Explore every episode of the podcast Farm to Future
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
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| The family behind Taiwan's beloved BB Hot Sauce — Sophia Chang, "A Little Bit Sweet" Film | 21 Apr 2026 | 00:34:06 | |
What do you do when you realize your family has a famous hot sauce brand in Taiwan — and you only found out at age 25? For food stylist and documentary filmmaker Sophia J. Chang, the answer was: make a film about it. In this episode, Jane sits down with her cousin-in-law Sophia to talk about A Little Bit Sweet, a documentary seven years in the making about BB Sauce — a beloved Taiwanese condiment her grand-uncles built from the ground up — and the family story that almost went untold. Sophia opens up about the grief of not capturing her grandmother Ama's recipes before she developed dementia, and how that loss became the quiet engine behind everything. The conversation weaves through oral history, identity, Taiwanese food culture, and what it means to belong to a story you didn't even know existed. This one is for anyone who has ever felt the pull of a family history just out of reach. Sophia J Chang is a second-generation Taiwanese American food stylist and photographer, whose career in food and media reflects her deep-rooted passion for storytelling and culture. Sophia has worked on Food Network TV shows and commercials with clients including Bibigo USA, King’s Hawaiian, Knorr, and Starbucks.
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| Bone broth is worth the hype (but only if it jiggles) — Thomas Odermatt, Butchers Bone Broth | 15 Apr 2026 | 00:38:14 | |
Growing up in his family’s award-winning butcher shop in San Gottardo, Switzerland, Thomas Odermatt learned the foundations of traditional butchery and the art of succulent, tender rotisserie. From his father, Otto, a Metzgermeister (master butcher), he learned the importance of selecting the right cuts for the right purpose and sourcing only high-quality, free-range meats from trusted family farms. From his mother, Maria, he inherited the family’s cherished rotisserie recipes, a Saturday specialty that drew loyal customers to the shop. Thomas went on to earn a master’s degree in organic farming in Zürich before moving to the United States to continue his studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Immersed in the Bay Area’s emerging gourmet food scene, he became inspired to bring his heritage and craftsmanship to a new audience. In 2002, that vision led to the launch of Roli Roti, America’s first gourmet rotisserie food truck, created from a singular pursuit: making the best rotisserie chicken possible. As the business grew, Thomas found himself with excess bones and trimmings from the truck. Guided by his butchery roots and a nose-to-tail philosophy, he put every part to use. Thirteen years later, that approach culminated in the creation of Butcher’s Bone Broth, an organic, fresh bone broth that reflects his enduring commitment to time, attention, and care in feeding others. Like his rotisserie, the broth is crafted to be healthy, deeply flavorful, and satisfying. Today, Butcher’s Bone Broth is available in more than 10,000 locations nationwide, including leading retailers such as Costco, Sprouts Farmers Market, Whole Foods, and Publix.
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| How this Danish startup turns brewery 'waste' into nutritious food ingredients — Aviaja Riemann-Andersen, Agrain | 07 Jan 2025 | 00:45:32 | |
In this episode, we explore how Danish startup Agrain is revolutionizing food sustainability by upcycling spent grains from breweries into nutritious food ingredients. Aviaja Riemann-Andersen shares how these grains, far from being "waste," actually develop enhanced nutritional profiles and unique flavors through the brewing process. The conversation spans from the technical aspects of grain processing to broader themes of circular economy and sustainable food systems. Circular economy and respect for our planet are the guiding principles for Aviaja, and through her work with Agrain and in several committees, she is promoting a more sustainable future. Aviaja is a Board member in the Danish Plantbased Food Association and a board member in The Danish Food and Drink Federation. From 2021-2022 she was a member of the Government’s Green Advisory Board. Agrain has since June 2022 been a proud member of the EIT Rising Food Star Programme. Privately, she lives in Copenhagen with her two daughters, she is a hot yoga heavy user. She has a MSc in economic and Japanese from Copenhagen Business School and worked 15 years in cosmetics before she joined the food industry.
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| #27 - How a Helicopter Mechanic Created an Ocean-Safe Hair Care Line with Kayla Pearson, Founder of Surf Soap | 13 Jul 2021 | 00:38:44 | |
Kayla Pearson is a surfer, hairdresser, helicopter mechanic, and the Founder of Surf Soap (@surf_soap), an ocean-safe hair care and skincare company. Kayla was born in a tiny town in California, and has always had an affinity with the ocean. After growing up in Utah, she moved to Florida, where she learned to surf. Kayla joined the Army in 2013 as a UH60 Blackhawk mechanic and crew chief, and then pivoted into military intelligence after she had her daughter Eleanor in 2017. In that time, she’s competed in Ironman 140.6 Japan, won the women’s title in the Seoul International Marathon, and earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology while remodeling a home with her husband, Ben. Kayla launched Surf Soap in November 2020 with their signature 3-1 shampoo-conditioner-body wash bar, and they've already shipped over 2,000 orders! In this episode, we talk about how building a business is just like running a marathon, how to stay consistent and get past that mile 18, and how Kayla manages her time running Surf Soap on top of full-time work and being a parent.
