Former vice president of marketing at Publishers Clearing House, Darrell Lester, tells the inside story of how PCH started as a mom & pop shop, meteorically rose to one of the most beloved companies in America, and then was nearly destroyed by bad press and lawsuits because of greed. Darrell witnessed it all and chronicled it in his book, Downfall of an Icon: The True Story of Publishers Clearing House.

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As President of Anheuser-Busch Sales and Distribution, Anson had a front-row seat to witness how and why Bud Light lost its position as the most popular beer in America (as well as $30 billion in market cap) by changing its focus from shareholder profits to stakeholder capitalism and partnering with Dylan Mulvaney. His new book, Last Call for Bud Light: The Fall and Future of America’s Favorite Beer is out today.

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Alex Epstein is back! He’s a philosopher and energy expert who argues that "human flourishing" should be the guiding principle of energy and environmental progress.

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Darnell is the founder and CEO of Thurgood Industries, a career-building platform for skilled workers. He shares his amazing story of how he grew up in New York public housing, served 17 years in prison, and went on to graduate from Yale Law School the same year he received a diploma in manufacturing technology and machining from Lincoln Tech.

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Edward is the co-founder and director of water and energy policy for the California Policy Center. He’s written voluminously on how to fix California’s problems, and he has lots of thoughts about the Los Angeles wildfires: why they happened, who is getting it right, and who is getting it wrong.

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Peggy Rowe, a.k.a. Mike’s mom, a.k.a. America’s grandmother is not one for excessive cursing… usually. In this episode, however, she makes an exception. Expect tales from the home, cultural appropriation karaoke, and janky Christmas wishes. This cup of coffee will not disappoint. 

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We begin with a mystery for the curious mind with a short attention span and we conclude with the story of Christmas, the way I heard it. The guest is Quentin Schultze and his book can be found here.

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Multiple Emmy-winning aerial photographer David Alan Arnold has shot World Series, Super Bowls, X-Games, commercials, and movies. But he truly earns his paycheck risking his life on television shows like Survivor, Amazing Race, and especially Deadliest Catch, the show he worked on with Mike Rowe. Dave and Mike share true stories of harrowing flights, near misses, and fisherman funerals, all of which can be found in David’s book, Help From Above.

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Nikki Stratton is the granddaughter of Pearl Harbor survivor Donald Stratton. Donald was a sailor aboard the ill-fated USS Arizona on December 7, 1941, and wrote the book All the Gallant Men to recount the event. Nikki is the sponsor of the soon-to-be-commissioned nuclear submarine SSN Arizona. Every ship in the US Navy has a female sponsor who has a plethora of duties, including christening the ship. Nikki recounts her grandfather’s harrowing escape from the burning USS Arizona and breaks down all of her duties as sponsor of the SSN Arizona.

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Oklahoma builder Nathan Walters discusses his unlikely journey to owning his own building business, the virtues and pitfalls of college vs. on-the-job training, and what he’s doing in Oklahoma to encourage high schoolers to consider the trades.

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Ronda and her husband Corey founded Isaiah 117 House to provide a safe and loving home for children awaiting placement in the foster care system. Isaiah 177 House was featured on Mike’s Facebook show, Returning the Favor. Ronda tells how her appearance on the show affected her mission, her life, and especially her health. 

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