Episodes

Matt Pool is an owner of Restaurant, Pub, & Games (RPG) in Lawrence, KS. Alongside three other owners, Matt opened up RPG six months before the COVID pandemic. It quickly became a favorite place for people to gather, eat a meal, and play a board game. I reached out to Matt because I was fascinated with RPG's business model of creating a safe space for community that connected people from various backgrounds. After going there myself, I was struck by how seriously RPG backed up their mission. I...

Mia Santarelli is a street photographer, the Activity Director at Pioneer Ridge Independent Living, and the founder of the Joyful Palette Project. I've talked on this podcast a lot about the importance of social connection. As we age, being socially connected gets more difficult. Our bodies don't want to show up to the sports leagues, we aren't able to drive to church as well, and we retire from our workplace which removes us from our coworkers and routine. And, as we begin to lose access to so...

Kevin has served as Director for Young Life College at the University of Kansas for 13 years. His passion is to build meaningful relationships with college students to help them encounter Jesus Christ, while also developing others to do the same. When I first met Kevin, I was taken by his ability to make people (me at the time) feel heard and valued. He strives to help people discover themselves, and oftentimes, that means A LOT OF LISTENING. This is a rare skill - but it's an important one. I...

Mike Montague is a game show host, public speaker, podcaster, and writer at Playful Humans. He has been a radio DJ, karaoke host, virtual game show host, MC, and DJ for live events including opening for Billy Idol, Frankie Valli, and MC-ed at Toby Keith's Bar & Grill. He has hosted game shows for Meta, Google, Hanes, Subway, T-Mobile, Express and many more. His mission is to help adults discover the power of playing for a living and how to avoid burnout, quiet quitting, or a midlife crisis. htt...

Rachell lives smack dab in the middle of the US in Kansas City. She’s a corporate trainer by day and a Skip The Small Talk (STST) Facilitator by night. She stumbled upon Skip the Small Talk as an attendee whilst traveling for work, immediately wanting to know how to get involved. Now, hosting STST events has become her favorite hobby. Skip the Small Talk is for creating the kinds of conversations you have late at night where you feel safe talking about the things that matter to you. With events...

Keontay Gaines is the Assistant Director of Student Athlete Development at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). Keontay and I met in Lawrence, KS, where we quickly bonded over a fascination of the people around us. After growing up in inner-city Baltimore, Keontay went on to play college football, build a family, and grab several degrees along the way. He is a great example of someone who did not have opportunity immediately spelled out for him, so he had to find ways to create it. From cr...

Annie Miller is a former teacher of relational communication, an expert of belongingness, and an all-around all-star. Annie and I met in grad school at Wake Forest University where we were both teaching assistants. I invited a few people to go to a basketball game, and everyone backed out, except Annie. That basketball game ended up being our first unofficial date - and a few years later we were finding someone to dogsit our golden retriever while we were getting married. In this episode we tal...

Damon Parker spent 21 years as a teacher and coach in both Missouri and Kansas. He has coached his wrestling teams to 4 Kansas state championships. Since 2011, Coach Parker has received Teacher of the Year honors on 4 occasions and is the 6-time Kansas Coach of the Year. In addition, Damon is a professional speaker who has given presentations to hundreds of audiences nationwide. In March of 2021, something happened that changed Coach Parker's trajectory. Josh Jones, a friend to all and pillar ...

Scott Base is a Martial Arts Instructor for Prime Martial Arts. What I like most about Scott is his ability to work with the community, be it via teaching a group of realtors self-defense or hosting a martial arts tournament for kids. In the past five years, Prime Martial Arts has hosted over 100 free self-defense classes for the Lawrence community. The more I think about this, the more I realize how cool it is to empower people and provide them with skills they need to feel safe in their daily...

Santiago is a friend, inspiration, and overcomer. As an immigrant from Ecuador to the United States, he broke down barriers and found purpose. This conversation was an encouragement to me, this podcast, and the life I hope to live. Regardless of where you start, this episode will encourage you to determine how you finish. May you all be reminded to "never be afraid of small beginnings." Episode Links: Instagram: @santiagodparedes An easy way to send me a message? Click the link here. Support ...

Adam Bush is comedian from Tulsa, OK. In 2018, he won a contest to perform stand-up comedy on Broadway, this beginning his comedy career. His Dry Bar special premieres in 2023. We talk about many things, but we focus in on storytelling, how to make your friends laugh, and one thing you can do to become a better storyteller. EPISODE LINKS: Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Tiktok: @heyadambush Website: adambush.co An easy way to send me a message? Click the link here. Support the show Have you e...