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| #26 - Slowing down the Hustle with Michelle Favin, Artist and Painter | 06 Jul 2021 | 00:41:30 | |
Is it possible to pursue art and achieve financial stability? Discounts
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| #25 - From Rejection to Making Chandeliers for Disney and Mattel with Nicole Ketchum, Founder of Hey Girl Decor | 29 Jun 2021 | 00:36:17 | |
Sometimes what you need is the lemonade factor. In other words, the ability to turn a sour situation into something sweet. Discounts
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| #24 - Building a Million-Dollar Jewelry Brand with Allison Claire | 22 Jun 2021 | 00:34:52 | |
When you first start your business, not everyone will believe in you. But that’s okay, because the only person that needs to believe in what you’re building — at least to start — is you. Allison Claire had a ton of doubters when she was starting her jewelry business - her dad, one of her first customers, and banks who denied her a loan. But it turns out, Allison had a perfect background for what she was doing. During her 8 years of working in university administration, Allison struggled to find a way to represent her alma mater at football games and fancy events without looking tacky in a hoodie. So she built Allison Claire, a jewelry brand that offers luxury collegiate pieces like gold necklaces and diamond earrings. In just 5 years, Allison Claire has made almost $1 million in sales and over 1,000 orders — as a one-woman show! The brand is a licensed jeweler for 8 schools and counting, including the University of Washington, University of Arizona, and Virginia Tech. Today, Allison is here to tell the tale of how she dove head-first into a new industry, teaching herself jewelry design and manufacturing, and some of the sacrifices she had to make to build a million-dollar brand. Connect with Allison Claire Connect with Jane Z Discounts
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| #23 - How an Event Planner Created an Travel-Friendly, Color-Matching Dry Shampoo with Laura Armstrong | 15 Jun 2021 | 00:45:18 | |
The best products often come from a frustrated consumer. Beyond Soap book: https://amzn.to/3iFIAIT Connect with Jane Z Discounts
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| #22 - Building a Food Brand from Scratch to 70 Stores with Claire Smith, Founder of Teffola | 08 Jun 2021 | 00:54:16 | |
What’s the first step to building a thriving business? Well, easy — getting started. But that can be scary. Whether it’s quitting your day job, putting up a website, or getting out there to find your first customer, just getting started requires being brave. Here’s a secret, though. You don’t need to be brave all of the time. Just the moments that matter. That’s how Claire Smith managed to quit her day job at a restaurant to start a granola company and grow it to over 70 stores. Claire grew up as the 7th generation on a 2,300-acre family farm, vowing to move as far away from the farm as she could. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Neuroscience and minor in Classics, she moved to western Canada. Her parents decided to start pivoting the farm from corn and soybeans to alternative grains and seeds during this time. Claire, acknowledging the irony, moved back to the farm to work with teff, an ancient grain native to Ethiopia. She created Teffola, or teff granola, and began selling to local grocery stores in January 2018. Since then, she's grown Teffola into 70 grocery stores and coffee shops across Michigan and is now branching into Chicago and Toledo, Ohio. In this episode, Claire shares her business journey from late nights and farmer’s markets to building a customer-centric food brand that brings awareness to small farmers and ancient grains. Connect with Jane Z! Discounts
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| #21 - My Startup Journey: Eating Acorns and Designing Better Classrooms | 13 Apr 2021 | 01:03:22 | |
To cap off Season 1, Severin from Episode 4 comes back to interview me, Jane Z.! We take a trip down through my multi-leg journey of entrepreneurship, from building a neighborhood piano school at age 13 to designing a student-run cafe at McGill University, building a clean tech startup community in Vancouver, to co-founding the first-ever classroom design platform. We also discuss my research on food systems, from growing tomatoes in urban greenhouses to making acorn tofu. Sev and I pull back the curtain on the highs and lows of our startup journeys - from the excitement of building something from scratch to the burnout of doing too much. This sets us up for season 2, which will be all about how to build a thriving creative business without losing your mind.
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| #20 - Working on the Ebola Response with Vivienne Walz, Public Health Evaluator | 06 Apr 2021 | 00:42:48 | |
Vivienne Walz is a former Health Scientist at the CDC who worked on the 2018 Ebola Outbreak response in the DRC, where she focused on analyzing community feedback from Red Cross volunteers. Today, Vivienne supports the Covid-19 response as a community health liaison in the Kahnawà:ke First Nations reserve outside of Montreal. Vivienne holds an M.Sc. in Public Health and B.A.&Sc. in Cognitive Science, both from McGill University, and she’s built a career around community well-being, sustainability, social justice. In this episode, we talk about Viv’s upbringing on a Swiss farm in rural Ontario, how the CBC documentary 8th Fire set Viv down a career path around indigenous culture and social justice, and the story of when she got hit by a drunk driver. And of course, we talk about how Viv ended up working at the Centers for Disease Control, what evaluation work looks like, and what it was like being on the ground in the DRC working on the Ebola response. CONNECT WITH VIV RESOURCES CONNECT WITH US Discounts
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| #19 - From Teaching to EdTech with Mark Pan, People Partner at Newsela | 30 Mar 2021 | 00:53:03 | |
