Authbition

Matthew A. Bamberg is a writer, photographer, educator, and author of Coconut Grove Chronicles , a work of autofiction rooted in his wild childhood in 1970s Miami. In this episode of Authbition, Matthew and I talk about writing, memory, self-publishing, Medium, editors, rejection, and the courage it takes to share your work before it feels perfect. Matthew shares how he turned stories from Coconut...

In this episode of Authbition, Andrew DiMeo talks with Tom Place, co-owner of Outbound Lighting, about building a small business without chasing growth at all costs. The conversation begins with a simple phrase from an Outbound Lighting marketing post on Facebook that genuinely caught Andrew’s eye: don’t be a dick. From there, Andrew and Tom explore what it means to run a company with kindness, ho...

In this episode of Authbition, Andrew DiMeo is joined by Dharna Ashar, a writer, yoga instructor, former flight attendant, and new Medium writer based in Dubai. Dharna describes her life as many lives in one. She began in aviation, serving passengers at 40,000 feet, traveling the world, and learning how little we truly control. From there, her path moved through motherhood, yoga teacher training i...

In this solo episode of Authbition, Andrew DiMeo records from the quiet engineering quad at NC State University during a Saturday bike ride on Mother’s Day weekend. What begins as a test of a new mobile recording setup becomes a more personal behind-the-scenes episode about listener feedback, building Authbition into something bigger than a podcast, and returning to the roots of the show: reading...

In this episode of Authbition, Andrew DiMeo sits down with Joanna Gaertner—ICF credentialed life coach, founder of Yoga Off Mat, and lead at Homebody Yoga in Raleigh, North Carolina. Together they explore Joanna’s journey from New York to Raleigh, her path into coaching, the power of yoga beyond the mat, and why awareness is often the first step toward meaningful change. The conversation moves thr...

In this episode of Authbition , Andrew DiMeo and Stefanie Morejon sit down to play The Whole Mind Game on the tension between Pursue and Surrender . What begins with stories of travel, creativity, and life transitions opens into a deeper conversation about effort, trust, control, openness, and what it means to move toward something without gripping too tightly. Together, they explore the best and...

Shaler McClure Wright reads her essay, “I’m an American Worn Down and Weakened by Rancor,” and joins me to explore the tension between being quiet and speaking out. Read her essay here: https://medium.com/the-narrative-arc/im-an-american-worn-down-and-weakened-by-rancor-fa7cc66556c5?sk=v2%2F9401e8ff-0492-46c8-8b1a-7d5f808e5389 Through the Whole Mind Game, we wrestle with silence, responsibility, c...

In this episode of Authbition, I sit down with nurse and writer Pamela Bonse for a conversation about aging, imagination, and the hidden cost of a life spent caring for others. Pam reads two stories. The first is a dreamlike reflection on the phases of her life — a tender meditation on time, identity, and what it feels like to grow older inside a body that has served others for decades. The second...

In this episode of Authbition, I sit down with writer and thinker Susan Brearley for a conversation that stretches from volcanic ash to unconditional love. Susan reads her essay What a Glorious Day: The Other Side of Paradise , a story set on the island of Montserrat after a volcanic eruption reshaped both landscape and life. What begins as a retrieval mission in a closed zone becomes something de...

In this episode of Authbition , I sit down with Maria Keckler for a wide-ranging conversation about work, care, ambition, and the voices we learn to silence in order to succeed. Maria reads from two of her essays — Learning to Land and The Black Room . Together, they trace a quiet arc: from momentum to presence, from professionalism to truth, and from exile to reintegration. At the heart of the ep...

In this episode of Authbition , writer Stephanie Wilson reads her essay “How Am I to Accept Death?” —a quiet, luminous reflection on time, presence, and what it means to let life be enough. Through memories of her father’s final days, moments of waking in the dark, and the awareness that comes when life briefly stops us in our tracks, Stephanie explores how acceptance isn’t found in resignation or...

In this episode of Authbition, I’m joined by Pascal Gambardella, a physicist-turned-psychologist and coach with firsthand experience inside the Human Potential Movement. We explore how personal growth practices can be both life-changing and dangerous—sometimes at the same time. Pascal shares his story of transformation through a program called Lifespring, alongside the ethical failures and real ha...

In this episode of Authbition, I sit down with writer Elle Becker for a deeply human conversation about chronic pain, invisibility, and the quiet courage it takes to keep showing up. Elle reads an excerpt from her essay How Chronic Pain Tries to Erase Me — a powerful reflection on living with relentless nerve pain, being unseen by the world, and choosing grace anyway. We talk about writing in the...