Paul is the older half of the duo named TwinSauce. Their journey in the world of social media has been a long tedious 12 years. He is an Emmy nominated film maker, professional photographer, and a professional dancer. But really he’s just a guy passionate about bringing joy into peoples lives. This conversation was essentially a masterclass for me. I am thrilled that I got to capture it! EPISODE LINKS: instagram.com/twinsauce https://www.tiktok.com/@twinsauce YouTube.com/twinsauce An easy way ...

Shawn Abhari is a published songwriter that has written and worked alongside multiple international Grammy winning and platinum-record songwriters and producers. Shawn received his bachelors degree in music production from the Academy of Contemporary Music at UCO. Since then he has been traveling the world writing, producing and performing with his band: The Ivy. The Ivy duo [Shawn Abhari and Wyatt Clem] came together in Oklahoma’s music scene, having first met at music production school. Being ...

Rick served as Executive Director for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Kansas from 2005-2018. Most recently, he directed the Behavioral Health Tobacco Project for NAMI Kansas from 2016-2022. He spent 27 years in advocacy and human services in Virginia. Rick has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Princeton University and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a graduate of the Sunflower Advocacy Fellowship, the Kansas Health Found...

Christie is a champion in multiple aspects, excelling in both business and athletics. Her accomplishments include winning a college national championship, receiving multiple All-American selections, and earning an Olympic gold medal in softball. Additionally, Christie has successfully built and managed various companies while generously sharing her expertise through speaking engagements and coaching. However, what sets Christie apart is her drive and willingness to help others. During our conve...

It's time for an UPDATE. After 11 episodes, its time to share some exciting opportunities, reflect on the previous episodes, and share an opportunity for YOU. TALKTOPEOPLEPODCAST.COM Article referred to: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2018/03/life-saving-relationships An easy way to send me a message? Click the link here. Support the show Have you enjoyed the podcast? If so, follow it, rate it, and share it with three people: Follow on Apple Podcasts Follow on Spotify Follow on ...

Zane O'Brien is a highschool biology teacher. When I spoke of starting a podcast, Zane was one of my first supporters. He is a great example of a teacher who is thinking about the wellbeing of his classroom, as well as being innovative with technology in the classroom. TikTok and YouTube is really good at keeping our attention, but Zane is better. We discuss many things, including technology in the classroom, the importance of extracurricular activities, online dating, coaching footba...

Pat Brown is an investment advisor and a former football player who has a heart for teaching financial literacy to student athletes. While playing for the University of Kansas, Pat set the university record and tied the NCAA record for most pick 6's by a linebacker in a game. He now brings the same level of dedication and focus to his work in the financial industry. Pat is a kind individual who is highly engaged with the community. He uses his natural charisma and expertise in finance to educate...

Kris Walker has spent over 30 years empowering clients to overcome addiction and shame as a mental health technician, addiction counselor, and treatment center administrator. When I think about having hard conversations, I often think of the moments where vulnerable people are navigating trauma and hardship through counseling. Talking with Kris was a great way to understand the power of compassionate counseling, the importance of loving people unconditionally, and why we should always feed the g...

Tracy Green is a project manager for a large healthcare technology company. She has a passion for developing a safe environment and she puts her money where her mouth is. She has spent time traveling around the globe for project management work and she got her professional start as an intern at Disney World. I got to witness her leadership first hand, and I am grateful that we got to talk about millennials becoming managers and how that will transform corporate culture and redefine leadership. ...

Dr. Jeff Hall is a Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Kansas (KU) and the Director of the KU Relationships and Technology Lab. He is the former Chair of the Human Communication and Technology Division of the National Communication Association and the founding editor of Human Communication & Technology. He was awarded the Early Career Award from the Interpersonal Communication Division of the National Communication Association. He has been interviewed by National Public Radio...

Jeremy Pearson is a 3rd year PhD student at the University of Kansas studying muscle stem cell activity in response to exercise. Jeremy has published multiple research articles examining how to build muscle and lose body fat via exercise and nutritional strategies. On top of that, he has been a competitive bodybuilder for over a decade. He is a great example of someone who can simplify scientific study in a way that unscientific people can understand. EPISODE LINKS: Jeremy's Instagram: @jeremyr...

Mike Gerrish is the Chief Marketing and Experience Officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. He has been an executive at several companies and is a great friend. He is a published author and a musician in the Double Jumble Band. He is a great example of a leader who communicates well and knows how to produce results while having fun. He shares with the Talk to People Podcast how to build a great team, how to find balance amongst work and life, and why identity is more than where and what ...

Mia Santarelli is a creative, a photographer, and an art historian expert. While attending The Savannah College of Art and Design, she traveled to Italy to visit and learn from the late and great Italian photographer, Piergiorgio Branzi. She is a thoughtful creative who builds a great case on the Talk to People Podcast for the importance of self-expression. Support the podcast below: An easy way to send me a message? Click the link here. Support the show Have you enjoyed the podcast? If so, fol...