Be The Good with Kate

If you’ve followed Be The Good with Kate long enough, you know we love a good dog and child story over here. This week’s episode certainly checks off those boxes. Sheila Duncan is co-creator of the popular character Trouble the Dog and author of three children’s books.  This all began after Sheila’s 12-year-old niece lost her dad, her grandmother, and her dog in close succession. Her niece decided...

This week on Be The Good with Kate: Brandy Ramirez did not get into fitness until after having her third child. She started walking, then running, then it kept growing from there. Now she is an ironman competitor, coach, certified fitness pro, and more. In between, she went through an intense battle with cancer, which led her to finding a path to helping other women going through similar journeys....

Would you sell everything you have and live life on the road? Today’s guest, Alise Saunders, describes herself now as "fully living": Alise and her husband, Greg, left their former careers and home, sold most of their possessions, and now travel the world, helping others seize the opportunities of such a lifestyle as well. But it was a journey to get here. “A digital nomad is someone who...

Who feels like they need to be more organized? And who feels so much better mentally when they are in an organized space?  Why? Why are we trying to be more organized? Yes today’s guest covers the how…But diving into the ‘why’ of it all really draws me in listening to Laurie Palau, Founder of Simply B Organized and host of This Organized Life. I could have talked to Laurie all day. In fact, we ‘sw...

I use the word ‘inspiring’ a lot, but for good reason. And Terry Tucker is another level of the definition of the word. And the quotability is through the roof. And the stories? Don’t miss one second of Terry’s episode of Be The Good with Kate this week.  Terry is facing the inevitable that cancer will take him from this Earth in the near future, yet has chosen a mindset of using the time he has l...

From being a one-year-old having open heart surgery to seven more heart-related surgeries over the years, nearly dying on the operating table three times, and all that has gone with this journey, Danny Covey is here to tell us about his journey today. True miracles. Today’s guest was told he would never physically excel, yet to look at him now you’d never know of any of this. Danny is a fit black...

"Walking in the shoes of other people", Experiential learning rather than ‘talking heads’, Empathy as the basis for interacting with those around us, Experience design… These are just a few of the amazing deep dives in this week’s episode of Be The Good with Kate. Executive Director of Empathable , Micah Kessel, joins me today to share so much insight and wisdom into how we communicate, adapt, and...

Start this episode for all sorts of insights into the nonprofit world, listen to the end for a most inspiring chat on growth versus scarcity mindsets… Today’s guest on Be The Good with Kate is Kristi Porter, Founder and Chief Do-Gooder at Signify Solutions, which helps cause-focused organizations “understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic”. Li...

“If this is the next 30 years of your life, is this enough?” My guest today on Be The Good with Kate is Genevieve Piturro, who is “all about Purpose and The Human Connection”. She has quite the story– I mean, even Oprah has talked about her! For real! From simply showing up to read a book to children, to an entire nonprofit bringing love and comfort to children in shelters, and the story continues...

This week’s guest on Be The Good with Kate has a path that took an unexpected turn over the years: Dr. John DeGarmo is the director of The Foster Care Institute and has now been a foster parent to over 60 children over the years. His passion for helping children and foster care outcomes is so apparent, and I am happy to share our chat with you today. 65% of children end up homeless after going thr...

This week’s guest on Be The Good with Kate has an incredible story of going from pain- and fatigue-filled teenage years, to a full life of health, happiness, and freedom in Peru. Maya Lombarts is a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach who grew up in Belgium while facing constant fatigue and pain, as doctors continued to tell her nothing was wrong. Finally she was able to get a diagnosis, as...

My guest this week on Be The Good with Kate explains that his passion for brightening people’s days led him “to accomplish what others called ridiculous and unfeasible.” Eddy Smits became a professional clown in Belgium, and went on to visit over 10.000 sick and palliative children. As his bio states, “This work required more than a pair of big shoes and a red nose. I needed to develop a strong ki...

This week on Be The Good with Kate we meet Sofie Lindberg , host of Claim Your Potential , and she gives us so much insight and inspiration (while being the youngest guest we have had on the show yet!). A few takeaways: Seeking out opportunities to follow your interests & become well-rounded from a young age The nonprofit sector– and that you are never too young to do something Growing up arou...