In this episode of Authbition, I’m joined by writer Sean Suskind, who reads his essay Return of the Age of Aquarius. Through the lens of iconic songs from the 1960s, Sean reflects on hope, loss, faith, and the enduring human longing for peace, meaning, and renewal. We then play The Whole Mind Game, exploring the tension between patriotism and protest—how influence, choice, and identity shape what...

In this episode, I read “Prayer Hands on the Exit Ramp,” an autofiction piece from Emergent: An Anthology of New Voices. It’s a story about a dangerous moment on the highway—and a quieter realization about who I’ve become in moments of stress. This piece reflects on anger, restraint, and how long-practiced habits like therapy, yoga, and meditation can interrupt old reflexes before they escalate. N...

What happens when effort and ease are no longer opposites—but partners? In this episode of Authbition, I’m joined by Emily Collie, Mental Health Therapist and Yoga Teacher, for a conversation about holding effort and ease at the same time. We explore this tension through yoga, aging, ego, and long-term practice—using the body as a teacher and lived experience as the guide. I read a personal essay...

In this episode of Authbition, I’m joined by writer Stefanie Morejon for an honest conversation about grief, avoidance, and what it means to hold joy and loss at the same time—especially during the holidays. Stefanie reads her essay “Not All Fun and Games,” a tender, darkly funny story about cooking Thanksgiving far from home, family memories that surface through food, and the moment a seemingly l...

In this episode of Authbition, I sit down with writer Elle Fredine for one of the most spontaneous sessions I’ve ever recorded. I had no idea what she planned to read—and she didn’t know I’d ask her to read at all. What unfolded was pure, joyful chaos in the best way: a dark, sharply drawn story called “The Little Patisserie on the Corner.” Elle’s process is a masterclass in yes-and writing —follo...

BONUS HOLIDAY EPISODE All right. This episode is called “Turkey.” It’s an adaptation—honestly, almost a recital—of an email my sister sent me a little over a decade ago. We had just moved into the house I’m recording in right now, and we were hosting our first-ever Thanksgiving. The fridge had died a few days before the holiday. Total chaos. My sister, being the hero she is, sent me a full-length...

As a twelve-year-old working at a cantina and blowing every spare quarter at Electric Kingdom, I thought Galaga was just a game. Decades later, I realized it was a teacher. In this week’s Authbition episode, I read an autofiction story about BMX parts, basement turntables, a ragtag childhood crew, and the strange little cheat code that revealed how success really works. Some cheat codes remove all...

In this episode of Authbition, I sit by the fire with my wife, Abby Kent of Abby Kent Coaching , and we play The Whole Mind Game with a tension that’s been living right in my own work: non-attachment and extreme ownership . On one side, I coach entrepreneurs to practice non-attachment so they’re not paralyzed by the illusion of permanence or control. On the other side, I preach extreme ownership:...

In this episode of Authbition, I read my short essay “Please Don’t Take Science So Literally” — a reflection on how education, society, and even well-meaning signs have turned science into dogma. Science isn’t an answer. It’s a method of discovery — a practice of guessing, testing, and refining. When we believe too strongly in guesses, we trade curiosity for certainty and opinion for fact. This ep...

I read my new essay, “You Don’t Have to Carry the Torch Forever,” to my friend John (off camera), then we dive into a lively conversation about starters vs. finishers, nonattachment, and the illusion of permanence. We talk torches and airplanes, foundation crews and finish carpenters, and why entrepreneurship is a team sport where leadership should change hands. I share why I’m dropping one of my...

My parents were terrified I’d fall into a cult. It was the 1970s — Jonestown, Manson, and the Moonies filled the news. In trying to protect me, they created their own small one at home. In this episode of Authbition , I read a deeply personal essay about growing up in a Catholic family ruled by fear of outside influence — and how that fear quietly mirrored the very control it tried to prevent. I e...

A millionaire’s worn blazer and my coffee-stained hoodie both tell the same story: real wealth isn’t money—it’s using what we love fully. Join me for this episode of Authbition—where Authenticity meets Ambition, without compromise. Read the story on Medium:https://medium.com/namaste-now/ned-kaplans-jacket-9e96e0c6a5f9?sk=0862d0db314df3595ac05079c39e0a6fFor all the ways to watch, listen, and connec...