Conversations with Rich Bennett

Podcasting has exploded in popularity, but many creators are asking the same question: does every podcast really need video? In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett, Rich sits down with podcast industry expert Arielle Nissenblatt to talk about the power of audio-first storytelling and the evolving future of podcasting. Arielle has spent years helping creators grow their audiences, disco...

Leadership is easy to talk about, but much harder to practice. In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett, leadership expert Ronald Reich shares what truly separates effective leaders from ineffective ones. With nearly three decades of experience training leaders across multiple industries, Ron dives into the real challenges managers face every day including difficult conversations, diseng...

What if the reason you still feel tired, inflamed, or stuck with health problems is because no one is looking at the real cause? In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett , Rich sits down with Reed Davis, founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, to explore why so many people are stuck managing symptoms instead of actually getting better. Reed has worked with over 10,000 clients and tra...

What if healing from addiction could begin with earning the trust of a rescued dog? In this powerful episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett, Rich and cohost Wendy Beck sit down with Amy Harding, founder of Ethan’s Hope: Paws and Hands Rescues and Recoveries. After losing her son Ethan to addiction at just 23 years old, Amy chose to carry forward the vision he had for helping people in recovery...

What do you do when your world stops but everyone else keeps moving? Christina O’Mara joins Conversations with Rich Bennett to share the heartbreaking loss of her daughter Ariella  and how that grief led to the creation of the Sea of Hope Foundation. This is not just a story about loss. It is about lifting the veil, saying their names, and turning waves of grief into ripples of hope. In this episo...

What happens when survival mode stops working? Irina Shehovsov knows that breaking point well. After becoming a single mother to a newborn and five-year-old, she found herself emotionally exhausted, disconnected, and questioning everything. Instead of waiting for someone to rescue her, she made a life-altering decision: she would save herself. Irina is now a bestselling author, speaker, singer, ar...

March 1933. The Great Depression has Americans on edge, banks are shutting their doors, and fear is moving faster than facts. In this America Explained episode, Rich Bennett sets the scene and then shares a historic voice that helped steady the country: Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first Fireside Chat, delivered March 12, 1933. Roosevelt doesn’t talk like a politician here. He talks like a neighbor, br...

What if the biggest missing piece in fighting poverty isn’t food or housing—but furniture? In this powerful episode, Alicia Hamilton of Fresh Start Furnishings joins Rich alongside Natalie Johnson, COO of Inner County Outreach, to announce a major partnership that will expand services across Harford and Cecil Counties. After furnishing 321 households and serving over 900 individuals in one year, A...

What happens when a marriage looks successful on the outside but feels disconnected behind closed doors? In this powerful episode, Rich Bennett sits down with intimacy coach and bestselling author Xanet Pailet to talk about sexless marriages, emotional safety, and why intimacy does not die overnight—it slowly goes underground. After leaving a 26-year marriage at age 50, Xanet rebuilt her life and...

When was the last time you showed up for someone when it cost you something? In this solo episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett , Rich explores the art of showing up for people even when it’s inconvenient. Not the social media version. Not the easy version. The real version that requires sacrifice, humility, and effort. From sitting in hospital waiting rooms to attending small events when no...

Have you ever lost track of time inside a book? That’s no accident. In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett, mystery romance author Melissa Roos shares how she went from growing up seven miles outside a small Iowa town to publishing six emotionally layered suspense novels in just five years. Melissa opens up about overcoming shyness, choosing indie publishing for creative control, build...

Jenny C. Cohen’s story will move you. An award-winning dancer, embodiment coach, and cancer survivor, Jenny shares how dance became her lifeline through breast cancer, trauma, and unimaginable family challenges. From competing internationally while in treatment to supporting her daughter through mental health struggles, Jenny reveals how reconnecting with the body can restore strength, clarity, an...

