Were You Still Talking?

Episode #113 – Jill Chalsty: Packets of Hope & Life Skills That Change Lives In this episode, I sit down with Jill Chalsty — author, educator, filmmaker, and founder focused on bringing life-skills education to students around the world. Jill shares the heart behind her memoir, Packets of Hope: A Journey of Healing and Rediscovery , and how a global journey became something much bigger than travel...

Episode #112 – Douglas Lynam: From Monk to Money Manager & Enneagram Insights In this episode I sit down with Douglas Lynam whose journey spans from monastic life to the world of finance. Douglas shares how his early years as a monk shaped his perspective on work, wealth, and what it means to live intentionally. We then pivot to his experience as a money manager, exploring why he believes capitali...

Episode #111 – Gil Gillenwater: Hope, Borders & Helping Without Handouts In this episode, I sit down with Gil Gillenwater — author, traveler, and humanitarian — to talk about his book Hope On The Border and the life experiences that led him to write it. Gil has spent years working in Mexico and along the U.S.–Mexico border, where he's seen firsthand what meaningful help actually looks like. We tal...

Episode #110 – Danny Johnson: Clean Comedy, Big Faces & Long Roads In this episode, I sit down with Danny Johnson, a stand-up comic who's been making people laugh for over 15 years without having to get dirty to do it. Danny's style is clean, relatable, and packed with those now-famous facial expressions that somehow say more than the punchlines. We talk about life on the road, how his comedy has...

Episode #108 – Amy Lenius: Empowerment, Awareness & Next Level Living In this episode, I'm joined by Amy Lenius of Next Level University — a coach and mentor dedicated to helping people step into greater confidence, clarity, and purpose. We dive into what empowerment really looks like, why self-awareness is foundational to growth, and how working with the right partners can accelerate transformati...

Episode #108 – Matt Savino: Roads, Borders & Stories That Almost Didn't Make It Home In this episode, I sit down with Matt Savino — writer, traveler, and storyteller with a passport full of stamps and a knack for finding himself in situations that make great stories later. We talk about travel as a teacher, writing as documentation, and what happens when plans fall apart far from home. Matt shares...

Episode #107 – Chip Jacobs: Writing, Pasadena's Past & The Edges of Life In this episode, I'm joined by Chip Jacobs — award-winning author, journalist, and storyteller with a deep love for California history and an eye for the unusual. We dive into the craft of writing and editing, the fascinating (and sometimes bizarre) history of Pasadena, and even wander into the territory of near-death experie...

Episode #106 – Shanti Hershenson  We talked about building a TikTok (now with over 70k followers), her amazing focus and discipline, writing every day and some of the other things she does with her time, like falconry! Since the age of twelve, Shanti has actively been writing and publishing books. She has written 37 books in varying genres, including You Won't Know Her Name , a novel-told-in-poetr...

Episode #105 – Amy Dickens on joy, play and reconnecting with the parts of ourselves that make us feel most alive. We may have talked about joy, creativity and connecting with your child self, I'm not sure. It seems like we just talked for an hour and a half and laughed and created a lot of silliness. All I know is the time went very fast and this is a great podcast to listen to if you need a litt...

Episode #104 – Michael Wendroff: Marketing Mastermind Turned Thriller Author In this week's episode, I sit down with Michael Wendroff — a global marketing consultant with an MBA from New   York   University (and an induction into their Hall of Fame) who pivoted into writing to publish his debut thriller. We talk about what it takes to go from business-strategy to bestselling pages, the craft of st...

Episode #103 – Melinda Lee "From Hugs to Healing: Melinda's Story" In this engaging conversation, I talk with Melinda Lee about her exploration of the transformative power of hugs, gratitude, and self-love. Melinda shares her unique journey of hugging everyone she encountered for a year, emphasizing the importance of connection and acceptance. She relates the challenges faced during this journey,...

Episode #102 – Ken Cox: Punchlines, Punching Bags & A.I. In this episode, I sit down with Ken Cox — a stand-up comedian, boxer, gym owner, and storyteller who bridges worlds we don't always see together. We talk about the connections between comedy and combat, why he chose to buy the gym where he trained, the past and present of editing, and what AI might mean for creators. What We Dive Into: ·   ...

  Episode #101 – With Me. This one is not about me though, it's about all of you. Big thank you to everyone who has ever listened to the show or been on the show or thought about being on the show or contacted the show. Still learning, still growing, still doing the podcast. Stay tuned! 🎙️ Were You Still Talking? is hosted by Joel Albrecht – actor, content creator, and curious conversationalist. N...

