Good People, Cool Things

Mariana Barbuceanu decided to give the digital nomad life a try a few years ago and soon realized she could make a living as a travel blogger while exploring all the world has to offer. And after jetsetting around Europe, she’s decided to settle in a European country for the next year.

We’re chatting all about that new phase of her life, how she’s managed to travel on a comfortable budget without wildly altering her lifestyle, and ...

Being in a band is among the coolest experiences one can have in life. This episode's guest knows all about that — Todd Tucker is getting the hair metal band back together as the director and writer of Rockbottom, a new movie featuring SO MANY impressive musicians. We’re chatting about the inspiration for Rockbottom, his career as a makeup and special effects artist, and how he got hurt doing a very unathletic move during the makin...

Back in my YouTube Z-list celebrity days, I had an ongoing series called 20 Pretty Bad Impressions in 1 Minute. Friends and I would go back and forth, quickly doing impressions. As the name suggests, the quality of said impressions was not good.

Luckily, my guest today is significantly better at impressions. Lauren LoGiudice is the author of Inside Melania: What I Know About Melania Trump By Impersonating Her. Beyond her spot-on imp...

Marc Hartzman has an innate interest in the strange, unique stories from around the world. He’s written about ghosts, Mars, Oliver Cromwell's embalmed head, and weird things on eBay, just to name a few. His latest book, We Are Not Alone: The Extraordinary History of UFOs and Aliens Invading Our Hopes, Fears, and Fantasies, looks into the vast universe of aliens, extraterrestrials, and outer space.

We're chatting about where the term...

Did you know the average attention span is nine seconds? That’s less than the attention span of a goldfish! It can be super frustrating to read a lengthy article and feel like you haven’t gotten anything out of it or you’re more confused than when you started. It’s especially upsetting when we’ve already got busy days and our time to consume content is limited.

Priyanka Vazirani understands that frustration and is setting out to do...

Cori Myka is the founder of Calm Within Adult Swim, teaching adults not only how to swim but also how to develop habits and mindsets to overcome fear and build confidence. Those are great skills to have in any walk of life.

We’re discussing where the idea for an online swim instruction business came from, what Cori has learned from helping people transform their lives, and whether it’s better to jump into a body of water or walk in ...

Many of us dream of making money by doing creative things that we love to do. And the most successful creatives are making income in several different ways, consistently opening up doors to new opportunities.    

This episode’s guest realized a lot of creatives DON’T know that these different income streams are not only critical but also doable for anyone. Tonya Lawson is making it her goal to educate musicians, ...

Media may not fundamentally change our behavior, but it can shape what we believe. That's why sharing messages of togetherness, unity, and genuine interactions is so important.

Modello Brown is the founder of Hip Hop Littles, which is bringing cultures together through books, music, fashion, art, and much more. We’re chatting about how he creates the Hip Hop Littles characters, something that’s surprised him about marketing the bran...

Rachel Hanson is Editor-in-Chief of the digital magazine Sound Sorceresses, highlighting women who are doing incredible work in audio storytelling. There aren’t a ton of spaces out there in this realm, which needs to change, because there are a LOT of cool women in podcasting and audio storytelling.

We're talking about how Rachel got the idea for Sound Sorceresses, one of her favorite stories from the publication, and her foray into...

Welcome back to Good People, Cool Things! Bananas to think we're kicking off the SEVENTH season of this show. We're starting this season off in style with a true underdog story — or, more accurately, many underdog stories!

After being cut from his 7th-grade baseball team, Tyler O’Shea has always found inspiration in athletes who have succeeded against the odds. That drive led to both a collegiate career on the diamond and the foundi...

Welcome to the last episode of the year! There’s a lot more to come in 2024, and I’ll be back with the new season on February 7. For now, let’s wrap this season up in style!

Jennifer Chen is a writer and the author of Artifacts of an Ex and the creator of Joy Ride, a lovely newsletter that highlights some of the brighter spots in life. And with the way 2023 went for a lot of us, that’s something we could all use.

We’re talking about ...

For much of their lives, Alejandro Martignon and Fred Taylor were never big coffee drinkers. Alejandro helped out in his grandma's cafe in Colombia, and Fred watched as his NFL teammates downed several Venti Starbucks cups during practice.

But soon, the pair learned about mushroom coffee. Different fungi offer unique benefits, such as reduced stress, better brain health, and stronger energy and focus — without the afternoon crash. T...

If you’ve been keeping an eye on things this year, you’ve probably heard about the rise of AI. Artificial intelligence can have some scary implications, such as stealing jobs or impersonating voices to extort money from people over the phone.

While that’s certainly a concern, there are plenty of people out there using AI for good. One of those guys is Gabriel Cowan, the founder of Audio Design Desk. The company uses AI to help make ...

Social media can be a powerful tool for musicians. And Josh Simons has seen the power it can have. He co-founded Vampr, the world’s largest and most active social media network specifically for musicians.

Josh knows what musicians want because he’s had plenty of experience as one. He’s spent over a decade as an artist, songwriter, and producer, touring and working with folks like Carrie Underwood, Troye Sivan, and Travis Scott. Toda...

Leif Cocks is the founder of The Orangutan Project. He’s developed conservation plans for orangutans and influenced positive change for orangutan protection and survival, including the first successful reintroduction of the zoo-born orangutan. Leif also educates people on the positive impacts orangutans have on forests and climate change.

We’re talking about Leif’s first meeting with an orangutan, how he helps give them a second cha...

There’s something magical about a holiday movie, isn’t it? Even the Grinchiest of people can find something to like when the Christmas spirit hits the silver screen. The music, the decorations, the treats…they’re all part of the experience, and it is an absolute delight.

You might also have a friend who regularly hosts a holiday party, bringing friends and family together for a last soiree before the new year. For one Los Angeles ne...