Mark Pan is the Director of HR & Business Strategy at Newsela, an EdTech platform that delivers news-related content to students at different reading levels. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Urban Education, Mark took his knowledge to the classroom, teaching English in San Jose, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. He then brought his teaching skills into the tech industry, where he managed partnerships at Coursera and later joined Newsela in business strategy and now People Operations. RESOURCES MENTIONED CONNECT WITH US Discounts
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| #18 - What the Heck is Human-Centered Design? Designing Solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa with Carly James, Anthropologist and Design Researcher | 23 Mar 2021 | 00:53:15 | |
Carly James is the Executive Director of Global Development at ThinkPlace Global, a strategic design thinking firm that tackles the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Carly is trained as a cultural anthropologist, and she’s worked on design research projects like behavior change in the health system for Somali women, disaster resilience in Myanmar, HIV testing in West Africa, and co-designing the future state of male contraceptives. Carly holds two Master's degrees — an MDes in Risk and Resilience from Harvard, and an MA in Anthropology from McGill University. In this episode, we talk about how Carly’s upbringing in Alabama, her early career in rural development in Delaware, and French colonial studies in college coalesced into a fascination with international aid and development in sub-Saharan Africa. Carly shares what it’s like to work and live in contexts like Kenya and Somalia where you feel like a complete outsider, what she’s learned about imposter syndrome, and what it’s like to work side by side with your (romantic) partner! >> Connect with Carly >> Resources Mentioned >> Connect with us Discounts
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| How AI can make cow IVF smarter and more sustainable — Dr. Cara Wells, EmGenisys | 26 Nov 2024 | 00:48:37 | |
Ever wondered how modern breeding techniques are making cattle farming more sustainable? This week, we dive deep into the world of cattle IVF with Dr. Cara Wells, a reproductive physiologist and founder of EmGenisys. She explains how advanced reproductive technologies are helping create more efficient, climate-friendly cattle while improving animal welfare and food production. About Dr. Cara Wells Dr. Cara Wells is an entrepreneur, inventor, and animal scientist who has revolutionized the field of embryo evaluation technology. After earning her B.S. and PhD in Animal Science from Texas Tech University, she gained valuable experience working in both animal and human clinical IVF laboratories. This unique perspective helped her identify key industry challenges and opportunities. As the founder of EmGenisys, she holds 8 issued US patents, 8 US patents pending, and 54 international patents. Under her leadership, EmGenisys has gained national and international recognition, secured seed funding, and expanded into new markets including human health and space agriculture. Beyond her work at EmGenisys, Cara is passionate about mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs and serves in advisory roles for multiple companies, including ventures in pollinator conservation, epigenetics, and biometric sensors. She lives in Dripping Springs, TX with her husband, 2 horses, boxer dog, and cat. Discounts
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| #17 - Building a Bollywood-based Fitness Movement with Shahil Patel, CEO & Founder of BollyX | 16 Mar 2021 | 01:09:38 | |
Shahil Patel (@shahilbollyx) is the Co-Founder and CEO of BollyX, a Bollywood-based fitness class that’s grown into a global movement. BollyX has been featured on Shark Tank and in 2009, Shahil led the first-ever Bollywood dance team to the final rounds of America’s Got Talent. Shahil has choreographed, produced, and led over 200 Bollywood performances and has performed alongside superstars such as Gloria Estefan, Jamie Foxx, Enrique Iglesias and Diana Ross! In this episode, we talk about how Shahil got into dancing while at UC Berkeley to impress his mother, how he led his dance team to win first place at nationals after only one week of rehearsals (!), and how he managed to land a highly competitive consulting job at Accenture with mediocre grades. We also talk about Shahil turned his passion for dance into a dance company and later BollyX, how BollyX has evolved as a company and community over almost 8 years, and why giving and receiving feedback is SO important. You might want to take notes on this episode! >> Connect with Shahil >> Connect with BollyX >> Connect with Us Discounts
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| #16 - Ironman Triathlons and UX Design with Chi Pham, Google.org Fellow and MPH Candidate | 09 Mar 2021 | 01:03:12 | |
Chi Pham is a UX Designer at Google, a Masters of Public Health candidate at UC Berkeley, and an Ironman triathlete. Chi empowers over 120,000 women to embrace their badass selves through her Instagram account @fit_pham, where she’s been documenting her fitness journey over the years. Chi’s parents fled the Vietnam War and landed in San Diego, where Chi grew up and learned to swim, later swimming competitively all throughout college. In this episode, we talk about how we both transitioned from our environmental studies roots to working in tech, why racial categories don’t make sense, and how we all go through unhealthy periods of self-hate in our fitness journeys. And of course, we talk about Chi’s insane accomplishments of running Ironman triathlons — the things they don’t teach you in training, how she survived a 10-hour cramp during a race, her favorite post-race snack, and why she keeps going back for more. Wherever you are in your fitness journey, prepare to be inspired! >> Connect with Chi >> Connect with Us Discounts
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| #15 - Why do people suffer? Death, Faith, and Medicine with Neurology Resident Dr. John Rhee | 02 Mar 2021 | 01:19:07 | |