Episode #100 – Albert Bramante: Hypnosis, Agents & Managing Self-Doubt In this special centennial episode, I'm joined by Albert Bramante, Ph. D. — talent agent, hypnosis & NLP practitioner, psychology expert, working with actors and creatives to push past mental barriers. We went deep: acting, agents, hypnosis, and even near-death experiences (NDEs). Here's what we unpacked. What We Talk About ·  ...

Episode #99 – John DeDakis: From White House Press Room to Novels & Edits In this episode, I talk with John DeDakis — former White House correspondent, longtime journalist, editor at CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer , now novelist, writing coach, and editor. We unpack what it means to tell stories in news versus fiction, the hard lessons behind writing & rewriting, and how editing makes...

Episode #98 – Mike Schwab: Lights, Laughs & Local Skies This week I sit down with Mike Schwab — a writer, actor, comedian, and short film creator who also happens to spend part of his days observing the weather at the local airport. (Yes, that's a real job, and yes, it's exactly as cool as it sounds.) We talk about the creative grind: from the challenges of writing and producing short films to the...

Episode #97 – Alan Lazaros Had an amazing conversation with Alan Lazaros, co-founder and co-host of Next Level University . We dove deep into the art (and science) of personal development, turning big dreams into actionable goals, and why self-improvement is a lifelong game worth playing. Alan shared how he overcame a near-death car accident to completely reinvent his life, build a thriving busine...

Episode #96 – Chuck McGee III: Breathing Through the Ice and Everything Else This one's a deep breath in and a blast of cold air out. Chuck McGee III—aka @icedvikingbreathworks —joins me for a wild and wide-ranging conversation about breathwork, recovery, resilience, and the power of the cold. Chuck is a certified Wim Hof Method instructor who has helped thousands reconnect to their breath, their...

🎧 Were You Still Talking? – Episode 95: Brad Elder – Thrillers, Texas & Starting Over In this episode, we cover everything from his law firm to writing his first novel to quitting smoking—and yes, even the passing of Ozzie Osbourne. Author Brad Elder joins me to talk about his debut legal thriller Recoil of Justice , and how he went from Texas businessman (who never rode a horse) to published nov...

Were You Still Talking? – Episode 94: Tim Thomas – Breath, Sharks, and Peaceful Sleep In Episode 94, I sit down with the deeply insightful and endlessly interesting Tim Thomas—a man who's swum with sharks, brewed coffee for fellow soldiers in Afghanistan, and now teaches people how to breathe their way to better lives (and better sleep). This conversation flows from adrenaline rush to stillness. W...

  Episode 93 – Kevin Palmieri | Leveling Up, Staying Consistent, and Getting (a Little) Off Topic In this episode of Were You Still Talking? , I chat with Kevin Palmieri—CFO, co-host, and co-creator of Next Level University —about his journey from hitting rock bottom to building a globally-ranked podcast and coaching brand focused on self-improvement and consistency. We talk about what it really t...

Episode #92 Robert J. Wolf 🎙️ Episode 92 – Dr. Robert J. Wolf: Survival, Family, and the Fight for Freedom In this powerful conversation, I talk with Dr. Robert J. Wolf—neuroradiologist, speaker, and author of Not a Real Enemy: The True Story of a Hungarian Jewish Man's Fight for Freedom . We explore the astonishing true story of his father, Ervin Wolf, who escaped both Nazi terror and Communist p...

Episode #91 Alan Katz Well that was a blast. Had a great conversation with AL Katz about his journey through Hollywood and beyond. We got into his time writing for iconic shows like Tales from the Crypt , working with legends like Robert Zemeckis and Walter Hill, navigating the wild world of TV and film production, and why he walked away from it all. We also dove into The Donor: A Modern Horror St...

Episode #90 With Peter Moore Ok, that was fun. Talked to Peter Moore about a few of the things he's been up to over his career. We talked about working as a columnist/cartoonist, writing for major magazines like Backpacker and, Men's Health, flying on a private jet with Matt Damon, meeting with Barack Obama, going on the Today Show, his favorite two spots in the world and so much more. Best place...

Episode #88 With David Amerland This one was a lot of fun. We had a great conversation even before the podcast started. (some of it included on YouTube). We talked about human behavior, his new book "Built to Last", understanding why we do the things we do and much more. David Amerland is a writer focused on how human behavior is shaped by modern forces, especially technology, and how that shift i...