Kris Cody is the founder of Paka Apparel with a dream of changing the way people play outdoors and the clothing that makes it possible. 

Kris launched Paka in 2017 and brought alpaca sweaters to the public through the brands’ first Kickstarter – Paka exceeded its goal of $20,000 in under 24 hours and raised more than $350,000 in 30 days. From that inception, Paka has now created a line of washable alpaca apparel and ethical performance outerwear, along with Paka's tried and true sweaters, hoodies and socks.

What makes his approach to business stand out is his effort to localize Paka’s supply chain: all of Paka’s alpaca fiber is sourced from free-roaming herds in Peru, 90% of products are manufactured in the country, and over 100 Quechua women weavers are employed (at 4x the living wage in Peru) to craft hand-woven Inca ID’s that appear on all Paka apparel. Paka donates 1% of revenue to Peruvian Hearts, an NGO encouraging the education and empowerment of young women in Peru, to support their PakaScholars program. 

Last year, Paka launched Traceable Alpaca, which allows customers to see the coordinates in Peru where the fiber of their Paka sweater was sourced. All hand-woven sweaters are signed by their creator – an effort to connect the craftswomen and consumer. Paka has balanced maintaining a community-driven attitude while developing industry-changing innovation in natural fiber. 

In today's conversation we dive deep into the Paka Story, Kris's unique entrepreneural journey, the power of sustainable clothing, how to have a successful Kickstarter Campaign, and how clothing can help live a outdoor lifestyle. 

Learn more about Paka at https://www.pakaapparel.com

What the behind the scenes stories from the best of NBC Burbank? What really went down between Johnny Carson and Joan Rivers? What was Andy Kaufman like when the 'cameras were off?' Shelley Herman cut her teeth in the world of entertainment during the crazy times of NBC in the 1970s. Tune in to hear all these stories and more.

Author SHELLEY HERMAN is an Emmy-nominated show-biz veteran, a longtime host, writer, producer and personality with decades of success on both sides of the camera. Now, she’s taking us back to the beginning of her career – when she joined the famous NBC Studio Page program. My Peacock Tale: Secrets Of An NBC Page is the story of Herman, her fellow pages who became lifelong friends, and the dizzying array of celebrities, hangers-on, has-beens, and legends that found their way through the halls of NBC Burbank in the mid-late 1970s.

In what Kirkus Reviews calls “a revealing and often delightful insider’s look at the heyday of network television,” Shelley Herman recalls the almost impossible-to-imagine situations behind the scenes amidst a who’s-who of 1970s entertainment culture. From a trip to see Elvis in Vegas that lead to Shelley getting into the Page program; to literally “breaking a leg” in an encounter that brought her an indelible moment with a musical hero; to being privy to the secrets of Joan Rivers’ feud with Johnny Carson; to all of the interpersonal, professional, and emotional connections forged by Shelley and her friends that would define this as the time of their lives.

That’s not counting stories about Andy Kaufman, Richard Pryor, Freddie Prinze, Gilda Radner, Robin Williams, Betty White, ex-Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Redd Foxx, Frank Sinatra, John Travolta, and other still famous (and some forgotten) giants of film, television, and music. With direct honesty, this celebratory reminiscence offers a unique glimpse into the beginning of a young woman’s career amidst perhaps one of the most dynamic, colorful, and influential moments in recent cultural history.

A longtime writer and TV game show production veteran ("Supermarket Sweep"), Shelley Herman is a southern California native who has made a life in show business as a creator and performer, starting as a contestant on "The Dating Game" and eventually writing more than 1000 hours of game shows. Married to actor Randall Carver, the LA resident has been witness to fascinating chapters of TV industry history, and knows that the tales told in My Peacock Tale are just the beginning.

Links
Website: https://mypeacocktale.com
Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PPjOVK

Have you ever felt like you were destined to fail? Or that things ‘almost’ happen for you in life but somehow things always fall short?

In Erwin McManus’s new book “Mind Shift’ he explores what it takes to break the cycle and become the genius you were designed to be.

In today’s conversation we sit down with Erwin and take a look at simple shifts you can make to find the change you desire and the ability to make your ideas into reality.

About Erwin Raphael McManus
Erwin Raphael McManus is an iconoclast, artist, and cultural thought leader known for his integration of creativity and spirituality. He is the founder of MOSAIC, a church movement started in the heart of Hollywood with campuses across Los Angeles, Orange County, Mexico City and Seattle, and a global community that spans the across the world. Erwin is the acclaimed author of “The Last Arrow,” “The Artisan Soul,” “Soul Cravings,” and “The Barbarian Way.” His books have sold more than a million copies worldwide. He lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife, Kim McManus.

Links
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

How do we do a better exploring and creating ideas? One way is to look at the world through the lens of a childlike heart. Wonder and Curiosity become superpowers and daydreaming becomes the foundation for exploration.

Scott Hershovitz recently released a book exploring philosophy through the stories of children. In today's conversation we explore the concepts he explores in his book 'Nasty, Brutish, and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with my Kids.'

