Part of the thrill of doing this job is talking to people who excite the heck out of me. These are the passionate and visionary ones who forge their own path and do what they love. They know their craft forward and backward. They are infectious.
A few weeks back I had the privilege of interviewing Joshua Kaiser, the founder of Rishi Tea, an organic and Fair Trade loose leaf tea company.
Who knew that tea could have you on the edge of your seat? Or as my sound engineer Sarah said as I walked out the studio, “Who knew that tea could be so damn interesting?”
Joshua is clearly a man who loves his work. That ignites the sleeping giant in all of us and equally important gets us fired up about healthier options to put into our body.
Listen to the interview and you'll know exactly what I mean:
We need to support business leaders like Joshua—those who factor people and planet into the bottom line. It’s why I have chosen to partner with Rishi Tea. You too can send a clear message that organic and fair trade and high quality is important to you—by voting with your wallet.
What do you when you have a guest that makes your day and changes your audience’s life? You bring him back, of course.
The first time we booked Sir Ken Robinson I was excited because like millions of others I had seen his inspiring 2006 TED talk about creativity and had read his books. But I wasn’t prepared for the very real person behind the personality of “Sir Ken”. And although I knew he’d be motivating, I didn’t expect the dramatic and immediate impact that interview would have on individual listeners.
Many of you contacted me to say how that show moved you to go back to school, launch that business, change jobs, or take some time to seriously rethink where you are, how you got here, and what to do next. There’s very little that compares to getting this kind of feedback from you.
But this was also personal for me. Personal from the standpoint that I have been there and done that with dramatic changes in my work life—from selling pills, to making movies, to launching this radio show. I know how difficult it can be to make that jump and how incredibly sweet life can taste when you do. So I’m here. Use me (or the show) if you’re ready to bust out...and know that you’re not alone.
Noteworthy:
There’s one more thing about Sir Ken that is worth mentioning. In my role as host, I’m typically the one who asks the questions and thoroughly researches the guests. My job is to draw information and emotional responses from them and generally that is a one way street.
But Sir Ken surprised me. He asked me questions back. And he cared to hear my answers. He knew what to ask because he had actually taken the time to find out a little about me before coming on air. Because of that, this was not just an interview, but an authentic conversation. I realized I enjoyed it so much, not because it was rare in my line of work, but because it’s rare in life.
It’s listening that makes people so damn unforgettable…
My most recent interview with Sir Ken: Feel the fear...and jump!
What lights your fire? Are you doing it? (Sir Ken's first appearance on The Kathleen Show) Resilience: The story of champions. (An interview with John Paul DeJoria, founder of Paul Mitchell.) How to keep on keepin' on the that bumpy road to success. Sign up to receive our podcasts and never miss another hot interview.
And here's my monologue about becoming "fearless".
Related:
By Henry David Thoreau
This essay was originally published in the Atlantic Monthly in 1863, a year after Thoreau's death. And I love it. I come back to the tattered, dog-eared pages again and again whenever I feel off course.
Life Without Principle may be the most important, life-changing 18 pages you'll ever read.
One of the most controversial authors in history: Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead) Sign up to get "The Kathleen Show" podcasts and never miss another interview.
For more about the fascinating life and work of Henry David Thoreau, here's my interview with Professor Robert Gross:
Related:
Ditch the list, skip the lines and most importantly, save your pennies. This year give your family and friends a little pick-me-upper for the New Year—The Kathleen Show podcast.
It's like giving an Amazon gift card via email, only better…
It's free. (Did we mention that? Amen, in this economy.)
It's meaningful. (The country's most provocative thought leaders challenging us to live our boldest and healthiest lives.)
It's good for the environment. (No stuff to plug up our landfills.)
It's fast. (Email delivery up until December 23—just in case you're a last minute shopper.)
Find out what your family and friends will receive, how it works and place your orders on the spot at our Website.
And don’t miss Kathleen’s latest interview with best-selling author, Vicki Robin, who always reminds us that life isn’t about all that stuff.
Happy Holidays!
Related:
Give your friend and family the Side Effects DVD (starring Katherine Heigl)
Buy Money Talks: Profits Before Patient Safety
Kathleen's first interview with Vicki Robin
Ayn Rand's first novel
I guess you could say I'm on an Ayn Rand kick lately...
