Now What

Squad, you asked, you DM'd, you demanded, so Papi is back in the chair for the full debrief on our pickleball weekend with Terrell Owens. Papi is my husband, a reluctant pickleball player, and possibly the reason a Hall of Famer lost a match. This conversation did not disappoint. Meet Papi: Husband. Father of three. Self-described "doesn't really like people" guy who played his second pickleball g...

Squad! We just dropped kid #2 off at college, and I made the drive down with the man who rated my driving a 3 out of 10 in under a second. Papi is my husband, my co-parent, and the slowest driver in Northern California — and this conversation did not disappoint. Meet Shannon "Papi" Murphy: Husband. Father of three. Drives like a 90-year-old on his way to the early-bird special and critiques from t...

Squad, today's guest went viral doing pull-ups to Biggie Smalls before "going viral" was even a job — and it landed her on Ellen. Except the show's producers made her cover her arms and told her not to mention that she lifts. We're getting into that, and about thirty years of proof that your strongest years might not be behind you. Meet Marisa Inda: IPF World Champion powerlifter, six-time nationa...

Squad, I'm back — and yes, we're opening with death, because that's just how we do things around here. Full transparency: I thought about easing back in soft. Instead you're getting real life, real chaos, and the actual reason the show went quiet this summer. 🔥 In This Episode We Get Into: 💔 My brother-in-law Sean's sudden passing at 58 — and why the show really went quiet for a month 😅 The "me...

Squad, she's back — Lori Montry, author of  You Are Not The Problem , joined us back on Episode 58 and I took approximately 47 mental notes I'm still unpacking. This time she's got an update, and it is NOT the one either of us expected. Meet Lori Montry: Somatic practitioner, author of You Are Not The Problem , and proof that even the person who wrote the book on not being broken can still fully s...

Squad, most of us spend years becoming really good at something — a career, a role, a title — until that thing quietly becomes who we are. My guest today didn't get to ease into that realization. A car accident took the one thing this sharp, strategic corporate attorney depended on most: her brain. Overnight. What she found in that silence, and what she built from it, became a bestselling, award-w...

Squad, we're going international today. My guest lives in London, and he just informed me that men have their own midlife hormone crisis and nobody bothered to tell us. It's called andropause, and yes, my first reaction was exactly what yours is about to be. Meet James Davis: Coaching psychologist, men's health advocate, keynote speaker, and author of The Midlife Male Handbook: A Man's Guide to Th...

Squad, I have a confession — I have always wanted to be an actress. Always. And today I'm sitting across from someone who has literally helped women bust down the doors of Hollywood by making people laugh first. Meet Lynn Harris: culture-shifting producer, award-winning journalist, author of six books, former Tonya Harding lookalike (yes, we get into it), and founder of Gold Comedy — the comedy sc...

Squad, it's Father's Day, which means Papi is back in the chair — and within the first 90 seconds I'm already mad at him for something he did in my dream last night. Welcome to marriage. Meet Papi: Husband. Father of three. Professional avoider of feelings until cornered on a podcast. Wore a visor through two birth experiences for reasons he still cannot explain. 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE WE GET INTO: 🎙️...

Squad, we talk a lot about reinventing ourselves in midlife — new career, new mindset, new body. But what about the actual physical space you come home to every single day? Because if your environment isn't aligned with who you are becoming, it is quietly working against you. Kim Costa is here to fix that. 🏠 Meet Kim Costa: She's a top 5% realtor, author of Live in Your Wheelhouse, and creator of...

Squad, if you've ever looked in the mirror, seen one breakout, and immediately questioned every decision you've made since 1997 — this episode is for you. Zhanna Gavrilov is about to completely change how you think about your skin, your self-talk, and what's actually going on beneath the surface. Meet Zhanna Gavrilov: She's a European-born, California-based holistic skin specialist, licensed esthe...

Squad, we are talking about money today. Your money. Your next chapter. Your plan. And I brought in the guy who makes this stuff actually make sense — without the intimidation, without the jargon, and without making you feel behind. This conversation is going to fire you up in ways you did not expect from a money episode. Meet Mike Milligan: He's a certified financial planner, fiduciary, founder o...

Squad, if you've ever thought your body was broken, your metabolism was shot, or it was just too late — Michelle MacDonald is about to blow your mind. This conversation is one of the most science-packed, myth-busting, fire-starting episodes we've ever done. Buckle up. Meet Michelle MacDonald: She's a world-renowned strength and transformation coach, four-time FMG champion, founder of The Wonderwom...

