Danny Larkins

Project Labor

Business EN ↓ 7 episodes

Cool People. Cool Jobs. At Project Labor, we’ve got both. Project Labor podcast celebrates the daily grind by diving deep into the lives and careers of people doing interesting work. Each episode asks the essential questions: What do you actually do all day? How do you feel about your work? And how’d you get here? In honest, in depth conversations, we talk to everyone from union tradespeople, artists, small business owners, and daring career changers. Join us in building a living catalog of the modern American workplace. Whether you’re a student imagining your first step, a career changer lo...

Author

Danny Larkins

Episodes

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy Director & Instructor 01.07.2026 43:47

How do you teach kids discipline and self-defense? How do you succeed in a male-dominated, aggressive field? In this conversation, Aliya talks about teaching, admin work and creative opportunities in her role. Like any good teacher, Aliya reminds us, “There’s no 'I don’t know's', no 'I can’t’s'. It’s just, 'I need to learn.'” Guest Bio: Aliya was born in Kazakhst...

Funeral Director 01.06.2026 43:21

I ran into Robert at a bar where we went to watch a mutual friend play music. I found out he’s the dad of one of my former students and our wives work together. I learned about his son’s success as a welder and Robert’s own past as a farmer, mechanic, tool tech, valet, collector and fixer of various vehicles. When he started talking about embalming people, I had to learn more. Robert reflects abou...

Culinary Worker (May Day Special) 01.05.2026 26:05

Happy May Day! A person can be calm, genuine, modest, and hard-working while still demanding dignity. That’s what Culinary Worker Heather proves. Heather simply demands dignity and with her brothers and sisters in UNITE HERE LOCAL 226 at her side. Heather works as a food runner and busser in a unionized casino restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip and has been a Culinary Union Union member and Shop S...

Horticultural Therapist 01.04.2026 36:43

Mikkele has a little bit of a good witch witchiness to her. She nurtures plants and people’s feelings. While working full time as a mother, the healing power of nature revealed itself not only as curative but as a career as well. Mikkele Lawless is a dedicated professional with a passion for harnessing the healing power of nature. She is currently an instructor at The New York Botanical Garden an...

Immigration Lawyer 01.03.2026 1:06:02

Jeff Simon is an immigration lawyer based in the Inland Empire outside of Los Angeles, CA. He currently works as a Staff Attorney at the Immigration Center for Women and Children ("ICWC"), a nonprofit in Los Angeles representing immigrant minors and survivors of domestic violence and other crimes. Jeff is a former high school teacher passionate about using law to eliminate barriers to ed...

Special Education Teacher 01.02.2026 35:53

Teacher and union leader Pat Frain joins us to discuss the creative, caring and tiring work of an educator. From his career in construction to his work in education, Pat has spent decades building the future of the United States using blueprints and lesson plans. Listen to learn about how special education functions in a school, how being in a union can impact one's career, how to become a te...

Tattoo Artist 31.12.2025 35:22

Have you ever wondered what's it like to be a tattoo artist and how do you become one? Our first episode profiles Nassim (Sema) Dayoub , a New York City-based tattoo artist. He discusses the journey and craft of an artist today, as well as fighting racial injustice, economic woes, and the effects of COVID-19. Check out the book he mentions. He co-owns Flower World Tattoo, a worker-owned tatt...