What It's Like To Be... with Dan Heath

Cutting to accentuate the client's eyes and ears, plotting to tame Einstein's hair, and riding the ups and downs of entrepreneurship with Ona Diaz-Santin , a hair stylist and owner of 5 Salon & Spa in New Jersey. What's the most irritating way a client can respond to a haircut? And why was she christened "The Hair Saint"? Our show takes a lot of inspiration from Studs...

Pushing perfectionism to its limits, suffering third degree burns from slag, and having your welds “shot” by X-rays with Matt "Lucky" Reed , a welder in Florida. What happens to welders' eyes if they don't wear protective hoods? And what's a time-tested way of trolling a fellow welder? WANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab our What It's Like To Be...  "starter pack...

Delivering the perfect first lesson, working with 89-year-old students, and learning how to charge for your work with Christina Whitlock , a piano teacher in Indiana.  How does she help students hear the heartbeat of music? And what is it like to teach a student from first grade through college? IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE: Check out what it's like to be a creative director , a tennis coach , or...

Refurbishing old sleighs, reviewing advance dossiers on kids, and going to “Santa School" with Larry Jefferson , a professional Santa Claus based in Dallas. How does he handle situations when kids ask for something Santa could never grant? And what would a kid have to do to get coal? Music credit: "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creat...

Managing complaints from parents, handling the horrors of teenage social media, and serving as an emergency substitute teacher with Marcus Belin , a high school principal in Illinois. How does it feel for everyone in town to know him as The Principal? And what exactly is a “sandwich email”? WANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab our What It's Like To Be...  "starter pack" . It's a...

Scouting body disposal sites, investigating obscure poisons, and computing royalty payments with Donna Andrews , the mystery novelist behind the Meg Langslow series. How do you make a living as a mystery novelist? And could Tylenol be a murder weapon? Know someone who is a great storyteller that we should talk to about their job? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab...

Catching embezzling CFOs, sniffing out a corrupt private school headmaster, and sifting through fake invoices with Chris Ekimoff, a forensic accountant. What are his go-to moves to detect fraud? And who is the most famous forensic accountant (besides Ben Affleck)? WANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab our What It's Like To Be...  "starter pack" . It's a curated Spotify playlist w...

Tracking a 2.5-mile-wide tornado, fretting over forecasts, and waking up at 2:30am with Lacey Swope, a TV meteorologist for News 9 in Oklahoma City. How does she deal with fans and stalkers? And what is the “deformation zone”? You can see Lacey's daily forecasts on the News 9 website . She's also on Instagram . Got thoughts on the show? Reach out to dan@whatitslike.com WANT MORE EPISODE...

Defending a man prosecuted for breaking into his own house, carrying clients’ burdens, and dispelling a myth about Miranda rights with Mike Panella , a criminal defense attorney from Orlando. IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE: Check out what it's like to be a homicide detective , an FBI special agent , or a secret service agent . WANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab our What It's Like To Be...  &q...

Mystery dates, adult playrooms, habit stacking, and the misuse of “narcissism” with Laura Heck , a virtual couples therapist. Laura is also a co-host of the podcast Marriage Therapy Radio . IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE: Check out what it's like to be a hospice nurse . WANT MORE EPISODE SUGGESTIONS? Grab our What It's Like To Be...  "starter pack" . It's a curated Spotify playl...

Meeting Muhammad Ali, handling fans who are alcoholics, pouring with no foam, and dreaming about one last game with Howard Hart, who spent three decades as a stadium beer vendor. If you want to see Howard in action, The Washington Post put together a great video feature on him in 2014. IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE: Check out what it's like to be a barman or an ice cream truck driver . WANT MORE E...

Curious what it would be like to walk in someone else’s (work) shoes? Join New York Times bestselling author Dan Heath as he explores the world of work, one profession at a time, and interviews people who love what they do. What does a couples therapist think when a friend asks for relationship advice? What happens if a welder fails to wear safety glasses? What can get a stadium beer vendor fired?...