20 Minutes with Bronwyn

WELCOME to January, my friends.   I’ve never been a fan of dropping a big rah rah New Year’s resolution episode at the very start of January. In my experience, we are basically still trying to recover from the insanity that was December, and we just … need a minute.   But I do believe now is the time to reflect and plan.    As Gloria Stenham so beautifully said from behind her rad tinted aviator g...

I bring you this week a completely different type of guest than I normally have on my show.    If you’re a regular reader of my newsletters, you’ll recognize the name of said guest, because I gushed about her memoir about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail - Thru Hiking Will Break Your Heart in a recent Monday morning missive.   As luck would have it, she actually agreed to let me interview her.    My...

Welcome to December! And let me tell you, I come bearing gifts …   This fantastic conversation with one of the most influential Venture Capitalists in the Valley, Mr. David Hornik is going to help you become a better storyteller, a better pitcher of ideas, and best of all? It might even help you become a better human being. He’s *that* good. David is a founding partner at Lobby Capital. For the la...

“Curious” is a word that is almost overused these days. But what if it’s literally the secret to EVERYTHING we are all working for? Happiness. Fulfillment. Connection. The brilliant Scott Shigeoka is here to help us turn curiosity into a high functioning habit.   Scott is an internationally recognized curiosity expert, speaker, and the author of 'SEEK, How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Cha...

Without a doubt, we are the *most* media saturated humans in the history of the world. But what happens to media coverage and storytelling when kids are behind the camera lens? Storytelling with a depth and honesty you won’t see anywhere else.   My guest today is the incomparable Holly Carter, founder of the Executive Director of BYkids and BYkids pairs talented young storytellers with seasoned fi...

The brilliant Dr. Leslie Carr and I get real about what the heck work is supposed to look like in this weird post-Covid world we now occupy.    We talk about the leadership styles that are poised to win in this environment, and those that are doomed to implode.   But most importantly, we talked about what humans truly need in order to thrive.    Dr. Leslie Carr is a psychologist and an expert in h...

You guys, when Lexi B walks in the room, there is a ripple in the energetic universe and it's like she's here. That's the vibe she gives. She is one of the most sparkling compelling presences you'll ever know in your life. Her podcast, You Can Sit with US , launched on September 5th and you can find all new episodes on Spotify. Go give it a listen, Lexi is sensational. Alexandria Butler, widely kn...

Once upon a time, I remember hearing Oprah Winfrey say, “Your home should rise up to meet you.”   I muttered under my breath, “Oh yeah? Well my house rises up to SLAP me. How ‘bout that?”   At the time, I was a new mother, a newly(ish)wed, and an “organized, beautiful space” wasn’t yet in my self concept.   But a lot has changed since then.    I’ve become far better at executing a vision of sanity...

ot gonna lie … I came out of Spring bedraggled. Exhausted. Burned to a crisp.    And as fate (the Universe? Luck? Serendipity?) would have it, the brilliant Cherie Healey was launching a program that seemed tailor-made for my tattered soul … A women’s “circle” experience designed to re-animate my spirit, re-imagine my approach to “productivity,” and re-calibrate my relationships with the people I...

I am THRILLED to share my latest conversation with the amazing, talented, and powerful performance coach, B en Kiker.     Ben is a regular on this show because every single time we talk, he casually drops a few statements that not at all casually blow our minds.   Today Ben and I are talking about leadership. Specifically, brave and resilient leadership.   The past several years have been challeng...

When I think about evolution, I think about mostly men’s bodies evolving. Maybe it’s because every image I’ve ever seen depicts MAN moving from knuckle-dragging primate to upright-standing, prefrontal cortex-wielding Super Species.   But what is the story of women’s bodies?   Deena Emera, PhD , is an evolutionary geneticist, author, and teacher. She earned a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, a m...

Today, my friends ... we are talking about … wait for it … WEED. CBD. THC. Why? Because I have noticed, as have many other friends who are my contemporaries … that at a certain point in life, alcohol stops being helpful as a method of winding down.   For the longest time, I was able to have a nice glass of wine or cocktail to mark the end of the day … I would sip it and make dinner, and then go to...

