Foster Huntington
Foster Huntington is a photographer and filmmaker from Skamania, Washington. In 2011, he left his fashion job in New York City and moved into a camper van. For the next three years, he traveled around North America, driving some 120,000 miles, surfing and camping. He began the popular Tumblr account and hashtag, #Vanlife and self-published a book, “Home Is Where You Park It,” with photos from his
#377 From Open Mics to 500M+ Views Online. How Brent Pella Did it.
I first saw Brent Pella perform standup at MUD\WTR: Gather for an LA fires benefit show. The dude set the place on fi—. Though his comedic talents span the range of current events across the political spectrum—from Rogan impersonations to Kamala’s impressive assortment of accents (depending on where she was campaigning)—he hit the cultural version of a nuclear reactor when he started writing jokes
#376 Scheduling Sex & Saving Marriages - Amy Baldwin
Amy Baldwin (@amyshamelesssex) is a Somatic Sex and Relationship Coach (trained in the Somatica® Method), Certified Sex Educator, and host of the Shameless Sex podcast. Amy has a passion for promoting shame-free, pleasure-focused sexuality education while emphasizing the deep emotional and energetic forces behind great sex and intimate connection, offering everything from how-to workshops to eroti
#375 Ghost Writing with Goggins - Adam Skolnick
Adam Skolnick (@adamskolnick) is an award-winning independent journalist and author covering adventure sports, environmental issues, travel and human rights for The New York Times, Outside, Playboy and Lonely Planet. He is the author of One Breath: Freediving, Death and the Quest to Shatter Human Limits, the ghost writer and narrator of David Goggins’ smash hit memoir and audiobook Can’t Hurt Me:
#374 Strong Women, Dead Bodies, Wild Places - Nina Simon
Nina Simon has worn many hats in her career: slam poet, NASA engineer, game designer, and museum director at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. If that didn’t make her busy enough, she went ahead and wrote two nonfiction books: The Participatory Museum and The Art of Relevance. In 2020, Nina’s mom was diagnosed with advanced cancer, so Nina quit her job to help care for her. The two had alw
#373 How to Get Your Film Funded, B Plot, & Truth As Subtraction - Soraya Simi
Soraya Simi is the director of the new documentary, ROW OF LIFE, which follows renowned Paralympian and Marine Veteran Angela Madsen on her solo row across the Pacific Ocean. The film quite simply rocks, if I do say so myself. It's on a nationwide tour now; see dates here. In this podcast, I grilled Soraya about the art and craft of documentary filmmaking. How to get funding with a sizzle, A plot
#372 Biggest Jaws Ever? - Wilem Banks
In 2017, Wilem Banks (@Wilembanks) made headlines when he suffered a horrific fall at Mavericks and won WSL’s Wipeout of the Year (the most embarrassing award in surfing). The award seemed to put a chip on Wilem’s shoulder, and since then, he’s set out to prove that he can do more than paddle into gigantic waves—he can make them, too! This year, the humble warrior took his first trip to Jaws on Ma
#371 Surf Documentary Filmmaker - Arthur Bourbon
Arthur (@arthurbourbon) was born and raised on a small French Caribbean island called Guadeloupe. He started surfing at a very young age with his parents, and competitions led him to move to France as a teenager. After graduating from high school, Arthur began a professional surfing career, competing on the European Pro Junior and QS circuits for a few years before switching to a free surf career.
