Talk to People Podcast

No matter who you are, you're going to have a moment where you're presenting your ideas.  This could be at a business meeting, at a funeral, at a coach huddle, a small group, and the list goes on. Most people are afraid of public speaking, but there are things you can do to become better at it. When you're better, then you'll also become more confident. Confidence is the result...

Sean Richards is a pastor, sales professional, and a social dynamics expect.  He is a return guest (previously featured on episode 32).  In this episode, you can expect to hear:  why your best friend may not think you're their best friend how challenging it is to recreate community after moving the stress of coming back from a church camp high why learning how to do ministry in the mundane wi...

Annie is one of my favorite people of all time. With a million dollar smile, an impeccable sense of humor, and some sharp wit, Annie is a joy to be around.  In this podcast, expect to hear about: our approach to managing stress how couples can share stress with one another my journey of learning what I'm ACTUALLY stressed about our responsibility for each other regarding stress management a s...

Welcome to the Talk to People Podcast, where we explore the power of social connection in young adults. In this thought-provoking series, we delve into the impact of AI, social media, and technology on our social lives, revealing both the conveniences and challenges they bring. In this episode we discuss: Dive into personal stories that shed light on my passion for understanding social intelligenc...

Several people have asked how to navigate SMALL TALK.  Small talk is everywhere. No matter where you go, we all have small talk. It serves an essential purpose in allowing us to acknowledge each other without having to exert energy.  But, you can get better at it! And it's really important to get better at. Because most relationships start with small talk. And that next small talk conversatio...

With another solo episode, Chris and Logan navigate different questions that were sent in. Including:  - Is social media bad for you?  - How does social media affect our relationships?  - Is it good for friendships, or has it actually made friendship harder? - How can you use social media to actually help you? - How do you end a convo without it seeming awkward? - How long does it take to make a b...

JBP gave us 24 rules, but here's 10 rules that you can use to become a better communicator.  If you're interested in the Better Connected Communities Event, check it out here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/building-connected-communities-tickets-617270150637 Want to join the Talk to People Podcast development team? Apply here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/building-connected-communities-tic...

Jared Auten, LMSW, is the Crisis Line Director at HeadQuarters Kansas in Lawrence, KS. His work currently focuses on crisis center operations and 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline implementation and integration in Kansas.  I view people who answer calls on the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline as the Navy Seals of communication. Their ability to listen, ask questions, help search through intense emotion...

The three most common places people meet others (including their romantic partners) are church, work, and the bar. So, more than likely, you may go out to a bar. But what are you supposed to do when you're there? How do you meet people? How do you make friends? What do you avoid? Well I don't know the answer to these questions. I am so uneducated when it comes to navigating nightlife, bu...

Santiago Paredes is a friend, inspiration, and leader. After traveling across the country with him, I decided we needed to run it back and reflect on his one-year anniversary of living in a new city.  This is a helpful episode because we answer the question: how do I make friends when I move to a new city? Moving is one of the biggest causes of loneliness, we move away from our social support and...

Karista Paredes is a soon-to-be published author, full-time Kids Pastor, and a community leader. She is an exemplar of how vulnerability can lead to breakthrough.  Oftentimes on this podcast we talk about the importance of relationships. What we rarely touch on is what happens when relationships go wrong. Typically, we want to hide all of our relational problems, stow them away and pretend that ev...

Emily Farley is a professional with 16 years of experience in the public health sector. She currently serves as the Director of Community Engagement at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center. Her knack lies in fostering genuine connections and effective communication. Emily was perfect for the podcast because of her ability to tell stories that connected people together. I believe that stori...

Jeremy Newman is an educator, business owner, pilot, endurance athlete, and adventurer. He grew up in North Dakota, traveled the world, and found his way to Kansas.  Growing up in a foster home, Jeremy learned how to make deep connections in a loving yet ever-changing family. This episode was really important to me because I believe that most of our social confidence starts in our family. When we&...

