Bootstraps

This week Lisa sits down with someone very close to her heart — her oldest nephew Bobby Whittingham , the 4th generation carrying forward the legacy of  Whittingham Meats , a South Side Chicago family business, built from pure hustle and grit.  The story goes way back, to Lisa's grandfather Dixie, who went from working the deli counter at "the Jewel," to buying a refrigerated truck for 100 bucks f...

Bootstrap Boogie is named in honor of my Nonna — a woman who knew hardship intimately, but who also knew joy, music, and how to shake her tailfeather! She believed in dancing (& baking!) through life, even during the hardest seasons. It feels exactly right that my first guests of this newly re-imagined chapter are my effervescent cousin Stacy Whittingham, joined by her darling daughter Ali. Stacy...

This week I'm joined by Catherine Law, Executive Producer and Co-Host of the hit podcast Dear Chelsea (now streaming on NETFLIX!) — and fun fact, she's also the personal and professional partner to my producer, Brad!  We go behind the scenes of making a wildly successful advice podcast, and talk about what it's really like working alongside your husband, AND comedy legend Chelsea Handler. Catherin...

Tommy Holl, aka The Real Elf, opens up about surviving cancer, charming Barbara Corcoran (yes — she backed him on Shark Tank!), and choosing radical joy in the face of grief. (You'll also get juicy behind-the-scenes secrets from Shark Tank!). So pull up your bootstraps - and maybe a Candy Cane martini!  This one's full of heart, hustle, and elf-ing courage. 🎄 Learn more about Tommy's magical miss...

This week I sit down with the incredible Licia Sky — a somatic educator, artist, singer-songwriter, and bodyworker.  She helps people reconnect with themselves using mindful meditation in movement, writing, and voice as tools for attunement, healing, and connection. She has also been teaching expanded awareness in workshops around the world, and Licia is also the co-founder of the Trauma Research...

If you're overwhelmed, tired, or just trying to make sense of the wacky world we're livin in — this episode is for you. You're not alone. If you're paying attention…It's a lot. And it's real. Here in Chicago — families are literally being ripped apart by ICE. We are living through a moment that is asking us to step up. This episode is a reflection. Not to "debate" or "politicize." But to remember…...

Get ready for sparks! ⚡ Two fierce, funny & fab Irish firecrackers, Pat Brady and Maureen Muldoon, sit down to stir the pot in Same Soup, Different Seasoning. Laughs, insight, and a little chaos guaranteed. Two worlds. One table. In this debut of Same Soup, Different Seasoning, former Republican National Committee member, federal prosecutor, & political analyst Pat Brady sits down with me, and my...

Today we chat with more fam from SOUTH SIDE!!  (on my Irish side)...my "reMARKble" cousin, Mark Ishaug — CEO of *Thresholds* in Chicago, longtime HIV/AIDS and mental-health champion, civic collaborator, and unapologetic optimist.  He shares tales from the front lines of Chicago, amid the chaos of  ICE Raids and the government shut down.  Somehow through all of it, Mark continues to tirelessly inst...

This week on *Bootstraps,* we're going back to the South Side, for some laughs & comfort food — to the "Frunchroom" … We're celebrating Nonna — our funny, fierce, gnocchi making, chocolate chip cookie-baking matriarch. You'll get a sneak peek into my funny famigliá - and hear stories recorded live from Sister Lakes, Michigan, where we put the fun in dysFUNction at our family reunion this summer! ...

In this soulful (and spicy) kickoff, I sat down with my radiant, spiritual mentor, a Chicago native, and 4th generation intuitive guide, Sonia Tully! We got real about navigating these apocalyptic times - with heart… AND humor.  As Sonia's Nana taught her: "The situation is critical, but doesn't have to be serious." Join us for big Chi-town energy!     ✨Learn more about all that Sonia has going o...

Family stories can take the wildest turns ... Over 30 years ago, I set up a High School bestie with my older brother, and ended up with a bestie for my child, and one of the most remarkable people in my life—my nephew El. He's a true Renaissance man, who speaks five languages, and traveled the world while doing research for his PhD in anthropology.  He also happens to make me laugh until I cry. Ad...