Dr. John Rhee is a neurology resident at Mass General Brigham at Harvard Medical School and the co-founder of the podcast and platform The Hippocratic Forum. He has published articles on palliative care, physical-assisted suicide, and on loneliness at hospitals in the time of COVID (links below). He is also a devout Catholic and one of the smiliest people you will ever meet. In this episode, we talk about how John got over his fear of death by volunteering at a hospice, how his coursework in human development and policy tie into his work, and why he’s so passionate about end-of-life care. We dive deep into topics of what human flourishing could look like in a hospital, and how our society thinks about death, dying, and the sick and elderly. John also cares deeply about helping other medical residents ground their practice in their values and ideals, which led him to co-found a podcast for medical students called The Hippocratic Forum (links below). >> Connect with John >> Connect with Us Discounts
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| #14 - Building a Platform for Asian Millennial Stories with Natasha Jung, Founder & Executive Producer of Cold Tea Collective | 23 Feb 2021 | 01:01:49 | |
Natasha Jung is the Founder of Cold Tea Collective (@coldteacollective), a new media platform for stories from Asian millennials in Canada and the U.S. Today, the platform features stories across topics like arts and culture, food, career, and mental health, from over 30 contributors across North America. Natasha was inspired to found CTC when she attended the Vancouver Asian Film Festival a few years ago. She described it as the first time seeing herself on screen, and she wanted to share that feeling of being seen and understood with other Asian millennials. Natasha’s career as a creative producer started in high school when she organized a high school singing competition called RichCity Idol, which led to an internship at MTV Canada. She got her BA in Communications from Simon Fraser University, which led her into a career in marketing and producing. The journey wasn’t all sunny — Natasha opens up about how she overcame her mental health struggles with depression and presenteeism, the condition when you’re physically present at work but not able to be productive. Today, she runs Cold Tea Collective alongside a full-time brand marketing job that she enjoys, and in this episode she shares the lessons she’s learned around career, creative work, and how to value your own time. >> Connect with Natasha >> Connect with Us Discounts
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| #13 - From Spinal Cord Injury to Multi-Million Dollar Startup with Ryan Chen, Co-Founder of Neuro | 16 Feb 2021 | 00:58:12 | |
Ryan Chen is the Co-founder of Neuro (@neurogum), a company that makes functional gum and mints to energize, calm, and focus your mind. On paper, Ryan might look like a familiar startup success — Forbes 30 Under 30, Shark Tank contestant, revenue in the millions, and an investor in other consumer startups. What these wins don’t capture is how Ryan had to literally rebuild his life from the bottom up. Over a decade ago when he was 19, Ryan shattered his spine in a bad snowboarding accident. He was instantly paralyzed from the waist down. At first, he was in denial. He had grown up an athlete — playing basketball with friends, competing in Kendo with a Black Belt, and was captain of his high school track team. After a heavy 6 months in the hospital and a ton of support from friends and family, Ryan made it back to college. Slowly but surely, he found reasons to live, from scuba diving to training with the U.S. Paralympic team to working at Hulu, then co-founding Neuro with one his best friends Kent. Be forewarned — Ryan is inspiring af! >> Connect with Ryan & Neuro
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| #12 - From Child Star to Married at 19 with Dani Calleiro (formerly Dani Cimorelli) | 09 Feb 2021 | 01:05:06 | |
Dani Calleiro (@consciouscalleiro), formerly known as Dani Cimorelli, is a 20-year old YouTube Creator and former pop star. Dani grew up in a house of 10 siblings and sang in a band with her five sisters called Cimorelli. Their YouTube covers were an instant hit, and before long they garnered a fanbase of over 5.5 million subscribers. Dani was only 10 when she joined the band and they signed with Universal Music record label. Over the next decade, Dani got to live the Hannah Montana dream — Cimorelli’s songs hit the Billboard charts, they won a Teen Choice Award, and toured around different countries performing solo concerts and sold-out festivals. Despite all the perks and excitement, Dani certainly felt the weight of growing up in the public eye. In this episode, we talk about how having millions of people talk about you as a kid affects your self-esteem, how she “rebelled” and turned to partying for a few years, and how her now-husband (!) Emmyn helped her gain the courage to leave the band and pursue her own dreams. Getting married young was no breeze either — we talk about how Dani went through with the tough decision to get married despite backlash from family and fans, and how Dani and Emmyn support each other and now collaborate on a YouTube channel and Emmyn’s music. >> Connect with Dani >> Connect with Us Discounts
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| #11 - Creating a Digital Magazine for Korean Stories with Harriet Kim & Mirae Lee, Co-founders of Choa | 02 Feb 2021 | 00:38:10 | |
Harriet Kim and Mirae Lee are the Co-founders of Choa Magazine (@choamagazine), an online platform for Korean diasporic stories. Harriet is a photographer, writer, community arts organizer, and environmentalist. She co-created a portrait series called Dressed in Layers: A Hanbok Project and is the founder of the Korean Canadian Writers’ Collective. Mirae is a cultural producer, bilingual writer, translator, and illustrator. She has worked with various Tkaronto-based not-for-profit arts organizations until recently when she moved to Asia to explore new possibilities in new settings. In this episode, we talk about the inspiration behind Choa Magazine, why we need more authentic immigrant stories, and what “grandma taste” means when it comes to Korean food.