When I graduated from college, my Grandmother gave me some advice. She said, "Bronwyn, get a government job. Maybe the DMV? Something that has a … pension."   And I get it. Survival = financial safety.   But that didn’t sit well with me. I wanted wealth. But that wasn’t something the women in my lineage could teach me. In fact, FEW women are taught how to create and GROW wealth.   But that’s what...

Do you ever have that feeling that … you’re losing your audience? Like maybe you’re over-talking, but you just don’t know how to stop? Well, my friend, you are NOT alone. This is something MOST of us struggle with at one time or another. Today, you are going to meet Sarah. She is a powerhouse coach, but she has that nagging suspicion that her inability to REIN IT IN may be costing her credibility...

Have you ever had the urge to make a change … to step out and try something new … only to be halted by the thought, “I’m too old. I’m too old to try to paint. I’m too old to start a new career. I’m too old to find love. I’m too old to strike out on my own.” Well if you have, you need a shot of Jen freaking Marples in your life. And that is what I’m about to serve up. Because Jen Marples has one th...

Feeling out of control? Stressed? Overwhelmed? What if relief was just one question away? My guest today is the fantastic and delightful Marc Champagne. Marc is a mental fitness strategist, host of the Behind the Human podcastan, and best selling author of Personal Socrates: Questions That Will Upgrade Your Life from Legends & World-Class Performers. Marc is a connoisseur of questions that will ch...

Friends, today you are going to meet Grace. Grace is struggling with something a LOT of us can relate to: How do you become your most powerful Self when you are recovering from a long season of stress, crisis, and debilitating fear. How do you bring calm, creativity and clarity of thinking when you have been in survival mode for so long, you feel like you're constantly being shot out of a cannon?...

There are two types of people in the world … Those who secretly wonder if there’s a book inside them waiting to be written, and those who would never in a million years wonder such a thing. This episode is 100% dedicated to people in the former category.  My guest today is Linda Sivertsen, aka “book mama,” though she could just as easily be called “book doula,” such is her gift. LINDA is an author...

Captivating. Isn’t that a great word?   When someone is captivating, the audience is 100% on their side, and 100% engrossed with whatever it is they are saying.    Today, you are going to meet "Jess." Jess is on a quest to become more captivating in the courtroom. Jess is a criminal defense lawyer, and her ability to win over a jury can mean the difference between incarceration and freedom.   But...

Some people just shine.   Human beings who radiate from an inner light do so because of what they’ve overcome, and the meaning they’ve made of their life experiences thus far.   My guest today is truly a luminous being.   My friends, please meet Martha Niño . Martha is a 25-year Silicon Valley technology professional who has worked at large corporations ranging from mobile, to hardware, to softwar...

BIG NEWS, my friends!!   Season 5 of 20 Minutes with Bronwyn is now LIVE and this season I decided to experiment with format.    Instead of recording myself solo speaking into the ether, I have found some truly incredible human beings willing to be coached and RECORDED (albeit anonymously), as they work to become their most powerful selves, speaking from that place of power.   In this week’s episo...

THIS is the last episode of 20 Minutes with Bronwyn for Season 4, and it is dedicated to recent college grads, wondering what the hell to do next.  This episode is also dedicated to the parents of those grads who may be wringing their hands, also wondering, What the hell is this kid gonna do next?? Today, our guide for this conversation is the amazing, delightful, divine Ms. Andrea Koppel. Andrea...

Hello Friend!   It’s hard to believe that my podcast is turning 4 this year. To say I’m proud is an understatement. To say I have it all figured out is an overstatement.   Having said that, I’ve learned a thing or two, and last summer I did a live webinar to offer what knowledge I possess about making (and maintaining!) a podcast. Over 100 people joined, and I loved every minute of it.   I am ofte...

My guest this week is someone I have wanted to interview on my podcast since the FIRST SEASON. This someone is not only a groundbreaking researcher and scientist , he is also my dear friend, Dr. Alexander Marson .  Alex is the Director of Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, a senior investigator at Gladstone Institute, and an Associate Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Micro...

I was NOT planning on dropping this episode until much later in the summer, but within a few days of recording this conversation, a draft opinion on the overturning of Roe vs. Wade was leaked to Politico . My intention from the beginning was to talk with an expert about the language around reproductive freedom. Because here’s what I know for sure:  Women cannot compete economically and/or provide...