#370 Psychedelics, Mental Health, and Surf Culture - Jarrett Rose, Ph.D
Jarrett Rose, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Community & Behavioral Health and Sociology at the State University of New York (SUNY) Polytechnic Institute. His research focuses on psychedelics, mental health, and surf culture (Spoiler: they’re all connected). Dr. Rose's interest in mental health research began during his time as a teacher in a "trauma reduction unit" at a juvenile detention faci
#369 So You Want to Make Art? - Dersu Rhodes (Vice, MUD\WTR, Reef)
Dersu Rhodes is the former Creative Director at Vice and MUD\WTR. He helped launch Vice TV, worked on VICE on HBO, and has led creative teams to launch literally hundreds of brands. Raised by hippie parents in Montana, he didn't have a television until he was nine. And from a quiet yearning to fit in as a child a necessity for storytelling emerged. Dersu lives in Ojai and possesses an above-averag
#368 Fishing, Hunting, & Surfing with RJ the Canada Boat Captain
Born and raised near Toronto, RJ had a thirst for adventure from a young age and moved to the coast to work at a remote salmon fishing lodge in Haida Gwaii. Now 34, he’s the co-owner of the Nootka Wilderness Lodge, a floating fishing and surfing resort off the remote west coast of Vancouver Island. In the winter, he manages ops at a new heli ski operation in Bute Inlet, home of the tallest coastal
#367 Writing Ads, Managing Client Expectations, & a Mantra to Beat Self-Doubt - Thomas Kemeny
Thomas Kemeny is a Creative Director/Copywriter and author of the advertising book Junior. I own the book, recommend the book, and when I’m feeling completely lost on a copywriting job, occasionally smear goat blood on the book and pray to it. An idea always arrives. Thomas has worked at top creative agencies all over the country and has won The One Show, Cannes Lions, and ANDY Awards. His work ha
#366 Female-Specific Surf Training - Paige Alms (Recorded in British Columbia)
Paige Alms (@Paigealms) is 2x Big Wave Surfing World Champion and a fellow Patagonia Surf Ambassador. Recently, we spent a week on a ship together, huffing diesel fumes and salt water through unruly seas on an adventure to British Columbia. Paige is widely considered to be the best female big-wave surfer in the world and the only woman to ever get barreled at Jaws. She was instrumental in fighting
#365 He Paddled 1,000 Miles Down Baja - Sean Jansen
Sean Jansen is a freelance writer and seasonal wilderness guide in Yellowstone National Park. He’s intense, slightly awkward, and deeply committed to dancing with the more raw frequencies of human experience. I love this guy. During his off-season from guiding, he partakes in a litany of expeditions from thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail to his recent trip, standup paddling more than 1,000 miles
#364 Bison Veterinarian - Dr. Kelsey Martin (w/ Kevin Grunewald)
Ah, the joys of a post-hunt podcast. The feet were sore, and the schnoz was rosey after spending a few days tromping around in the Montana woods. Much knowledge was dropped in this episode by Dr. Kelsey Martin, who grew up on a nature preserve and cattle ranch that her family manages along the windswept plains of Eastern Colorado. She spent her youth working as a ranch hand and reveling in life on
#363 - Covering the Tahiti Olympics & Finding Your Voice as a Surf Journalist - Evan Quarnstrom
Evan Quarnstrom is a freelance writer specializing in surf, the outdoors, travel, and the NBA. He recently released his first book, “The Substitute Asshole: How a rogue suburban kid’s escape from conformity collided with a cultural revolution, drug smuggling, psychedelics, and federal prison.” He grew up in the quiet surf town of Santa Cruz, California, where he developed a connection to the ocean
#362 Outside Mag Co-Founder - Tim Cahill (Repost)
Tim Cahill is one of the founders of Outside, author of its long-running "Out There" column, and an editor-at-large. He's the author of nine books, one of which (Jaguars Ripped My Flesh) National Geographic named as one of the 100 best adventure/travel books ever written. He is the co-author of four IMAX documentary screenplays, two of which were nominated for Academy Awards. He lives in Montana,
#361 South African Big Wave Surfer - Frank Solomon
Frank Solomon (@franksolomon) is one of the most well-liked people I’ve ever met. Every country has a couch for him to crash on, random encounters turn into lifelong friendships, and for some reason that science still can’t explain, meals are always “compliments of the chef.” He’s just one of those guys. Frank is a talented big wave charger, Patagonia Surf Ambassador, and now founder of Sentinel O
#360 Landing Film Gigs, Living in Mongolia, & Finding Spirituality without Dogma - Rob Shore
Rob loves the people-side of storytelling — and not just the folks in front of the camera, but those behind the lens, behind the scenes, and in front of the screens. He has produced stories across many genres on every platform winning Webbys and Emmys along the way. Pre-PTP, he was the Creative Director of the MacArthur Award-winning think tank, FrameWorks Institute. Today, Rob runs Picture This P
#359 The Mexican Pro Surfer Who Moved to Finland - Kalle Carranza
When I was a teenager, I remember opening an issue of SURFER magazine and reading an article about a Mexican pro surfer who, at the peak of his career, walked away from it all and moved to Finland. Finland! I didn’t know Kalle Carranza then, but the rarity of his story was memorable. Once the ocean grabs us, it rarely lets go. So why oh why, I wondered for years, did Carranza trade boardshorts for