>> Connect with Choa Discounts
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| #10 - Building The Real-Life Sims with Stephen Sun, Architect and CEO/Co-founder of DIG | 26 Jan 2021 | 01:02:47 | |
Stephen Sun is a Licensed Architect and CEO/Co-founder of Development Integration Group, or DIG. His team is building an AI-based “digital architect” that will eventually allow anyone to design their own fully-compliant home or building. One glance at Stephen’s LinkedIn profile will tell you he never stops learning — his job roles have spanned from Elementary School Teacher to Real Estate Developer, Adjunct Professor of Architecture, Urban Designer, all the way to Ice Cream Scooper (not listed in LinkedIn). What Stephen cares deeply about, and what we spend the bulk of this hour talking through, is the crisis that architecture is going through, why the industry is worth saving, and one compelling case for using technology to automate away the mundane parts of an architect’s job. We also discuss Stephen’s experiences at three of the top architecture schools in the country — Carnegie Mellon University, SCI ARC, and the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Plus, Stephen gives us the inside scoop on his co-founder drama that led to dropping out of the coveted Y Combinator accelerator program, and his #1 piece of advice for anyone looking to start their own company. >> Connect with Stephen >> Connect with Us Instagram: @insideoutwithjane Discounts
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| #9 - Solo Hitchhiking, Cycling, and Couchsurfing through the Middle East and Central Asia with Marsha Jean | 19 Jan 2021 | 00:39:48 | |
Marsh Jean (@themarshajean) has been solo traveling the world since she was 18. In the past five years, she’s done things many would consider nuts — she’s hitchhiked alone from Iran through France, cycled solo through Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan, and couchsurfed in places like Kandahar (former “capital” of the Taliban) and Iranian Baluchistan (one of the most dangerous places in the world, according to some Western governments). In this episode, Marsha speaks openly about how she ran away from an abusive home at 18, and how the beautiful places she’s traveled to and the people she’s met ultimately changed her mind about taking her life. She sees travel as a pilgrimage, involving hardship and self-discovery, and intentionally chooses to take the roads less traveled. We talk about how she manages to stay safe and support herself financially and how her photography helps break stereotypes about “dangerous” places and solo traveling as a young Asian woman. ***Trigger Warning*** This episode touches on topics of depression and suicide. If you or someone you care about is suffering, please tread carefully. Some resources are linked for you below <3
>> Mental Health Resources If you or someone you know is in crisis and experiencing serious thoughts of suicide, call the suicide prevention hotline in your country. for the United States, call 911 immediately or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 (open 24/7). Here are some other U.S.-based resources:
If you’re not in crisis but looking for support in finding a clinician for consistent therapy, search engines on HelpPro or Psychology Today can help, and you can filter by insurance type. Or get connected with a therapist immediately for a low, flat fee at BetterHelp. **Many insurance companies are waiving co-pay fees for mental health services during the COVID-19 crisis, contact your provider to see if this applies Discounts
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| #8 - From Walt Disney to Mental Healthcare with Jero Beccar, CEO & Co-Founder of Hyka Therapeutics | 12 Jan 2021 | 00:46:40 | |
Jero Beccar is an entrepreneur and filmmaker from Buenos Aires. After getting his B.A. in Visual and Media Arts at Emerson College, he worked for Warner Brothers and Walt Disney. While at Disney, he managed a crew of over 45 people to shoot Disney’s first Apple iTunes commercial. He then took his technical lighting experience back home to Argentina, where he co-founded an LED lighting company, producing fixtures for train stations and commercial clients like McDonalds, Starbucks, and Puma. Jero never thought he’d go back to school, but he ended up in the new Master of Design Engineering (M.D.E.) program at Harvard University. There, he learned about the gaps in the mental health care system in the U.S., which led him to co-found Hyka Therapeutics, a care management platform that helps improve the care journey for patients and mental healthcare providers. In today’s episode, we talk about bringing Argentinian food culture to Boston, Jero’s early fascination with the math behind moving pictures, what filmmaking and startups have in common, and how to build a team that feels like family.
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| AI pesticide bots, cow IVF, and lab-grown chocolate: My review of the THRIVE Global Impact Summit | 14 Nov 2024 | 00:15:58 | |
Jane Z. shares key insights and innovations from the THRIVE Global Impact Summit, exploring the intersection of technology, sustainability, and agriculture. From AI-powered pesticide reduction to lab-grown chocolate, discover how startups and major agricultural companies are tackling climate change and food sustainability challenges.
Key Topics Covered:
Featured Companies & Innovations:
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| #7 - Glowing Up Through Travel with Digital Nomad, Dancer, and Blogger Viola Wang | 05 Jan 2021 | 00:47:13 | |
Viola Wang (@theblessingbucket) is best known for her travel blog, where she shares gorgeous photography alongside practical tips for travelers on a budget. An advocate of slow travel, Viola has traveled to 32 countries and spent time living in Australia, Japan, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Peru. She also completed her yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India, considered the world capital of yoga. When Viola was 10 years old, she immigrated to Canada with her family from Chengdu, China. She was extremely shy at the time and spoke zero English. In today’s episode, we talk about the many ways Viola has challenged herself over the years to overcome her social anxiety, from dance to cheerleading to solo traveling the world. Today, Viola is her own boss, running her travel blog and Instagram while teaching English, crafting, yoga, and dance classes for kids online. Viola's Travel Blog: www.theblessingbucket.com Discounts
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| #6 - How to Become an Astronaut with Pilot, Gymnast, and Biomechatronics PhD Daniel Levine | 22 Dec 2020 | 00:43:02 | |
Dan Levine is a PhD candidate at the MIT Media Lab in the Biomechatronics group. His work involves building better prosthetic limbs, and he was once part of a team that built a tongue-computer interface for people with spinal cord injuries. (That’s right, it's a computer you control with your tongue!) Dan holds Bachelors degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science from Cornell University, and a Masters degree from Cornell Tech’s Connective Media program. In this episode, we talk about how Dan’s dream job as a kid was to become a test pilot, how he started his gymnastics career at age thirteen before becoming Captain of Cornell’s Club team and Men’s President of the MIT team, and how he imagines a world where we interact with technology with mutual respect, as if between friendly creatures. We also explore his time living in Thailand and Israel, and his future plans of joining the Air Force and eventually becoming an astronaut. Discounts
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| #5 - Building The First Electronic Playground with Bryanne Leeming, CEO and Founder of Unruly Studios | 15 Dec 2020 | 00:53:24 | |