Annie Miller is a former Irish dancer, an avid long-distance runner, and my wife.  Without Annie, this podcast would be a fraction of what it is. The whole 70 minutes of this podcast contain me laughing at Annie, us sharing stories, and then her weighing in on different questions that were sent in.  Some of the things you can expect to hear in this episode are: how to communicate expectations in r...

Kristen Kalinka is a friend, in particular, a long distance friend! The world has become an increasingly mobile and transient place. Because of this, our friends are moving everywhere, and oftentimes, it's easy for these friendships to go by the wayside. BUT, it doesn't always have to be that way. Instead, you can keep those relationships intact and fight back loneliness and regret.  Now...

Ebrima "Abraham" Sisay is a mental health storyteller and currently the Founder & CEO of Freedom Project - A multicultural Social Impact Agency.  Previously, he worked as a fractional marketing & distribution executive for tech startups and distributed content for local KC and national brands like Yoobi, Marvel, Mobility Design, Marknology, etc. His goal is to help guide a billio...

Sean Richards is a servant leader, a Sr. Account Manager with The Purpose Company, and the Lead Pastor at Open Door Church. Sean is wired towards people. Rather than finding meaning in money, career, or entertainment, he believes that focusing on relationships results in a fulfilled life. With a background in communication and business, he is fascinated by the psychology of the individual and how...

Ryan Walker is a friend and the Executive Director at Pioneer Ridge Independent Living. He is an active member of Morning Soccer Pickup (MSP) and a fan of people, cinema, and chicken pot pie. We live in an increasingly isolated world and Ryan is a great example of someone who is bucking that trend. With an analytical approach, he reverse engineered what he needed in his life and the answer was com...

Allow me to introduce you all to one of my favorite people, my mom (Kim Miller).  If you want to hear someone who is a paragon of kindness, wisdom, and endurance, then you came to the right place. My mom has exemplified work ethic, determination, and imagination. But, one of the things we focus most on in this episode is how she showcased to me the importance of living your life with supportive pe...

Chris Austin is the Site Coordinator at Lawrence Boys & Girls Club. I've often discussed the importance of an intergenerational community. If you have people in your life who are older than you and people who are younger than you, then you get to learn and teach. The greatest athletes have coaches and the greatest teachers have students. Its a timeless truth. Chris is a great example of s...

Paige Freeman, a Louisville, Kentucky native, graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Communication degree, went over to University of Mississippi for a master's degree in Higher Ed, and is now a doctoral student at the University of Kansas for Higher Education Administration. Paige currently serves as the Director of Student Programs with the KU Alumni Association. She takes pride...

Omri Gillath is an Israeli-American social psychologist. As a professor of social psychology at the University of Kansas , Gillath has spent over 20 years doing research, teaching psychology , and mentoring students. He is a leading figure in the field of close relationships and has over 100 publications in peer-reviewed psychology journals. His research interests include: close relationships, att...

Matt Pool is an owner of Restaurant, Pub, & Games (RPG) in Lawrence, KS. Alongside three other owners, Matt opened up RPG six months before the COVID pandemic. It quickly became a favorite place for people to gather, eat a meal, and play a board game. I reached out to Matt because I was fascinated with RPG's business model of creating a safe space for community that connected people from...

Mia Santarelli is a street photographer, the Activity Director at Pioneer Ridge Independent Living, and the founder of the Joyful Palette Project.  I've talked on this podcast a lot about the importance of social connection. As we age, being socially connected gets more difficult. Our bodies don't want to show up to the sports leagues, we aren't able to drive to church as well, and...

Kevin has served as Director for Young Life College at the University of Kansas for 13 years. His passion is to build meaningful relationships with college students to help them encounter Jesus Christ, while also developing others to do the same. When I first met Kevin, I was taken by his ability to make people (me at the time) feel heard and valued. He strives to help people discover themselves,...