The Daily Helping

We sit down with Joe Pardavila—radio veteran with more than 10,000 hours behind the mic on New York’s 95.5 PLJ’s Scott & Todd Morning Show and author of the bestseller Good Listen: Creating Memorable Conversations in Business and Life. Now a creator and producer of entrepreneur-focused podcasts, Joe brings a storyteller’s toolkit to modern communication: curiosity, humility, and genuine care f...

John O’Leary returns to The Daily Helping with a timely reminder born from extraordinary adversity. Burned across 100% of his body at age nine and given less than a 1% chance to live, John has since inspired millions as a keynote speaker and the bestselling author of On Fire and In Awe. Now, his story reaches the big screen in Soul on Fire, a feature film shot in the very St. Louis places where hi...

Ranae Van Roekel never imagined the word felon would be part of her identity. Yet after serving 36 months in federal prison for mail fraud, she refused to let that label define her. Instead, she used it as a turning point. A mother, grandmother, wife, and dog lover, Ranae is also the founder of Connecting to Cope , a platform designed to empower individuals with the tools, community, and support t...

Margaret Andrews—leadership expert and longtime Harvard instructor—joins us to share the MYLO framework: Manage Yourself to Lead Others. Her executive program has run for years with a loyal waitlist, and she’s distilled those lessons into her book, Manage Yourself to Lead Others: Why Great Leadership Begins with Self-Understanding. We explore her journey from hard feedback about “self-awareness” t...

We sit down with Wes Adams—CEO of SV Consulting Group and positive psychology researcher at UPenn—and Tamara Myles—speaker, author, professor, and researcher at UPenn—to unpack their new book, Meaningful Work. Together, they argue that what makes work feel worthwhile isn’t a lofty mission on a wall; it’s the daily experience we create. Their research shows leaders and environments account for near...

Valerie J. Walsh is a bestselling author, sought-after speaker, and transformational leader whose work turns personal tragedy into a mission to help others rise. Through her memoir Shattered to the Core and her follow-up, CoreAgeous, she invites us into the real work of healing—naming trauma, telling the truth, and leading from the heart. We explore her journey from fitness professional to aviatio...

We sit down with Dr. Reza Zahedi—civil engineer, international real estate leader, and author of Self-Made Maverick—whose story begins as a child refugee from Iran and evolves into a career built from scratch across Europe. What struck us wasn’t the highlight reel, but the mindset shift he credits for everything: believing he could build something from nothing and change his destiny despite the do...

Content Warning: This episode contains detailed accounts of domestic violence, emotional abuse, and the murder of a parent. It may be distressing or triggering for some listeners. Please use discretion and take care of yourself while listening. In part two of our conversation with filmmaker, podcaster, and speaker Collier Landry, we continue the extraordinary story that began when he was just 11 y...

Content Warning: This episode contains detailed accounts of domestic violence, emotional abuse, and the murder of a parent. It may be distressing or triggering for some listeners. Please use discretion and take care of yourself while listening. At just 11 years old, Collier Landry’s life was upended when his father murdered his mother. Refusing to remain silent, he gathered evidence, testified aga...

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Scott Hutcheson, a biosocial scientist and senior lecturer at Purdue University, whose work with hundreds of organizations has redefined how we understand leadership. Dr. Hutcheson’s new book, Biohacking Leadership, takes a unique look at how leadership is rooted in biology and behavior—demonstrating that how we feel at work is shaped less by the job itself and mo...

In this episode, we sit down with Melissa Swift, an innovative organizational consultant and the author of Work Here Now: Think Like a Human and Build a Powerhouse Workplace. Having worked with global giants like Mercer and Deloitte, Melissa brings a data-driven yet deeply human perspective to understanding what’s broken about modern work—and how we can actually fix it. Her book unpacks the three...

In this episode, we’re joined by Susanne Madsen, a globally recognized executive coach, award-winning author, and specialist in transformational leadership for complex organizations. With nearly 30 years of experience working with global leaders at companies like JP Morgan, Citigroup, and Lego, Susanne has dedicated her career to helping people rethink how they lead—and, more importantly, how they...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Alexandra Miles, founder and CEO of Project Blackbird, a nonprofit organization that champions mental health awareness and access in Washington, D.C., and beyond. Alexandra brings a wealth of experience, from her dual degrees in business and fine arts to her leadership in producing impactful mental health programming and films. Her work, which includes sc...