#358 Leave the Country & Start a Tattoo Shop - Eric Smiley
Let’s play a word association game. Ready? Okay… EXPAT. For most of my life, I would have smashed that red gameshow button and shouted, “Pirate with a surfboard!” A lawless scallywag set adrift by society, living off coconut meat and massive quantities of Vitamin D. But as America gears up for another cortisol-inducing election, the prospect of moving to another country is becoming more attractive
#357 Remembering Wallace J. Nichols
Wallace J. Nichols was a friend, ocean advocate, and often requested guest on the podcast. I first met J when I was twenty. I was a young activist, a little too eager, convinced that the world needed saving, and I would be the one to save it. After giving him my little spiel, he took a long breath through his nose, smiled slightly, and said, “You’re very earnest, Kyle. Don’t lose that.” Over the n
#356 - What I Got Wrong About Men's Work - Eli Buren
If you’re a man and you work, technically, you do “men’s work.” There’s also that band “Men At Work” that sang that one about that thing and got us all to drink Foster’s beer for two whole months. Dark times. And then there’s Eli Buren, who has been on a dedicated path of facilitating men’s work since 1998. He leads in-depth retreats with training in embodied presence, depth meditation, yoga of aw
#355 - Surfing Morocco, Chopes Swells, & Waves On Other Planets - Othman “Hotman” Choufani
The name’s Othman… or as fellow big wave surfers call him, Hot Man. The eccentric Moroccan can often be found in small airports or humungous barrels worldwide, dancing, high-fiving, and tracking swells to his next destination like a comet, forlorn damsels trailing close behind. Hot Man had a two-day layover in LA before he flew to Teahupoo, Tahiti, to place himself inside the throat of some scary
#354 - Shaun Lopez Interviews Me
Shaun Lopez is a Maui-based big wave surfer, hunter, solar energy enthusiast and host of the Buoy Report podcast. In this podcast, Shawn interviews me about my thoughts on creativity, advertising, external rewards, my journal process, respect, faith, embarrassment, and, of course, surfing. Check out Shawn getting ridiculously barreled here. If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short re
#353 The Comedy Writing Process - Orion Levine
Orion Levine is a weapon. The kind of terse comedy writer who will likely read through this bio line by line and remove all of the unnecessary, bloated, run-on blather with a red marker. I first saw Orion perform a few years back and was amazed by the exactness of his craft. So few words. Such big laughs. In this podcast, we talk about his comedy writing process, habits, routines, and the parallel
#352 How to Make Ideas Famous - Steven Preisman
Steven Preisman is a Creative Director at Humanaut Brand Invention Agency, and this episode is about how to come up with a shit load of ideas fast. Steven is known in the ad world for delivering the Liquid Death Tony Hawk blood board stunt, where the pro skater dripped his blood onto a deck and sold it at auction. We also talked about Steven’s criteria for what makes ideas spread, word association
#351 Power of Habit & Supercommunicators - Charles Duhigg
Charles Duhigg. The man. The myth. The big idea guy. The dude writes books, maybe you’ve read them. The Power of Habit spent over three years on New York Times bestseller lists. His second book, Smarter Faster Better, was also a New York Times bestseller. And his latest, which just hit the shelves, is titled Supercommunicators. Turns out ol’ Charles also lives in my hometown of Santa Cruz, Califor
#350 The Neuroscience of Lasting Happiness - Rick Hanson Ph.D. (Repost)
Rick Hanson, Ph.D. is a psychologist, New York Times best-selling author, and buddy of mine. He’s a wonderful and (sane) blend of science and spirituality and often writes writes about the intersection between the two. His books include Making Great Relationships, Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, Buddha’s Brain, and Mother Nurture—with over a million copies in English
#349 Men’s Work, Overthinking, & Giving Feedback - Shems Hartwell
I’ve known Shems Hartwell for a while now. A relationship coach, foil surfer, and long hugger, he’s a guy I could easily see myself rolling my eyes at if it were not for his authenticity. Even the word “authenticity” feels like it’s circling the drain of descriptors these days. It’s always the carefully curated posers who love to share their “authentic” selves with the world. And in this podcast,
#348 An Environmentalist's Argument Against MPAs - Randy Garrett
Marine Protected Areas. No take zones. Areas of the ocean where fishermen cannot recreate. Do they work? Or are they sledgehammers where scalpels would be better used? In this episode, I speak with environmentalist Randy Garrett about the proposed MPA in the Pleasure Point area in Santa Cruz, California. He details his concerns about MPAs as potentially ineffective and even destructive mechanisms
#347 Ogilvy On Advertising Book Review with Charlie Hart
You know the guy. He's been coming on this podcast so often these days I should probably call it The Charlie Hart show. He's a brilliant marketing mind who also happens to be my housemate. (Rent's coming soon Charlie, I swear.) This episode was a little different. T'was a book review. We each read Ogilvy On Advertising and discussed it over this podcast. Maybe you don't fancy yourself a "marketer.