This week I sat down with the one and only Dr. John Duffy — clinical psychologist, bestselling author, podcast host, teen whisperer, and all-around good guy you'd want on speed dial when your family group chat goes off the rails. We talk parenting (spoiler: none of us are doing it perfectly), teens (they're not as scary as they look, I promise), relationships (yep, they're still confusing), and wh...

In today's episode, I sit down with my very first guitar teacher, Chris Wilson — the founder of **The Academy of Music & Art in Westmont, IL**. Chris shares stories about his leap-of-faith decisions:  to follow his intuition and study at Berklee College of Music, open his own guitar studio, and how that dream grew into a thriving academy.    We also take a full circle trip down memory lane — funny...

Buckle up for today's episode…it's a wild, spinning ride of laughter + heartbreak + Broadway glitter + unshakable resilience. My effervescent cousin Matthew Butz joins me to discuss how his phenomenal family used the power of music to not only heal from horrific tragedy, but also how they alchemized their pain into a beautiful, healing gift:  The Angel Band Project (in memory of his Aunt Teresa, w...

Soul sister, storyteller, songstress, minister, mother, and all-around magic maker— my convo with the stunning Maureen Muldoon will open your heart, tickle your soul, and drop your jaw. She dishes about starting her own "fu*king church," {the choir? Grammy nominated, Jefferson Starship lead singer, Cathy Richardson} and shares sneak peeks behind the velvet rope of her early days in Hollywood…honin...

Comedy is chaos with a punchline — and John Dacosse has the scars (and the credits) to prove it.  From Oprah's hype man to warming up Rosie O'Donnell's audiences, John Dacosse reminds us why laughter really is the best medicine.  John  has opened for big names like Ellen DeGeneres, George Lopez,& Craig Ferguson.  He's appeared on NBC, Comedy Central, & TBS.   A brilliant,multi-talented performer,...

Every show needs a wizard behind the curtain — and for Bootstraps, that's my producer, Brad Dickert. A drummer, songwriter, sound engineer, and all-around sound sorcerer, Brad makes music and podcasts come alive. With his magical wife, he co-runs Tacaboom Productions, producing podcasts for big names like Chelsea Handler on Dear Chelsea and Paper Ghosts with M. William Phelps. Beyond the talent an...

Chicago legend Steve Cochran stops by to dish on Bootstrappin' his way through comedy and radio — from dodging flying keys and beer bottles with Gary Shandling and Howie Mandel in the Wild West days of stand-up, to Tom Hanks literally leaping into his arms at the Oscars, to getting a private tour of Paisley Park from Prince himself. Dearly beloved... we are gathered here today to get through this...

Tommy Holl, aka The Real Elf, opens up about surviving cancer, charming Barbara Corcoran (yes — she backed him on Shark Tank!), and choosing radical joy in the face of grief. (You'll also get juicy behind-the-scenes secrets from Shark Tank!). So pull up your bootstraps - and maybe a Candy Cane martini!  This one's full of heart, hustle, and elf-ing courage. 🎄 Learn more about Tommy's magical miss...

Meet one of the bravest souls I know — my trans child Grey.  From his "coming out" journey, to his recent gender affirming surgery, this isn't just a convo about gender.  It's about the mess and the magic of growing up, parenting through the unknown, showing up with love (even when you don't have all the answers), and the beautiful, messy business of becoming who you are.  Grey's gift for weaving...

Illinois Congressman Sean Casten is a scientist, clean energy entrepreneur,  Downers Grove Dad, &  the rare "E-word" politician (that's "Empathy" folks!) Join us for tales  from the frontlines in DC. If you've ever wondered what hope looks like in human form—it might just be this guy. ✨ VOCAB LESSON-of-the-day: EMPATHY = the ability to communicate that incredibly healing message of "you're not al...

In this soulful (and spicy) kickoff, I sit down with my radiant, spiritual mentor, a Chicago native, and 4th generation intuitive guide, Sonia Tully! We get real about navigating these apocalyptic times - with heart… AND humor.  As Sonia's Nana taught her: "The situation is critical, but doesn't have to be serious." Join us for big  Chi-town energy!    ✨VOCAB lesson-of-the-day: "weird" = Old Engl...