Surviving the Dream

Jake Jensen is an actor and professor of sport and performance psychology at California State University, Northridge. Jake also works with private clients including athletes, actors, dancers, and others on optimizing mental performance through mental training and mindfulness. Prior to that, Jake was an NCAA Division I tennis player at Utah State and continues to play tennis 3-4 times a week. Here,...

Dr. Danielle Haulsee is a marine scientist and the Chief Science Officer at Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, where she leads groundbreaking research on marine animal behavior, ocean health, and sustainable aquaculture. From tracking fish across vast ocean basins to navigating the complexities of science leadership and nonprofit strategy, Danielle brings curiosity, resilience, and heart to every...

Bruce Goldstein is a distinguished film programmer, distributor, and preservationist based in New York City. Since 1986 he has been the repertory programmer for Film Forum, There, he curated over 500 film festivals and played a pivotal role in reintroducing more than 1,000 classic films to audiences, often using 35mm prints and digital restorations. In 1997, he founded Rialto Pictures, a film dist...

With over 10 years of experience in both the financial services and entertainment industries, Brendan Moore’s wealth management practice is primarily focused on entertainment and sports, however he has a well-balanced practice of successful clients across all industries. His clients are extremely busy and highly motivated individuals with complex lives. He helps empower them on their financial jou...

Tim Vigon has worked in the music industry for over 25 years, as publicist and  artist's manager. He has worked with some of the coolest bands on the planet, working with The Verve, Duran Duran, Dexy's Midnight Runners and many more. In this episode Tim talks about his journey from Manchester to LA where he went from wannabe journalist for the NME to working alongside many of his heroes....

A legend both behind the bar and in the world of spirits, Simon Ford has created, mixed and mastered countless cocktails. Discovering no gin versatile enough to fit every classic drink, he gathered top bartenders and distillers and conjured up what is now THE cocktail gin of the century, Fords Gin. Here he discusses how cocktail culture alows him to create and connect with others.  Send us Fan Mai...

Dicky Ecklund Jr., son of boxer Dicky Ecklund and nephew of “Irish” Micky Ward (who the movie "The Fighter" was about), has been part of the world of boxing since he was a child (including taking the ring at age 6!) and now carries on the family tradition as a boxing trainer and coach at Wild Card boxing with the legendary Freddie Roach. Here, he discusses how important community and emo...

Born and raised in Chicago , by the time Jared Kirchheimer was 30, he had lived in Los Angeles twice , New York City (ok, Leonia New Jersey) once, and back to Chicago doing the actor/writer /producer thing . After decades of development hell on various projects (and living a dual life as a civil engineer for nearly 30 years), the gates of development heaven opened up for “Say Her”, his first featu...

Growing up on a farm with a love for the outdoors and nature lead Ellie Bird to a BSc in Environmental Studies and Post Grad Diploma in Sustainable Management, all while playing Professional Netball in the ANZ Premiership in New Zealand. She retired from Netball in 2022 to start a "normal" life, tying her upbringing and studies together as a Sustainability Advisor for a corporate Dairy F...

PHILIP TYLER WILLIAMS has been working as a Firefighter/EMT at JPL/NASA for the past 24 years. Originally a member of the Protective Services Security Dept. at JPL, Philip decided to broaden his horizons and join the Fire Department in 2000. Responding to emergencies at the laboratory is only part of what they do. Educating employees on fire safety and the proper uses of fire extinguishers is a la...

John C. Spokes, CFRE, Senior Vice President, Netzel Grigsby Associates - Specializing in capital and annual campaigns, strategic plans, and board development, John brings a wealth of experience across diverse nonprofit sectors, including arts, education, health care, social services, and youth development. Recent successful partnerships include Musical Theatre West (Fundraising Assessment), Temple...

Mike Nicholas an editor/filmmaker based in Los Angeles, making shorts, educational and branded content for Nickelodeon, Paramount, and a litany of toy companies. He also has a long history with short films, producing and co-writing past award-winning shorts like “Funky Butt” (2018), “Stag” (2017), and “The Man from Mars” (2016), but is now sitting down into the director’s chair for the first time...