Bryanne Leeming is the Founder and CEO of Unruly Studios and the inventor behind Unruly Splats, the first STEM learning tool that combines coding with active, recess-style play for kids. Splats are durable, programmable floor buttons that light up, make sound, and sense when kids stomp on them. Kids can code their own rules for Splats games like relay races, whack-a-mole, and dance routines. Since founding Unruly five years ago, Bryanne has grown the team to 12 people and Splats are now used in 800 schools across the United States and Canada. In this episode, we talk about how Bry leveraged her Cognitive Science degree from McGill University and her MBA from Babson College to build a solid foundation for the business, why a Kickstarter campaign was the best training, and how to attract an A-team. Bry herself is an all-star — we talk about how she’s built up her mental muscle to keep going no matter what, through running marathons, growing up playing hockey and lacrosse and doing gymnastics, and watching her parents keep restaurants open during hard times. Discounts
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| #4 - The Early-Stage Startup Grind with A.I. Startup Founder Seve Ibar | 08 Dec 2020 | 00:46:03 | |
Severin Ibarluzea (@seveibar) is the CTO and Co-founder of Workaround Online (wao.ai), a platform that helps companies clean up their datasets to prepare them for machine learning algorithms. What sets them apart from competitors is their social mission: Workaround employs displaced Syrian refugees who would otherwise have trouble finding fair and dignified work. This isn’t Seve’s first rodeo — he’s also the CEO and Co-founder of CollegeAI, a machine learning platform that matches high school students with their best-fit colleges. In this episode, we talk about Seve’s start as a software engineer, building Flash games and coding for ham radio enthusiasts, what it’s like starting your own company versus working in a large corporation, and how his company (and nine others) got scammed by an organization representing none other than Pope Francis — yes, the Pope. BONUS: We’ll be live streaming on Twitch! Join us this Thursday, Dec 10 at 2pm PST/5pm EST at twitch.tv/seveibar for a Q&A and hangout. Discounts
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| #3 - Growing Up in Front of 2.6 Million People with DIY YouTuber and Rising Artist Jennifer Zhang | 01 Dec 2020 | 00:45:36 | |
Jennifer Zhang (@jenerationdiy) is well-known on YouTube for her DIY craft videos and extreme room makeovers, and as JEN Z on Spotify for her dark yet dance-y bops. Jennifer is a 22-year-old YouTube Creator and singer/songwriter with a YouTube following of 2.6 million. Since starting her channel in 2013, she’s gotten to travel the world and work with brands like Microsoft, Amazon, thredUP, Clinique, and American Eagle, just to name a few. And she happens to be my sister. In this episode, we dive into Jennifer's life and career up to this point. We talk about getting her hands dirty (literally) with a DIY bathroom renovation, getting invited to join Semester at Sea on a cruise ship in Spain, living in New York, dropping out of NYU, and her struggles with mental health while maintaining a public persona. BONUS: Join us this Friday Dec 4 at 2pm PST / 5pm EST on Instagram Live for the afterparty! We’ll answer your questions, show some blooper clips, it’ll be a blast. Follow @insideoutwithjane and @jenerationdiy to join the fun. Discounts
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| #2 - Becoming Black James Bond with U.S. Army Officer Eman Massi | 24 Nov 2020 | 00:42:53 | |
Emmanuel Massi (@iameman) claims he’s a superhero who got fired and went rogue to become a Black James Bond. Today, he works in operations overseeing fifteen companies in the U.S. Army. In other words, he's a pretty big deal. What Eman won’t tell you is what his day job consists of — that’s top-secret. But we sat down to talk about his life and travels before and during his time in service. Eman grew up fleeing the Congo wars with his family, living in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa before moving to the United States right after 9/11. He got an international business degree studying in Illinois, France, and Sweden, and went on to get a Master’s Degree in Sports Management. After a brief stint in corporate, Eman walked into the Armed Forces building one day and decided to enlist as an Officer. Tune in to hear Eman talk about his time living six miles from the North Korean border, how he was mistaken for the Black Panther, and why, at one point, he had to do push-ups to earn his breakfast every morning. Discounts
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| #1 - Lifting Off into Professor Mode with Astronomy Professor Sarah Ballard | 17 Nov 2020 | 00:53:04 | |
Sarah Ballard (@hubbabubble) is a Professor of Astronomy at the University of Florida. Over a decade ago, she took an astronomy class at UC Berkeley to fulfill a freshman science requirement, but was quickly drawn into the study of the universe. She’s since established herself in the field of astrophysics as an “exoplaneteer,” having taken part in the discovery of four exoplanets (planets orbiting stars other than the Sun). She did her graduate studies at Harvard and has been a Torres Fellow at MIT, a L'Oreal Fellow, and a NASA Carl Sagan Fellow. What her stellar CV won’t tell you is that her road to becoming professor was rocky to say the least. In this episode, Sarah shares her journey as a victim of sexual harassment and later a named complainant in a Title IX case, why academia is worth salvaging, and her dedication to making science culture more equitable. Discounts
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| Breaking down the Kellogg's food dye controversy with Chef Dr. Mike | 24 Oct 2024 | 00:50:46 | |
Episode Highlights:
About Chef Dr. Mike: Links & Resources:
Join me at the THRIVE Global Impact Summit on November 7 in Santa Clara: https://bit.ly/GlobalImpactSummit24 Connect with Chef Dr. Mike: Discounts
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| How this "Grubhub of food rescue" works to feed communities with leftovers — Robert Lee, Rescuing Leftover Cuisine | 26 Aug 2024 | 00:41:54 | |
If you've ever thought about how much food goes to waste in restaurants, today’s episode we’re going behind the scenes to see what happens to those leftovers. Robert Lee is the co-founder and CEO of Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, and he’s been tackling this issue for over a decade. Robert started rescuing food back in college, where he would deliver dining hall leftovers to a nearby homeless shelter. Almost 15 years later, he’s built and scaled this non-profit to saving millions of pounds of food from ending up in landfills and feeding countless people across the country. Robert’s going to share the nuts and bolts behind their logistics model and business model, how they pivoted during the pandemic when restaurants shut down, and the big role that city governments can play when it comes to food rescue. Discounts
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| The AI that helps you order dishes for YOUR dietary needs — Tamir Barzilai, Honeycomb.ai | 30 Jun 2024 | 00:58:42 | |
Tamir Barzilai is the CEO and co-founder of Honeycomb.ai, a company dedicated to building the next gen for food discovery for people with dietary restrictions. His company is pioneering an end-to-end dietary pipeline from restaurants to aggregators to consumers, powered by their in-house AI model called RAMS-E. Tamir has spent the last decade working in FoodTech, working with small mom and pop restaurants, to national chains, to Fortune 500 level food companies. After being diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, he set out to make ingredient transparency the norm rather than the exception. To date, Honeycomb.ai has helped over 1 million people find suitable food across their product-line.