Rand's first novel, We the Living, is "as near to an autobiography" as any of her work and sets the stage for her later masterpieces The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.
We the Living is a shocking look at life under Soviet Communist rule told through the eyes of three individuals who demand the right to their own lives and to pursue their own happiness. Intense and sexually charged, the book offers a psychological perspective into Ayn Rand's unique world views.
And be sure to stay tuned because I'll be doing an entire show on the life and work of this controversial but intoxicating author.
For more on Ayn Rand...
Howard Roark, where art thou? It's time to lighten up, Lucy.
Ok, so last week things got pretty heavy around here. We covered many inconvenient but necessary topics like: the dangers and must-have convos with your teens about text driving; the surprising/disappointing truth about my ownership of McDonald’s stock; whether or not you should give your child the H1N1 vaccine; and how my “fiction” film Side Effects starring Katherine Heigl unfortunately played out in the headlines with the 2.3 billion dollar Pfizer settlement.
Oy...
It's no wonder I felt like I got hit by a Mack Truck by
Friday night. Because although I'm a definite believer that information can
galvanize us toward better choices, I also like (scratch that, need) some lighter fare in the mix. I don’t want shocking information to be the
only thing that drives me. I perform and live at my highest level when the
majority of my energy is directed toward the positive—kick-butt people,
stirring stories, and against-all-odds situations. Throw some humor in the mix
and I can outrun the energizer bunny.
And that is also the crux of what the radio show is about—and what I want to deliver to you.
So I thought it would be prudent to start this week out by pointing to some of our more inspiring shows. Those people/topics that we’re known for…that leave you wanting to take on the world (or even just laugh out loud.)
Here are just a few:
The great Maya Angelou: Turning adversity into bestsellers and a juicy life. (With some funny stories about her writing 'process'.)
Sir Ken Robinson: What lights your fire? Are you doing it?
Lisa Oz is in the house...on life as a NYT bestselling author, producer, mom and wife of Dr. Mehmet Oz.
An exciting walk on the creative side. Making a living out of a life in the arts. (A killer interview with legendary record producer Elliot Scheiner.)
My 'Pick of the Week': The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
No matter what your opinion of the controversial author Ayn Rand, there’s little denying that The Fountainhead is a life changer.
It's a novel about what’s possible in terms of individual human capacity. In the main character of Howard Roark, we find an intoxicating example of everything we could be. Ayn Rand will challenge you as a reader and demand that you rise up and stop acting (or feeling) like a cog in the wheel.
There are many parallels between The Fountainhead and the writings of Henry David Thoreau and even to some extent, our previous guest Vicki Robin—parallels about finding your genius, doing what you love, living your life so lean that you never have to compromise or answer to The Man again. And parallels about the priceless benefits of independence.
Part of the controversy is that Ayn Rand is an unforgiving author. She has the highest expectation that we live bold and brilliant lives…or get out of the way. And because of this (among other things), readers either love or crucify her.
But Rand ingeniously addresses her critics within the pages of The Fountainhead. She argues that the best way to serve yourself and others is to rise to your own greatness, thus igniting and providing a source of inspiration to everyone around you.
As for me, The Fountainhead made my head spin, forced me to sit up a little straighter and had me longing for one Mr. Howard Roark. What more can you ask from a book?
The baton is now in your hands. Please share this post via email, Tweet, Stumble, Digg or your personal blog.
Footnote 1: I have not yet begun to dive into Ayn Rand’s personal philosophy—something she calls objectivism. I wanted to read her before I studied her as I did not want her bias (or possibly my feelings toward her bias) to taint my own interpretation or enjoyment of her body of work. With Atlas Shrugged, We The Living, and Anthem still on my nightstand, it may be a few months. But at that time, I plan to do a show on Ms. Rand and we all can have a very spirited discussion.
Footnote 2: Although I draw parallels above between Thoreau and even Vicki Robin, there are also significant differences which can further mess with the reader’s head.
Order The Fountainhead HERE
(I specifically like this 50th anniversary edition because the afterword contains some amazing notes that Ms. Rand kept prior to beginning the novel--giving insight to her writing and thinking process.)
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Just a few of our great guests on The Kathleen Show...
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