#346 How Local Politics Work - Manu Koenig
Manu Koenig serves as First District Supervisor for Santa Cruz County. Prior to his election to the Board, Manu worked for several technology startups including Paystand in Scotts Valley and Civinomics, where he was co-founder and CEO. The local startup created an app for citizens to propose and vote on new policy online. It also conducted polling and survey research for local governments througho
#345 But Isn't Farmed Fish Bad? - James Arthur
James Arthur (@JamesArthurFoto) began his journey with regenerative aquaculture as a teenager volunteering at the Nature Interpretive Center in Southern California where he got first hand experience with a steelhead trout breeding and hatchery program. For the past ten years he lived aboard and sailed around the Pacific from San Francisco to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Throughout that time
#344 The Gift & Curse of Todos Santos - Coco Nogales
At eight, Coco Nogales sold gum on the street in Mexico City. He was a runaway, sleeping in bushes and bus stops, and if the police caught him, they would throw him in a juvenile detention center, so he hid at night and worked on the streets to survive. Eventually, he had enough money to buy a bus ticket to Puerto Escondido, a small town with one of the most dangerous big waves on the planet.The w
#343 Writer & Adventure Photographer - Ben Moon
I met Ben Moon years back at Burning Man. He was carrying a five-gallon bottle of urine, and I was not entirely sober. Since then, I’ve admired his work from respectful a distance, (his IG is worth a stalk). I was very grateful to cross paths with him again for this podcast. This time, he held a kombucha and I was reasonably sober.Ben is an adventure, lifestyle, and portrait photographer whose vib
#342 Big Wave Chile Strikes, Psychedelics, Mavericks, Meditation, and Favorite Books - Kohl Christensen
As one of the leading players in the revival of paddle-in surfing in giant conditions, Kohl Christensen spends much of his time tracking swells and testing new board designs at some of the most dangerous waves on the planet. An erudite and well-read man with a keenly unique perspective, he explores the world as Hunter Thompson may have, had he surfed. Kohl has lived all over the world, including a
#341 How To Give World-Class Feedback - Lee Povey
Lee Povey is the Founder of Maximize Your Potential Coaching. As an executive coach, he works with ambitious brands to help them upgrade their emotional software. To see problems differently. Because in business, growing pains are not limited to financial or structural. They are also emotional and spiritual. That’s where Lee comes in. Back when I worked as Senior Copywriter at MUD\WTR, Lee worked
#340 Last Time You Felt True Fear In The Ocean - Mark Healey
You know him. As a professional big-wave surfer, spearfisherman, bow hunter, filmmaker, and part-time Hollywood stuntman, Mark Healey (@healeywaterops) is the last true action hero of surfing. Healey has been on the mic before (Ep. 28, Ep. 152, Ep 158), and this one was my favorite to date. He recounted stories of 100ft waves in Morocco, bull riding in a Mexican rodeo, breathing techniques while b
#339 Addiction, Recovery, & Cold Water Surfing - Dane Anderson
Dane Anderson is a professional surfer from Carmel, CA. A few weeks ago, Dane texted me and said he’d like to come on the podcast. He told me that when he was 17 years old he was involved in a traumatic car accident in Big Sur. The car flipped, and two close friends died. Ever since this tragedy, Dane has struggled with substance abuse issues as a way to cope with the pain. This is a very raw and
#338 Montana, Yellowstone, & the Great Outdoors - Kevin Grunewald
Kevin Grunewald is a Montana-based conservationist, hunter, and angler. His winding career path in conservation biology has seen him teaching students how to trap bats in the outback of Australia, guiding clients to experience bear country in Alaska, dissecting Zebrafish embryos in a university laboratory in Wisconsin, and, most recently, conducting and sharing the benefits of sound, ecological la
#337 How to Cold Email Someone & Market Your Ideas Across the Digital Hellscape - Nick Hutchison
Nick Hutchison is the founder of BookThinkers, a marketing agency bridging authors and readers. Nick's platform and services have helped authors reach millions of readers. Nick recently authored "Rise of the Reader," delving into mastering reading habits and applying newfound knowledge. Nick reached out to be on my podcast, and it was one of the most seamless pitches I had ever received. In this c
Recommended
Power List
Problematic Pub Podcast
Athens, GA Real Estate Brief
Changing Academic Life
The Trail Went Cold
Breaking the Cycle
Bloom and Belong
Bruno Mars - Biography Flash
Spiritual Wisdom Weekly – from GOCSL
Self Love Chats: Money Mindset & Personal Growth for Ambitious Women
Dad V Girls After Hours
Saints‘ Hill Church Podcast