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| Are plant-based diets healthier? Here's what the science says — Chef Dr. Mike | 04 Jun 2024 | 00:40:56 | |
My grandmother was one of those rare, special humans to live to 100 years old. And she actually lived up until earlier this year in February, 2024. In a way, this episode is in her honor because she was one of the more plant forward people in my life. My grandma was a Buddhist and she had the utmost respect for food, whether it came from animal or plants or fungi.
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| The science behind breast milk and why it's amazing for gut health — Dr. Kavita | 30 Apr 2024 | 00:55:40 | |
Dr. Kavita is a Family Medicine Physician, Lactation Consultant and Mother of 3. She has a wealth of medical experience spanning 17 years, including 6 years in Hospital Paediatrics at the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network including Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) at RHW, Randwick before further training to become a General Practitioner/Family Medicine Doctor. Despite her extensive Paediatric experience, she was shocked to see the maternal mental distress faced by new mothers. This distress is largely due to societal misconceptions about breastfeeding and newborn care and this is what ignited her passion and further training in Breastfeeding Medicine. She is an active member of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. She is experienced in the model of Neuroprotective Developmental Care and a Possums NDC Practitioner. She is also certified in the Thompson Breastfeeding method. She is passionate about improving breastfeeding support and education. Outside of medicine, she has a strong interest in nature, martial arts and social justice. Before Medicine she did a Bachelor of Arts - majoring in Classics - Greek and Roman Literature and Political science. Discounts
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| 5 gluten-free breads that actually taste good | 16 Apr 2024 | 00:22:16 | |
Can you believe it is 2024 and we don't have a single gluten-free bread that tastes amazing and is widely available. Why can't I go into a fast food chain and order a burger with good GF bread!?
If you're gluten-intolerant, you may have a chemical sensitivity to glyphosate, not necessarily gluten. In which case, organic flour/bread/pasta may sit well with you! Here are some organic options:
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| The link between autism, glyphosate, and antibiotics — Dr. Chidozie Ojobor, Co-founder of Vitract | 02 Apr 2024 | 00:50:48 | |
Chidozie Ojobor is a scientist-entrepreneur and is the cofounder and Chief Science Officer at Vitract, a microbiome company providing comprehensive and accessible gut testing to clinicians to improve the gut health of their clients/patients. Chidozie started his academic career in virus research, where he studied rotaviruses that cause gastroenteritis in children under the age of 5.
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| The BEST mom and pop restaurants in Boston — Alex Jhun Kim | 30 Sep 2025 | 00:43:57 | |
Alex Jhun Kim is a Boston-based food content creator who specializes in showcasing mom and pop restaurants through behind-the-scenes videos featuring owners, chefs, and staff. Originally from Southern California, Alex has spent 15 years working across the hospitality industry – from food trucks to white tablecloth fine dining. He's a Le Cordon Bleu culinary school graduate who chose front-of-house work over becoming a chef because he values variety and human connection over repetition. Alex is also a competitive Super Smash Bros Ultimate player who competes nationally and internationally. His food content is inspired by shows like the original Iron Chef and the Japanese cooking show "Dochi," which featured extensive location shooting and storytelling about ingredients and the people behind the food. Alex's one-day Boston food tour:
Connect with Alex:
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| Gut health Q&A with Aicacia Young: protein intake, gut detox protocol, IgG, cycling hormones, trendy supplements | 19 Mar 2024 | 01:08:39 | |
Our gut health queen is here! Aicacia Young - you guys really loved our episode last month all about IBS and how to diagnose your symptoms. So we have her back on the pod today for a Q&A. We’ve got a jam packed episode - we’re gonna cover how much protein you should be eating in a day, how to figure out what specifically in dairy triggers you, the one magical supplement everyone could benefit from, why you should do a gut detox before getting pregnant, and the two supplements to take for a proper gut detox. And we get Aicacia’s hot take on some of the trendy supplements out there like Athletic Greens and Seed probiotics. Connect with Aicacia Discounts
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| 3 dairy products to try if you're lactose intolerant | 05 Mar 2024 | 00:17:55 | |
I had given up on dairy about a decade ago and it wasn’t until I got into fitness and weightlifting and really needed to up my protein intake that I realized dairy is an excellent whole food source of protein. So if you are lactose intolerant like me or simply don’t tolerate dairy well, but you really want to enjoy milk or ice cream or cheese, etc. here are 3 types of dairy products you should try!
