Honey Pod

In this episode of The Honey Pod , I’m joined by former Las Vegas reporter Jeremy Chen for an honest conversation about newsroom burnout, the MMJ grind, and what happens when the job keeps asking for more with fewer resources and less support. We talk about chaotic newsrooms, managing managers, and the emotional toll that pushes so many journalists to question their future. Jeremy also shares what...

Today’s episode is a full-circle moment. I’m sitting down with Billy Floyd , the person who helped me start my very first podcast back in Albany — the place I walked away from news for the first time and started rebuilding my life. We talk about leaving the industry before you even have the words for burnout, starting over in a new city, finding creativity again, and why the first chapter after ne...

Two-time Emmy Award–winning producer Cabria Kirby joins me for an intimate conversation about one of the bravest decisions she’s ever made: walking away from the newsroom at 26 to completely rewrite her life. We talk about recognizing burnout before it breaks you, leaving a career that once defined you, rediscovering purpose in teaching Title I students, the calling that led her toward school coun...

Today we sit down with Nelandra Anselmo , licensed therapist and founder of True Core Wellness , for a grounded conversation about identity, healing, and finding your way back to yourself. Nelandra shares practical tools for reconnecting when life feels loud or heavy, and introduces Bee Well — her monthly mental-health series available exclusively to our Patreon community. ✨ In this episode: • Re...

When a story nearly costs you your life, everything changes. In this episode of The Honey Pod, Paulina Bucka sits down with longtime CBS reporter Joe Vazquez — mentor, newsroom veteran, and survivor of a violent attack on assignment. After 35+ years in journalism, Joe opens up about the rising danger facing news crews, the collapse of resources in modern newsrooms, and the moment that forced him t...

Honeycomb Confessions from a Disruptive News Anchor | Honey Pod with Eric King How the Hive Broke —  Eric King on Modern News When the hive goes quiet, crops fail. When the newsroom goes quiet, communities do too. In this episode, Emmy-winning journalist Paulina Bucka sits down with former anchor Eric King to ask the question on everyone’s mind: how did we get here—and how do we rebuild? They trac...

Bee Advised with attorney Jakub Medrala —a crisp explainer on NDAs vs. non-competes, who owns your work, contract red flags, simple negotiation lines, and when to call a lawyer. Sponsors: Medrala Law Firm, True Core Wellness, Metamorphosis Santa Fe. Giveaway partner: Shades by Shan. Follow @honeypodbuzz • Join Patreon for legal templates & the live Q&A. Educational only; not legal advice.

“If you’re not a little embarrassed by your first launch, you launched too late.” Shan Clark (“Shanberries”) tells the real story: radio heartbreak, holy redirection, and turning revenge into purpose with Shades By Shan —a beauty brand that now sits in 600+ JCPenney stores and funds single parents through the MamaBerries Foundation . We get into faith, grit, motherhood, and the unglamorous work be...

Judi Fergason shares her twin sister Jody’s story—how to replace labels with a name, and how reporters can practice trauma-aware journalism with real compassion. We talk public grief, court timelines, victim-advocate resources, and mental health for both families and journalists. A guide to covering hard stories with care. Sponsors • Medrala Law Firm — extended legal tips on Patreon • True Core We...

Paulina Bucka reunites with Toi Thornton to revisit the Lafayette “build-it-from-nothing” years—MMJ hustle, low pay, safety lines they refused to cross, and the faith that kept them steady. Toi shares why he left TV for the classroom and how storytelling skills still matter beyond news. There’s still honey in the wreckage. 🍯  Sponsors: Medrala Law Firm True Core Wellness   Set styling by Metamorp...

Former Miami/Philly/LV meteorologist Gina Cancelliere joins Paulina Bucka to talk big-market breaks, the 10-year pause for motherhood, and why the industry feels so different now—fewer people, more jobs per person, and what still makes live weather magic. We get candid about mentors vs. makeup budgets, contracts, and choosing sanity over hustle. Plus: practical advice for students and anyone weigh...

A former TV producer shares how a faith jolt led her to leave the newsroom, navigate a contract squeeze, and step into reentry work—supervising teams in prison and in the community. We talk burnout vs. purpose, “policy vs. preference” leadership, and practical advice for anyone considering a pivot. Note: The last 30 minutes—deeper contract strategy, sustainable service, and Vanessa’s “Moses” insig...

Every bee serves the hive — not itself. Here, former and present journalists gather like bees, drawn to what’s raw, real, and sweet. Each story is a drop of nectar, gathered from the wild fields of experience, spun into something golden. From the sting of truth to the sweetness of healing — this is where we build the hive. Hosted by two-time Emmy Award–winning journalist Paulina Bucka. 🍯