Noah May joins Rich Bennett for one of the most honest conversations yet about mental health, resilience, and survival. Diagnosed with clinical depression at 14 and anxiety at 18, Noah shares how his symptoms escalated into severe nausea, dramatic weight loss, and daily fear that left him physically shaken. As a member of the Class of 2020, he also faced the emotional toll of graduating during the...

What if play wasn’t just for kids, but for parents too? In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett , Rich welcomes Carter Polakoff, President and CEO of Port Discovery Children’s Museum, for a powerful conversation about why children’s museums are really family museums. Carter shares her journey from intern to CEO, how Port Discovery supports neurodiverse families and military households,...

Tony DeMaio, founder of Helping Heroes USA, joins Rich Bennett for one of the most important conversations you will hear this year. Together, they dive into veteran suicide prevention, the warning signs too many people miss, and why connection and compassion save lives. Tony shares powerful real-world stories, explains how family and friends can become “Support Angels,” and introduces listeners to...

What if protecting the ocean did not have to come with fear, guilt, or doom and gloom? In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett, marine biologist and podcast host Andrew Lewin shares how storytelling, curiosity, and human connection can inspire real action for ocean conservation. Andrew is the host of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast and founder of the Speak Up For Blue Podcast Netwo...

What if midlife isn’t a decline, but your greatest opportunity yet? In this powerful episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett , Rich sits down with Broadway performer, bestselling author, and speaker Troy Horne to talk about reinvention, resilience, and redefining success after 40. From starring on Broadway in Rent to co-creating a number-one youth basketball podcast with his son, Troy shares ho...

Music has a way of stopping time, unlocking memories, and reminding us who we were—and who we still are. In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett , Rich sits down with friends for a powerful roundtable conversation about the songs and albums that shaped their lives. From classic rock and heavy metal to punk and emotional deep cuts, this episode dives into how music connects to family, gr...

What does it really take to design learning that works? In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett , Rich is joined by instructional designer, professor, and podcast host Jackie Pelegrin , who brings nearly two decades of experience in higher education and curriculum design. Jackie breaks down what instructional design actually is, why so many online courses fail to engage learners, and ho...

What if just seven words could change your life? In this powerful episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett , Rich sits down with award-winning author and publisher Aurora Winter to explore how the right message can transform heartbreak into healing, stories into income, and ideas into lasting impact. Aurora shares deeply personal experiences of loss, resilience, and reinvention, along with pract...

What does it really mean to love someone through addiction? In this powerful and unfiltered episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett , Rich is joined by cohost Wendy Beck for a deeply moving conversation with Alicia Bloss. Alicia shares her personal journey of marriage, motherhood, mental health, and standing beside a spouse through active addiction and long-term recovery. Together, they unpack...

Screens are everywhere, but at what cost to our families, our kids, and our joy?  In this powerful conversation, Rich Bennett sits down with S. S. Coulter to explore how families can reclaim heart, mind, and joy in a screen-filled world. S. S. Coulter is an author, joy coach, and the creator of Planet FASSA, a playful ecosystem designed to help children unplug from screens and reconnect with imagi...

Recorded live at Edgewood American Legion Post 17, this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett spotlights the incredible work of the 755 Alliance. Founder Bangtam Miller and her leadership team share how a small group of committed volunteers is revitalizing Edgewood and Southern Harford County through action, not talk. From eliminating school lunch debt and preventing evictions to building ska...

Carefree Kitchens is more than a cabinet company. It’s a living example of what the American Dream can look like when it’s built on faith, family, integrity, and service. In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett , Rich is joined by cohost Joe Ayler for a powerful conversation with the family behind Carefree Kitchens. What begins as an immigration story quickly unfolds into a decades-long...

Most podcast guests show up, share great insights, and walk away with nothing to show for it. In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett , podcast guesting expert Lyndsay Phillips explains why that happens and how to fix it. Lyndsay breaks down how entrepreneurs should treat every podcast appearance like a strategic launch, from choosing the right topic to guiding the conversation and repu...