A2 dairy
Goat and sheep milk Plant-based milks Discounts
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| Why “warming” foods are essential for young women, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine — Dr. Helena Zhang | 27 Feb 2024 | 00:52:38 | |
Serving as the professor and clinical supervisor at Emperor's College of Chinese Medicine, Santa Monica, Dr. Helena Zhang (PhD, LAc, NCCAOM) is certified by Californian and National Boards. She brings over 25 years of experience to her patients practicing acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and qi gong. With a focus on assisting women in the entire reproduction journey, from fertility, pregnancy, pre-labor to postpartum and breastfeeding, she created the unique JG Acupuncture-Hypnosis method comprised of a total of 8 tailored protocols to ease and accompany women's reproductive life. Dr. Zhang is also an expert in dealing with other female issues such as painful menstruation, premenstrual syndrome, menopausal symptoms, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Connect with Dr. Helena Zhang Discounts
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| How to diagnose your gut issues: IBS, constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux, etc. — Aicacia Young, RDN | 13 Feb 2024 | 01:05:26 | |
Aicacia Young, RDN is a Registered Dietitian and product developer who specializes in gut health and microbiome education. Her own health complications as an adolescent drew her to the field of Human Nutrition, where she worked in a Functional Medicine clinic helping people address their autoimmune issues through the lens of gut health. Her passion and curiosity around the gut microbiome led her to join a microbiome therapeutic company, where she served as the Director of Scientific Affairs. During this time, she lectured at medical conferences around the country, developed a cutting-edge microbiome test, and created the company’s product protocols. Today, she serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at Silver Fern Brand, where she formulates innovative products, develops product protocols, and provides product training to consumers and health practitioners. Get 10% off spelt sourdough bread and other Prairie Foods at www.farmmatch.com/jane/prairiefoods
Shop Silver Fern gut health products: https://www.silverfernbrand.com/ Connect with Aicacia Discounts
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| How genuine high-quality Italian olive oil is made — Claudio Vignoli | 30 Jan 2024 | 00:46:58 | |
Claudio Vignoli is an Italian Oleologist, Master Miller and Olive Oil Sommelier with over 25 years of experience in the olive oil industry. From 1996 until the end of 2007, he worked as an Export Sales Manager for the world's leading manufacturer of olive oil mills. In 2007, he founded his own company, Claudio Vignoli Group, providing technical and marketing consultancy to olive oil producers around the world.
Get 10% off delicious local farm-fresh food delivered to your door with my link for FarmMatch: https://farmmatch.com/jane Links
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| Joel Salatin: Regenerative is the new Organic [Revisit] | 23 Jan 2024 | 00:47:20 | |
Hi friends! Enjoy this revisit of my interview with farmer Joel Salatin from 2022 while I recover my health. Looking forward to sharing tons of exciting new content very soon! Much love, Jane.
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| How to reset your gut after the holidays and after travel — Chef Dr. Mike | 04 Jan 2024 | 00:55:06 | |
Hey friends, happy new year! Hope you had a wonderful holiday and ate lots of good food. I certainly feasted and got to enjoy my dad’s cooking for about two weeks straight, so no complaints. And if you’re like me and overdid it a bit with the desserts or heavy meals or just feel like you need a reset, especially if you’ve been traveling, I’m here with Chef Dr. Mike today to share some tips on how to give your gut a proper rest. We talk about doing a fermented juice detox, intermittent fasting, and some of the science behind how your gut microbiome connects with your circadian rhythm and the seasons.
Links
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| Why you need to be putting olive oil all over your face and body — Emily Lycopolus | 12 Dec 2023 | 00:42:25 | |
Olive Oil Sommelier, educator, and author of eight cookbooks, Emily Lycopolus is the Olive Oil Critic. With a degree in Life Science from Queen’s University and an MA in Cultural Anthropology, her love of science and discovery has blended with her deep love of food and flavour — her kitchen is a lab for discovery and learning. Since being introduced to olive oil at an olive grove owned by her husband’s family, she has dedicated her life to the ingredient.
Get 10% Vignoli olive oils with code FARMTOFUTURE at shop.vignolifood.com. Get another 20% off your first purchase when you sign up for their newsletter.
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| Food dyes, preservatives, canola oil, and other harmful additives to avoid — Julia Putzeys from Trash Panda app | 28 Nov 2023 | 00:48:18 | |
Julia Putzeys is the founder and general manager of the Trash Panda App. As a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Julia combined her career in software product management with her passion for health and wellness. The concept for Trash Panda was ignited when she realized how many harmful additives are in our food today, and the impact they have on chronic disease. As a mom of two who lives in San Diego with her family, she’s passionate about advocating for a happier, healthier future.
Links: California Food Safety Act https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/18/well/eat/food-additive-ban-california.html. Banned ingredients:
Whole Foods banned ingredients list: https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/quality-standards/food-ingredient-standards Trader Joe’s banned ingredients: https://www.traderjoes.com/home/FAQ/product-faqs Whole Foods Top 10 Food Trends for 2024 https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/whole-foods-market-forecasts-top-10-food-trends-for-2024/ Discounts
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| Eating for fertility and pregnancy, the whole food way — Chef Dr. Mike | 14 Nov 2023 | 01:02:21 | |
Learn about the whole food approach to preparing your body for motherhood (and fatherhood). Chef Dr. Mike answers your questions about when to take prenatal vitamins, foods to support fertility, and the crucial window where what you eat will affect your child’s health for years to come. Michael S. Fenster, MD, better known as Chef Dr. Mike, is one of a handful of physicians worldwide to hold both culinary and medical degrees and is the only Interventional Cardiologist, and Professional Chef to do so. Through his Culinary Medicine program at the University of Montana, speaking events, articles, books, personal outreach, and media appearances, Chef Dr. Mike has become the voice of Culinary Medicine. His message empowers people to take control of their health, wellness, and happiness through a positive relationship with food. Links:
Breastfeeding & heart health sources:
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