Squad! She raised me, outlasted a game show circuit, survived sepsis at 84, and still showed up to this podcast with curled hair and a matching leather jacket. This one is for every mother, daughter, and woman who refuses to slow down — no matter what life throws at them. 🎉 This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth. Squad, our friends at Cozy Earth are hooking you up — use code MELIS at cozyea...

"You're not stuck… you're stalling." Gloss Squad… you didn't just press play — you signed up for a challenge. After a slightly woo-woo but wildly eye-opening hypnosis session (yes, in my closet 😅), I had a realization I couldn't ignore: I'm not confused… I've been playing small. And I know I'm not the only one. So welcome to Make Shiz Happen May — where we stop waiting, stop overthinking, and fin...

"It's not just our kids graduating… we are too." Graduation season hits different when you're the parent. One minute you're clapping, cheering, taking a million photos… …and the next you're crying in your car over the last lunchbox . Because here's the truth no one talks about: This isn't just their transition—it's yours too. In this solo episode, Melis gets real about the emotional whiplash of gr...

GLOSS SQUAD… buckle up because PAPI is BACK and this one? This one is unfiltered, slightly chaotic, and accidentally turned into a couples therapy session 😅 We talk a lot about midlife for women… but today? We flipped the mic and got REAL about what's actually going on in a man's head. And let's just say… they're feeling it too 👀 🔥 IN THIS EPISODE, WE GET INTO: 💭 Do men actually feel the midli...

HOOPS & GLOSS! Do you have teens? Are you around teens? Do you have younger kids who will become teens at some point in their lives? Then you DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS EPISODE! Melis has the most fascinating conversation with Communication Strategist Maria Iams. Maria gives simple communication tools on how to connect with your teenager…and they're easier than you think! Here's what's coming at ya:...

"Maybe the problem isn't that you want more… maybe you've outgrown what you built." Midlife isn't where you slow down — it's where you expand. This week, Melis is calling it out: 👉 This is the season of disruption. You can have a life that looks good on paper… and still feel restless. That doesn't make you ungrateful — it means you're evolving. 🔥 In This Episode: Why "I should be happy" is keepi...

SQUAD! In Part 2 of this conversation, digital creator and athlete Elle Cassellman shares what happens when you decide to dream bigger than the plan you originally had for your life. From getting into UCLA after being told she never would… to building confidence through faith, consistency, and bold action… this episode is about showing up even when nothing feels guaranteed. In this episode, they t...

Nobody talks about reinvention starting this early. In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Melis sits down with digital creator and lifelong athlete Elle Cassellman — someone she has known since Elle was a teenager, and who is now boldly carving her own path at just 21. From navigating COVID during high school to rediscovering purpose through running, transferring colleges against the norm, and...

SQUAD! What happens when a political science major pivots to acting, travels the world, builds a career in tech… and then decides to run for mayor? This week on  Now What?! , I sit down with my friend, former Microsoft coworker, proud UCLA Bruin, and current Walnut Creek Mayor Kevin Wilk to talk about reinvention, leadership, and why it's never too late to change direction. We get real about local...

SQUAD… this one is a  deep exhale and a full-body "oh my God… same." In this episode, I'm joined by Lori Montry — somatic healing practitioner, author of You're Not the Problem , and creator of the Freedom Formula (a nervous system–based roadmap for sustainable behavior change). Lori's message is simple… and life-changing: you are not the problem. Your patterns aren't proof you're broken — they're...

Gloss Squad… today's guest is proof that sometimes the algorithm  understood the assignment. I discovered La-Toya (aka Toy Toy 💁🏽‍♀️) on Instagram after reposting a mindset clip about Olympic skier Eileen Gu — and two days later? She's on the pod. That's how we move. La-Toya is the founder of Girl Talks Sports , a growing global media platform and community created by women who love sports — and...

If your sex life feels more like a chore than a connection, this episode is for you. I'm joined by Elana Auerbach , author of The Sure Thing , to talk about how a simple weekly pleasure practice can rebuild intimacy — on purpose. This isn't about pressure or performance… it's about presence. ✨ In This Episode: The difference between spontaneous desire vs. responsive desire (game changer) Why sche...