We cover a wide range of topics including ethics, law, working with Ruth Bader Ginsburg, fostering interest and curiosity in kids, relativism, the search for absolute truth, how to have a healthy debate, communicating your beliefs, and how everyone is an every day philosopher.

Scott Hershovitz is the Thomas G. and Mabel Long Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Michigan. He directs the University’s Law and Ethics Program. And he co-edits Legal Theory.

Hershovitz served as a law clerk to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the United States Supreme Court and an attorney-advisor on the appellate staff of the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice.

Links
Website: https://www.scotthershovitz.com
Book: https://www.scotthershovitz.com/book

Mark Hentemann has worked as a writer on some of the biggest shows on TV including The Late Show with David Letterman, Family Guy, 3 South, Run of the House, and Bordertown. But things don't always go 'right' when you are working in show business.

Mark shares his story of going from creating Greeting Cards to writing on The Last Show with David Letterman only to be laid off because of the 'Late Show Wars.' Not knowing what to do next, he took the leap to push into his dreams and move to LA. After meeting Seth MacFarlane, Mark ended up becoming a writer on Family Guy. It would seem like smooth sailing was on the horizon...but things didn't always go to plan. That's when Mark found the investing bug and launched Quantum Capital all while being the Show Runner for Family Guy!

In today's episode we dive deep into the world of creativity, writing, creating culture, and investing.

3:40 From Greeting Cards to The Late Show with David Letterman
13:15 Using adversity to becoming the best
16:16 Helping to launch Family Guy
19:19 Facing fear and investing in Real Estate
29:10 Why different voice creates a better show
33:00 When creating a show, how do you know where the line of appropriate is?
41:30 How to create a 'creative culture'
46:50 Why Mark loves Real Estate and how he can help you

Mark's Links
Website: https://quantumcapitalinc.com

Innovation doesn't always happen in the ways that you think. Sometimes it's about taking something people don't want or have a use for and creating something they do want. That's what Emily Darchuck did when she thought up the solution for whey waste birthing her company Wheyward Spirit.

Wheyward Spirit is an award-winning liquor that is disrupting an entire industry. Her mission-driven product brings the natural food ethos into the spirit category where both consumers and local farmers need it most.

Wheyward Spirit is now partnering with Ben & Jerry's to help them bring back the popular 'Dublin Mudslide' back from the ice cream flavor graveyard.

In today's episode, we chat about product development and innovation, rethinking waste products, the power of farm-to-flask, innovation and creating your own space, and why female-owned businesses are so important.

Links
Website: https://www.wheywardspirit.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thewheywardspirit/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WheywardSpirit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wheywardspirit/

Twila True is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and mentor to young females entering the world of entrepreneurship and finance. Twila's roots are from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, one of the poorest communities in the U.S. She overcome a challenging family upbringing to become a business Megaforce owning, investing, and operating several multi-million-dollar companies in the entertainment, beauty, fashion, food, and real estate industries. She was named one of Entrepreneur Magazine's "100 Women of Impact" and one of SUCCESS Magazine's "WOMEN OF INFLUENCE" both in 2022.

Her businesses include Volume Ventures and 1500 Sound Academy which has worked with world-renowned artists like Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Master P, Snoop Dog, and multiple others. She currently serves as CEO of True Family Enterprises, TrueLane Homes, Twila True Fine Jewelry, and Twila True Collaborations. Beyond the world of business, Twila is active in charitable ventures including an orphanage assistance foundation in China and a Native American personal development foundation in the U.S.

In today's episode, we chat about managing multiple companies, the power of business and entrepreneurship, building success from nothing, creating new mindsets, opportunity over passion, the line between confidence and being a jerk, dealing with people who oppose you, and much more.

Links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twilatrue/
Twila True Enterprises: https://www.truefamilyenterprises.com
Volume Ventures: https://volumeventuresllc.com
1500 Sound Academy: https://www.1500soundacademy.com

Today's conversation is with Billionaire businessman David Rubenstein. David started his career as a lawyer before working at the White House under President Jimmy Carter. He now spends his time hosting two shows on Television, "The David Rubenstein Show: Peer to Peer Conversations" on Bloomberg TV and History with David Rubenstein on PBS. He is also focused on philanthropic endeavors with the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Gallery of Art, the Council on Foreign Relations, and The Economic Club of Washington, D.C.

In his recently released book 'The American Experiment: Dialogues On A Dream,' David Rubenstein explores the American Experiment into democracy, culture, innovation, and ideas through conversations with those impacting our country in various ways. As I sat down with David, we discussed various topics from this book and his life. Ultimately this leads to one question, 'Is the American Experiment and Dream dead?'

Early in our conversation David recalls telling Jeff Bezos that Amazon wasn't going anywhere and didn't have a big future. As we continue the discussion we chat about the January 6th insurrection, Diversity, the medium and craft of interviews/conversations, Ken Burns and his insights into history, what it takes to have longevity in what you do, Wynton Marsalis and his views on Jazz and the American Story, Faith in America, and much more.

Later in the interview, we look at David's success in the world of business. He gives us a look into what it took to build the Carlyle Group, what the life of a billionaire is actually like, and why philanthropy is so important to him.