David Hertz, FAIA, Architect, founded Syndesis in 1983 and S.E.A. The Studio of Environmental Architecture, a practice focus on regenerative design in an age of resilience. David won the 2022 Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for Climate Action. In 2018, Hertz won the Water Abundance XPRIZE a 1.5 M prize to make over 2,000 liters of water from air. In 2006 David was awarded the Disti...

Michael Murphy is a Senior Creative currently working hard in advertising brand design creating IMPACT, VALUE and EXCITEMENT. He also recently published a book called “Googie Modern" Angel City Press and is an Exhibitor / Artist. Outside of work and creative pursuits, he can be found volunteering for the Venice Heritage Museum one wheeling, cycling, aeroponic gardening, cooking, parenting, an...

Aasif Mandvi is an award-winning actor, writer, and producer. He can be seen starring in the Paramount+ drama EVIL, the Hulu comedy THIS WAY UP, as well the CW’s comedy panel show WOULD I LE TO YOU, for which he served as host and Executive Producer. Well known for his decade long work as a correspondent on THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART, he was also a writer, producer, and ​co-​star on the HBO s...

Scott Nathan is an award winning celebrity, beauty, fashion & advertising photographer/commercial director.  His fine art series "Confessional" opened at 2019's Frieze L.A to rave reviews and global press. "Confessional" features more than 100 women free from the power of objectification through the triumph of empathy. In addition to his photography, Scott hosts a podc...

This week’s guest, RHEA SEEHORN will next be seen starring in the UNT VINCE GILLIGAN SERIES which she is currently shooting for Apple TV+. She was recently seen in BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE, opposite Will Smith & Martin Lawrence. Previously, Rhea starred as 'Kim Wexler in AMC's hit series BETTER CALL SAUL, which ran for six seasons earning Rhea 3 Critics' Choice Award nominations fo...

Born and raised in Los Angeles Eric Dyson has been immersed in film and TV his entire life. As a Camera Operator and assistant Camera Operator, Eric has an accumulated over 45,000 hours of onset experience. Past credits include HUNTERS, A WRINKLE IN TIME, SNOWFALL and MY CRAZY EX GIRLFRIEND. During his many years of camera work, Eric has developed a keen eye for what it takes to build a scene with...

This week's guest is really living the dream by just getting to be himself and share what excites him! You may recognize Jacob Givens as the 'first time hearing (insert 90s band) guy' from his social media videos that are shared by millions of people around the world, but what might appear to be just another 'viral video overnight success story' was actually the result of...

Sharon Ransom served for 17 years as a dispatcher for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and has served as a Deputy District Attorney with Los Angeles County for the past 19 years. She us currently seeking a seat as a Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge. As a DDA, she volunteered in Project Lead, a program designed to teach fifth graders about the criminal justice system and the impor...

For over 32 years, Graham J. Larson has been focused on ways to help clients turn their hard work into the dream they envisioned. His professional journey began in public relations at Ogilvy, Adams & Rinehart in Washington, DC, followed by a move to New York City to cut his teeth in the production world. Once settled in Los Angeles, Graham enjoyed great success producing TV and film including...

Animator-Creator, Dave Pressler's artistic journey is a testament to his unwavering dedication to storytelling through visual expression. Moving seamlessly between sculpting, illustration, animation, and production work, Dave's diverse skill set has led to collaborations on esteemed projects. One notable example is his role as Executive Producer of the successful "RUGRATS" rebo...

Asan Askin is a travel advisor who, after pursuing a career in law, is living his dream of seeing the world and helping others do the same.  Asan is currently the West Coast Director at First in Service, where he oversees entertainment and leisure travel across the region. In addition to his leadership role, he continues to manage a select group of clients, ensuring personalized service and top-ti...

Laura Leppanen has worked as a makeup artist on films and TV shows like "Frankie and Johnnie are Married," "Call me: The Rise and fall of Heidi Fleiss", "Las Vegas," "The Bling Ring," "Franklin & Bash," "Men at Work," "Community," "Get Shorty," "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," "Kidding," and "Physica...

Rudy Boehmer is an aerospace engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in Pasadena, CA, where he has worked in spacecraft operations for the past 25 years. Rudy currently works on two Mars projects: the Mars Odyssey Orbiter as a Mission Planning & Sequencing engineer, and the Mars Curiosity Rover as an Engineering Operations systems engineer. He also spent 10 years over various stints on JPL’...