Explore every episode of the podcast The Connection Code with Rachel and Jeana
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Connection Can Change Everything: How Mo News Was Born (Featuring Mosh Oinounou) | 07 May 2025 | 01:10:47 | |
In this heartfelt and humorous episode of The Connection Code, Jeana and Rachel sit down with Mosh Oinounou, the founder of Mo News, to explore how one personâand one pushâcan change everything. Mosh shares the origin story of Mo News, from a private Instagram feed created during the pandemic to a 500k+ strong multimedia news platform. Along the way, we hear how his wife Alex nudged him out of his comfort zone and into the spotlight, and how the community he built continues to shape the future of independent media. The trio dives into the vulnerability of reinvention, the impact of childhood experiences, the challenges of being always-on in a 24/7 news cycle, and how to balance ambition with being present. Plus, they solve (maybe?) Moshâs community platform dilemma live on the pod. If youâve ever felt like the odd one out or dreamed of building something meaningful, this episode will feel like a deep exhale. 0:00 â 5:20 | The Year of Intros & the Etiquette of Declined Connections Jeana and Rachel tally up their introduction counts and explore the social nuance of when someone says âno thanksâ to a connection. 5:21 â 10:00 | The Power of One Personâs Encouragement Rachel and Jeana reflect on pivotal moments when someoneâs words changed their pathsâand why those small nudges matter. 10:01 â 17:20 | Meet Mosh: The Man Behind Mo News They welcome Mosh and unpack the role of names, introductions, and super connectorsâincluding his wife, Alex. 17:21 â 23:30 | Mo News Origin Story Mosh shares how a pandemic project turned into a news empire, all thanks to a little push (and some fights) with Alex. 23:31 â 27:30 | From News-Obsessed Kid to Newsroom Disruptor A young Mosh trades ice cream for the Chicago Tribune, gets kicked out of class for asking too many questions, and dreams big. 27:31 â 30:25 | Navigating Belonging and the Long Echo of High School The group explores how early feelings of otherness shape adult identityâand how parenting today demands balance between protection and resilience. 30:26 â 33:30 | Investing in the Future of Mo News Should Mosh take on outside investors or crowdsource from the community? Rachel and Jeana weigh in with passion and pragmatism. 33:31 â 38:15 | The New Media Model: Listening to Your Audience Mosh explains how audience questions and DMs help shape Mo News coverageâand why thatâs changing how journalism is done. 38:16 â 43:00 | Real-Time Reporting & the Pressure of 24/7 Coverage What itâs like to report during lifeâs big (and little) moments, from birthday parties to breaking news. 43:01 â 48:00 | The Future of the Mo News Community Slack? Circle? WhatsApp? Mosh talks about the challenge of building a connected communityâand maybe lands on a solution live. 48:01 â 54:00 | Burnout, Boundaries, and Being Present Mosh opens up about the tension between growing a brand and showing up for the people who matter most. 54:01 â End | Closing Gratitude + Where to Find Mo News Rachel and Jeana reflect on the conversation, and Mosh shares where to follow along (plus a teaser for whatâs next at Mo News). | |||
| How Do You Stay Close to Friends in Different Family Stages? | 30 Apr 2025 | 00:38:26 | |
This week on The Connection Code, Jeana and Rachel dive into a big, heartfelt question: What does it take to maintain friendships when you're in different family situations than your friends? They explore how milestones like marriage and parenthood can shift friendshipsâsometimes causing hurt feelings on both sidesâand share their own vulnerable stories of navigating these changes. From Rachelâs reflections on being one of the last in her friend group to have kids, to Jeanaâs experience supporting friends with children while growing her own family, they reveal how easy it is to misinterpret distance as disinterest. Along the way, they offer advice from friends and listeners: keep inviting each other, be patient, don't take declined invites personally, andâimportantlyâoffer tangible help without waiting to be asked. Whether you're in the thick of new parenthood, child-free, or somewhere in between, this episode reminds us that connection through lifeâs big transitions takes empathy, communication, and sometimes just showing up to hold a baby. Plus, in Show & Tell, Rachel shares a text from space (seriously!) and Jeana introduces a brilliant UK program designed to build parenting friendships, inspiring dreams of a grown-up version here. ďťżBig themes:
Show notes: 00:00 â 01:10 | Welcome + The Big Question Jeana introduces the episode's central topic: "What does it take to maintain friendships when you're in a different family situation than your friends?" 01:11 â 03:20 | Early Signs of Friendship Drift Both sidesâparents and non-parentsâfeel left out when life stages differ, even though the hurt is often unintentional. 03:21 â 06:30 | Rachelâs Story: Learning from Both Sides Rachel reflects on being single while friends became parents, and how becoming a mom herself reshaped her perspective on friendship. 06:31 â 08:55 | Identity Shifts and Friendship Evolution Jeana and Rachel discuss how big life changes (like parenthood) require friendships to adapt, much like romantic relationships do. 08:56 â 13:00 | Vulnerability: Mourning the Old Friendship Era Rachel shares her honest emotions about feeling grief when friendsâ lives changed, and Jeana shares her experiences as a non-parent navigating these shifts. 13:01 â 19:25 | Advice for Bridging the Gap Between Life Stages They discuss real ways to stay connected across different family situations, including offering specific help, patience, and proactive communication. 19:26 â 26:45 | Wisdom from Friends: What Parents and Non-Parents Wish Each Other Knew Jeana shares advice collected from friends with kids and withoutâincluding what helps most (and what unintentionally hurts). 