This week’s guest on Be The Good with Kate challenges us to think deeper, see as many perspectives as we can, and, as he says, to ask ourselves: We know the Pledge of Allegiance, what is the pledge to yourself? Roger Pollard is all about ‘the motive in motivation’, and this episode dives deep into the brain, psychology, and ‘big picture’ concepts on life. He is a teacher, author, father, and forme...

This week’s guest on Be The Good with Kate is the founder of Run Tri Bike, Jason Bahamundi , and he brings us a burst of energy and motivation on this first episode of the new year! Jason created Run Tri Bike because, as he wrote to me, “I wanted this platform to be a guiding light for others to follow in these amazing athletes footsteps. The athletes that share our stories are not elite, they are...

A jazz musician who has played all over the world, today's guest was inspired to use his talents to make a difference after witnessing the second plane hit the World Trade Center on 9/11. Rick began writing as a poem poured out of him, Jazz For Peace . When he read it aloud to help start his first concert after these events, it inspired thousands. This then turned into a worldwide organization to...

Today on Be The Good with Kate, I am thrilled to introduce you to Mike Montague, Chief Instigator at Playful Humans. At the end of this episode, I am thrown into a game show! So be sure to play along with me :) Mike is also  the Director of Community Engagement at Sandler, game show host, public speaker, podcaster, and more – And this is a big part of this episode: You don’t have to choose a...

Yes and! If you know improv, you know that statement. Today on Be The Good with Kate, a 73-year-old widow who became a comedian at the age of 69, shows us how saying ‘yes and’ throughout life will keep you facing your fears, growing, and living your best life. She will have you smiling and laughing before this episode is done. Shelley Smartly was told she would have 3-5 years to live. That was in...

Today's guest lost both his wife and oldest son to addictions yet has chosen to devote his life to making a difference: becoming an unceasing advocate for mental health. Jeff Johnston is a dad who is working to change the narrative on mental health, substance abuse, & addiction. He is the founder of The Living Undeterred Project, as well as author of "This One’s For You: An Inspirational Journ...

Do you know your Who vs your What? How do you stay true to Who you are while in Hollywood performing fight scenes in Marvel movies? How about when you are a father of three? Or a business owner in North Carolina? Oh, how about when you are in the minor leagues? Today’s guest has been all of these Whats, and he has kept his Who at the heart of it all. I love how Kevin Cassidy dives into this concep...

Today’s guest reminds us not to just talk about something but to do something. George Siegal is a documentary filmmaker and creator of ‘ Tell Us How To Make It Better ’ podcast. Overarching theme you’ll hear today: solutions. Tackling the problems we often fall into only venting about. Additionally, George has such an interesting trajectory to where he is now. He was a weather anchor, interviewed...

My guest today on Be The Good with Kate is an absolute inspiration who finds the good in all aspects of life. Dr. Marni Hill Foderaro had her life turned upside down yet chose to look at life through a lens of love and forgiveness no matter what. Marni spent 35 years in the Chicago suburbs as a special education teacher and adjunct professor, and after having to leave an abusive situation, is now...

Today's guest on Be The Good with Kate explains, "I had to learn how to live this new life," as he describes the time immediately following a diving accident that left him a C5 quadriplegic at the age of 27. While quickly discovering how "underserved the disabled population was with resources and information", Mark Raymond Jr. made it his mission to help others be more informed and have stronger o...

“Infinite compassion”, “Pathological optimism”, “Storytelling”, How fashion, children’s books, and augmented reality work together to help future generations learn, develop empathy, and more… I learned so much listening to Jonathan and am thrilled to welcome him to season five of Be The Good with Kate! Jonathan Joseph is the founder of Little Red Fashion, the first fashion education company focuse...

Wow! After four months of incredibly inspiring guests, it's time to wrap it all up with a finale episode. Here, let's take a mini dose of each episode, and I hope you are reminded of or introduced to these people doing so much good in so many different, unique ways. I further hope you are inspired to follow your passions and help your own heart as well as others around you along the way. What is B...