Join us as we explore the importance of The American Experiment and it's future.

Links
Website: https://www.davidrubenstein.com
The American Experiment Book: https://amzn.to/3JlwezT

The last few years have been rough for everyone, but it especially hit the world of Broadway hard. After touring the world with the hit musical 'Hamilton' today's guest Fergie Philippe was set to start staring on the On-Broadway production of the show. As he moved from the touring version of Hamilton and started to perform as Hercules Mulligan and James Madison on the Broadway production the pandemic hit and the show was shut down.

But the shutdown didn't slow down Fergie. He got the creative juices going and came up with another hit idea. A podcast about The Muppets. He pitched the idea to 'The Broadway Podcast Network.' They loved the concept of creating a show all about The Muppets to correspond to the release on Disney +. 'It's Time to Meet the Muppets' is an in-depth look into each episode of this beloved franchise.

Now that Broadway is reopened, Fergie is back performing on the stage. In today's conversation, Fergie shares his very unique journey from Miami, Florida to the stages of Broadway. We also discuss Jim Henson's Muppets, how he fell in love with them, why the Muppets connect with generations of people, and why 'The Broadway Podcast Network' would want a show not about Broadway on their platform.

Later in the episode, we dive deeper into the future of Broadway, race and diversity, and how Broadway is reenvisioning the type of shows they create.

Links
It's Time to Meet the Muppets: https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/podcast/its-time-to-meet-the-muppets/
The Broadway Podcast Network: https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com
Fergie's Website: https://www.fergiephilippe.com
Podcast Magazine Article: https://podcastmagazine.com/its-time-to-meet-the-muppets
Hamilton Website: http://www.broadway.com/shows/hamilton-broadway/

Very few people reach the pinnacle of their dreams only to walk away from it. Tom Bancroft reached the top of the animation world by becoming one of the top animators and character designers. He worked on projects including Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Mulan, and Brother Bear. But he is best know for creating the character Mushu for Milan and for animating Young Simba for The Lion King.

After thirteen years at Disney and working on approximately nine features, Tom left Disney to pursue another adventure working at Big Idea Productions as a Supervising Director/Co-creator. Most recently Tom has been Artist in Residence at Lipscomb University in Nashville Tennessee.

Tom's most recent adventure is launching a brand new animation studio, PENCILISH ANIMATION STUDIOS using crowd investing where everyday people can be an owner in the new studio.

In today's episode, we discuss how you can own an Animation Studio and be a part of Pencilish, his time at Disney and Big Idea, Disney's second golden age of animation, teaching animation, crowd investing, faith in media, and much more.

Pencilish Animation Studio: https://www.pencilish.com
Invest at WeFunder: https://wefunder.com/pencilish
The Bancroft Brothers Animation Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bancroft-brothers-animation-podcast/id911802874

Ask any American about our health system and they will tell you the same thing. 'It's broken.' The system seems to be rigged against the consumer only to benefit the insurance companies and health care systems.

Steve Neeleman has spent years working in this system as a doctor and seen how the system treats people. But his story is much more personal on how the health care system even failed him. In today's episode, Dr. Neeleman gives us a look into how his company 'Health Equity' is helping individuals, families, and businesses to truly invest into their health through HSA, FSA, HRA programs. These programs help every day people to invest into their long term health.

Beyond talking about health, we also discuss his family and their entrepreneurial endeavors, building startups, how personal experience sparks ideas, the impacts of health and finance, and much more.

Links
https://healthequity.com


About Steve
Stephen Neeleman is the CEO and founder of HealthEquity (www.healthequity.com), a personal healthcare financial service and health savings account company based in Draper, UT. Dr. Neeleman founded HealthEquity to repair the fractured relationship between patients and their physicians and to help more people obtain quality health insurance by re-introducing consumerism into healthcare.

As a board-certified physician, Dr. Neeleman brings to HealthEquity passion and firsthand knowledge for the practice of medicine.

Prior to his medical training, Dr. Neeleman worked as general manager for Morris Air (later acquired by Southwest Airlines), in Utah.

Dr. Neeleman combined efficiency, technology and excellent customer service to succeed in a rocky industry. This innovative business model allowed Morris Air to rise above financially struggling competitors. Dr. Neeleman's goal is to use this model to help save another struggling industry: American healthcare.

In addition to his duties as CEO of HealthEquity, Dr. Neeleman is currently a practicing general and trauma surgeon for Intermountain Healthcare at American Fork Hospital and Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Utah. Dr. Neeleman was appointed by Governor Gary Herbert to serve as a board member of HIP Utah, Utah’s high-risk insurance pool. He also serves on the Council for Affordable Health Insurance HSA Working Group and on America’s Health Insurance Plans’ HSA Leadership Council. Dr. Neeleman is a former assistant professor of surgery at the University of Arizona and the co-author of The Complete HSA Guidebook—How to make health savings accounts work for you!

Dr. Neeleman completed his undergraduate degree and played football at Utah State University. He attended medical school at the University of Utah and completed his surgical training at the University of Arizona.