26:46 â 27:22 | Quick Takeaway: Clear, Heartfelt Communication The hosts summarize the key to sustaining friendships through big life changes: honest, affirming communicationâand always offering to "hold a baby" when you can. 27:23 â 35:42 | Show and Tell Rachel shares a touching connection story involving a text from Gail King before going to space! Jeana shares a fascinating UK program The National Childhood Trust (NCT) that helps new parents build local community friendships. 35:43 â 37:31 | Dreaming Up an "Adult Life Class" for New Chapters They riff on how amazing it would be to have friendship-focused life classes for adults navigating major life transitions. 37:32 â 38:13 | Connection Highlight: Closing the Loop Jeana and Rachel celebrate a recent "closed loop" moment, highlighting the importance of following up after introductions. 38:14 â End | Wrap-Up and Farewell Encouragement to share, rate, and review the podcastâand reminders on how to connect with Jeana and Rachel on LinkedIn and Instagram. | |||
| Building Connection Through Better Questions (Featuring Danielle Robay) | 26 Apr 2025 | 00:54:56 | |
Ready to get better at making friends, asking deeper questions, and maybe even sending a bamboo plant or two? Weâre joined by Danielle Robay â media host, master question-asker, and connection enthusiast â to talk about how curiosity, generosity, and a little bit of chutzpah can change your life (and your friendships). Plus, a few stories that will have you laughing and taking notes. | |||
| What Makes Someone a Good Friend - And How Do You Get Closer? | 18 Apr 2025 | 00:52:31 | |
This week on The Connection Code, Rachel and Jeana explore what turns a casual connection into a close friendshipâhint: it involves shared history, vulnerability, and the kind of trust that lets you ask for a ride to the airport. They also try the â36 Questions That Lead to Loveâ and get real about ambition, anxiety, and the people who help us feel truly seen. | |||
| What are generous connections and what can we learn from a 5th grade babysitting club? | 09 Apr 2025 | 00:26:44 | |
Rachel Gillman and Jeana Anderson Cohen discuss the concept of "generous connection" on this week's episode. They explore the difference between giving directions and offering a ride, emphasizing the importance of providing substantial help, such as making warm introductions and sharing detailed, specific advice. Rachel highlights her preference for aiding college students and those going through tough transitions. Jeana shares her practice of always saying "yes" to her community and the impact of setting big, audacious goals. They also touch on the importance of reciprocity, the benefits of making new connections, and the value of clear intentions and norms in fostering positive relationships. Also, very importantly, we learn rules we should all implement from a 5th grade babysitters' club. 00:42 Today's big question: What does a generous connection look like? 10:25 Rachel's Hotel California view on relationships 12:52 Jeana's show and tell: Talking to strangers with help from an episode of Plain English by Derek Thomson - The Anti Social Century 16:05 A simple sentence to help you make a friend 16:25 Rachel's daughter Shira's tips for making friends 17:11 Rachel's show and tell: her daughter Shira's rules for babysitter club 18:40 Jeana shares data on big groups and drama from Adam Grant (she read it on Scary Mommy) 21:32 Connection spotlight: Danielle Robay 22:46 Rachel and Jeana pull cards from Danielle Robay's card deck called "Question Everything" 25:05 Jeana tries to save Rachel's plants through positive words and affirmations Follow us! | |||
| Welcome to The Connection Code | 31 Mar 2025 | 00:40:29 | |
Welcome to The Connection Code, a podcast where two friends explore the relationships that make your life and work just a little bit better. Your hosts are Rachel Gillman Rischall and Jeana Anderson Cohen. Rachel is the creator of Three PR and Jeana says that she's a master of relationships and networking - last year she logged just how many connections she made for other people (and it was about 150). Jeana is the founder of aSweatLife and has spent more than 13 years on a business built around helping adults make friends through fitness. Rachel refers to her as the friendship queen. Together theyâll get curious, chat with experts, and dive into creating deeper and more lasting connections. Show notes: 1:10: The start of Rachel and Jeana's friendship 3:20: Jeana doing friendship science on Rachel (how many hours does it take to make a good friend?) 4:56: Jeana's 5-step process for making friends 6:30: Rachel chats through her reframing of professional connections 7:49: Show and tell: Rachel's connection challenge of 2024 and what she learned 9:00: Rachel's take on consensual introductions 9:53: Rachel's connection challenge lesson number 1: Close the loop 13:00: Rachel's connection challenge lesson number 2: Everyone knows someone 14:03: Rachel's connection challenge lesson number 3: Don't connect people for the ego boost 15:39: Jeana and Rachel work through a networking situation 18:52: Rachel talks through why she loves making connections for people (and you can too) 20:59: Jeana's show and tell: Jeana talks about the Priya Parker inspired dinner (From "The Art of Gathering") at the aSweatLife x Sarah Spain retreat at Miraval 30:39: Rachel's dream connection: Gail King 32:55: Jeana's dream connection: Astronaut Kellie Gerardi* (Note Jeana talks about Kellie's early announcement of pregnancy in January, and Kellie has subsequently experienced pregnancy loss - we're so grateful that she has people to support her and her family). 36:25: Jeana tries to convince Rachel to watch Severance 37:50: Rachel and Jeana explain metrics for the podcast (are we having fun, are we strengthening our friendship, are we having good conversations) Follow us! | |||