In this episode, we reconnect with Mark Monchek, founder and Chief Opportunity Officer of the Opportunity Lab, whose clients include global leaders like Google, Apple, GE, and the United Nations. Mark’s journey sits at the crossroads of business, art, and psychology, and his latest book, Opportunity Intelligence: How to Thrive in an Age of Radical Disruption, is both timely and personal—shaped by...

For this episode, we’re honored to welcome Diane Kahn, founding member and executive director of Humans of San Quentin. Diane’s journey began with a simple curiosity that blossomed into a life-changing mission: helping incarcerated people share their stories with the world. Over seven years volunteering at San Quentin, she’s been deeply moved by the vulnerability and emotional intelligence of the...

In this episode, we sit down with Jim Poole, CEO of NuCalm, a leader in neuroscience-based wellness and performance. Jim’s journey is rooted in a family dedicated to helping others, shaped by parents who were both psychotherapists and a mother who was a true force of nature. Today, he channels that legacy into pioneering technology that allows people to manage their mental state on demand—without...

In this episode, we’re joined by Thomas G. Waites—acclaimed actor, playwright, musician, and star of the raw and riveting one-man show Lucky Man, A Warrior’s Journey, currently playing in New York and produced by Emmy and Golden Globe winner John Goodman. With a storied career spanning film, television, and stage—including cult classics like The Warriors and The Thing—Tom pulls back the curtain on...

Dr. Paul J. Zak, acclaimed neuroscientist and bestselling author of The Little Book of Happiness, returns to The Daily Helping to share groundbreaking insights on how connection and fulfillment truly shape our well-being. As a professor and pioneer in behavioral neuroscience, Dr. Zak has spent decades studying what it takes for people to thrive, developing tools that help us measure and build more...

On this episode of The Daily Helping, we’re joined by Paul Johnson and Larry Aldrich, two accomplished leaders who have spent decades shaping policy and championing individual rights. Paul, former mayor of Phoenix and host of The Optimistic American podcast, brings deep experience from his roles in business, politics, and international development. Larry, a federal antitrust prosecutor and newspap...

Ken Banta, founder and CEO of the Vanguard Network, is a recognized expert in leadership and organizational change. With a rich background as a journalist—covering pivotal events like the Eastern European revolutions for Time magazine—Ken transitioned into corporate leadership, helping guide major turnarounds at companies such as Pharmacia and Bausch & Lomb. His latest book, Seeing Around Corn...

Joel Zuckerman may have made a name for himself as a golf writer, but it’s gratitude—not golf—that transformed his life. With over 300 handwritten letters under his belt, Joel has shifted from penning sports columns to advocating for expressive gratitude as a path to greater well-being. In this episode of The Daily Helping, Dr. Richard sits down with Joel to unpack his latest book, Gratitude Tiger...

Bill Zujewski—better known as Bill Z—is the founder of Good Life LLC, creator of the Life by Design system, the ZenScore app, and the Good Life platform. After a long and successful career in enterprise software with companies like Oracle and Tulip, Bill co-founded the Green Business Bureau, which was successfully acquired in 2023. He’s now the author of What’s Your Life Score?, a book and system...

Sol Smith is a certified autism specialist, author of The Autistic’s Guide to Self-Discovery, and former college professor who is also autistic, dyslexic, and has ADHD. After spending over twenty years in academia, Sol transitioned into coaching and advocacy, building a large online following and offering guidance to neurodivergent individuals around the world. His work aims to help people better...

Todd Patkin is a successful entrepreneur turned happiness advocate whose life story took a sharp turn after selling his family business. A Tufts University graduate, Todd spent nearly two decades building that business before it was acquired by Advanced Auto Parts. With his time and energy newly freed, he turned toward philanthropy and mental health advocacy—particularly drawing from his personal...

Butch Meily has lived a remarkable life bridging cultures between the United States and the Philippines, carving out a career that spans public relations, corporate communications, and journalism. With stints at top PR firms and as VP of Communications for TLC Beatrice International, Meily’s storytelling prowess has graced publications like The Wall Street Journal and Black Enterprise. But perhaps...