Influencers artwork

Influencers

54 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 5 years ago - ★★★★ - 9 ratings

My name is Jon Levy, and I am a human behavioral scientist. The fundamental element that defines the quality of our lives are the people we surround ourselves with, and the conversations we have with them. Every episode of Influencers, we meet two inspiring and influential people who are shaping our culture and changing their industry. Together we will discover what lead to their success, and how you can impact yours. But there is a catch. The second interview is anonymous. And if you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in the following podcast, you can win a coveted invitation to the Influencers Salon. The winner will have an opportunity to spend an evening meeting the most important tastemakers and thought leaders in our culture. Now, prepare to be Influenced.

Business News News
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed

Episodes

The Rise of Independent Films with Noah Cowan

July 02, 2018 10:00 - 29 minutes - 33.4 MB

The big rise of independent cinema occurred right in the 80s era. The 90s was when things shifted, and there were uncertain transitions happening. The studio still dominated every conversation about movies and the future of the film industry, but it was towards the end of that decade that the rise of independent films occurred. Noah Cowan, executive director of NSF Film, formerly San Francisco Film Society, puts on the San Francisco International Film Festival which is one of the longest run...

The Art Of Visual Effects with Rob Legato

June 18, 2018 10:00 - 35 minutes - 34.9 MB

From Apollo 13 to Avatar, Hugo, The Jungle Book, and the iconic Titanic, Rob Legato has worked on some of the biggest and most memorable movies of all time either as visual effects supervisor, second unit director, and second unit director of photography. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including the coveted Academy Awards of which he won three. Rob talks about how he started out in the business and how he developed his methodologies, working with Martin Scorsese and James Cameron...

The Endangered Species Rehabilitation Project with Oliver Ryder

June 04, 2018 10:00 - 31 minutes - 30.9 MB

A new species of bird was discovered in Hawaii in 1978, only to get extinct ten years ago. Year after year, the list of endangered animal species is getting longer, and that is why Director of Conservation Genetics at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research Oliver Ryder is working hard on the endangered species rehabilitation project, or what is simply called the frozen zoo. Oliver and his team collect cells from critically endangered and extinct species to propagate and freeze...

The Future Of The Gaming Space with Mike Sepso

May 21, 2018 10:00 - 25 minutes - 26 MB

Almost everybody is a gamer under a certain age in some respect. Elements of gaming are now part of our everyday life and it is now a pervasive as part of our culture. Mike Sepso, Co-Founder of Major League Gaming and Senior Vice President at Activision Blizzard, says our concept of what gaming is has to widen a great deal because the whole gaming space is going to get much bigger and people will have different areas of play where they like to game. The technology that’s now being developed ...

Women’s Wrestling : Winning The Gold with Helen Maroulis

May 07, 2018 10:00 - 40 minutes - 39 MB

Helen Maroulis is the 2016 Olympic Champion in Women’s Wrestling. Not only that, she’s the first woman in US history to win a gold medal. Helen has been wrestling for nineteen years and says it’s such a cool experience and everyone has been supportive. She adds when we love what we do, we will put in the work for it and don’t count the cost as much. Helen trains with a Russian coach in what he would call the beach Mother Nature’s gym throwing rocks on the beach, running in the sand, doing p...

Angiogenesis: Piecing the Health Puzzle Together with Dr. Will Li

April 23, 2018 10:00 - 31 minutes - 31 MB

They say our blood is the red river of life. Many of us may not know it but our blood vessel is a 60,000-mile system of channels that deliver oxygen and nutrients to every cell in our body. It’s connected to our immune system, our healthy gut bacteria, how our DNA behaves, and even our body’s ability to regenerate. Dr. Will Li heads the non-profit organization, The Angiogenesis Foundation, in the exploration of conquering diseases by looking at common denominators. He believes that the pract...

Reese Jones: Inventing and Applying Technology on a Global Scale

April 09, 2018 10:00 - 31 minutes - 31 MB

Reese Jones’ incredible mind has always been concerned about inventing and applying technology to solve problems. He is one of the Associate Founders of Singularity University which defines problems as something that positively affects a billion people within a ten-year timeframe. The main feature of Singularity University is that it allows the material that is taught to be changed in real time and the curriculum to be changed daily to stay current with the times. The experience and the thin...

Real News w/ Ross Schneiderman, Deputy Editor of Newsweek

March 26, 2018 10:00 - 26 minutes - 26.9 MB

Being Deputy Editor of Newsweek, Ross Schneiderman constantly feels the pressure and responsibility of putting out real news. Other than working in Newsweek, Ross also worked as a journalist in Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and ESPN Magazine. He’s had a longstanding career in journalism and has covered everything from doping in baseball to spies to poker. With the virulence of fake news in this digital time and age, Ross stresses the secret for staying on top of the business is ke...

Logan Paul: The Man, The Myth, The Mavrik

March 19, 2018 10:00 - 29 minutes - 29.6 MB

Being a social media influencer is more than just getting in front of a camera and doing fun videos. It’s a combination of things, like knowing your demographic and creating a piece, telling a story that keeps people captivated, and the proper execution in terms of lighting the scene, working the camera, and editing the videos. Logan Paul is one of the biggest social media influencers in the world today. He reveals that getting to where he’s at is not all fun and games but hours and hours of...

Mike Koenigs Will Make You Famous

March 12, 2018 10:00 - 37 minutes - 36.3 MB

Mike Koenigs has cracked the code to publishing success, public speaking and producing your own products. In the process he created hundreds of best sellers, discover is proven method.

Truth About Diet

March 05, 2018 10:00 - 27 minutes - 27.8 MB

Dr. Dean Ornish has dedicated his life to improving our health and wellness. With years of research, publications, and health programs, he has discovered several clear rules on how to stay healthy.

From The Comedy Cellar to The Daily Show

February 23, 2018 10:00 - 31 minutes - 31.3 MB

Entertainment is a harrowing industry full of ups and downs, but how does someone go from Law to being on one of the most respected shows in comedy. Hear the incredible story of The Daily Show’s Ronnie Chieng.

Ready Player One’s Screen Writer: Zak Penn

February 19, 2018 10:00 - 37 minutes - 36.7 MB

Zak Penn is the mind behind some of the most popular screen plays of the past decade and a half, from creating the story of Marvel’s Avengers to shaping the X-Men cinematic universe. Now he tackles one of the most ambitious films of our time, Ready Player One.

Laughter Is The Best Medicine with Dr. Patch Adams

February 12, 2018 10:00 - 29 minutes - 29.3 MB

Dr. Patch Adams may have solved many of the critical problems in the medical industry, but if people don’t notice, these insights may be lost and countless will go without care.

Kevin Kelly, The Inevitable Man

February 05, 2018 10:00 - 35 minutes - 34.4 MB

Kevin Kelly is one of the great tech thinkers of our time. He was the founding executive editor of Wired and the author of the hit book The Inevitable. Whatever the future holds, he may be able to tell us.

The Man with a Death Wish, Mike Farah CEO of Funny Or Die

January 29, 2018 10:00 - 28 minutes - 28 MB

Mike Farah is at the helm of one of the most important companies in comedy. Some of the most famous comedians in the world have graced their content, but in a world where the playing field is changing constantly how do you continue to grow your company?

The Privilege of Family with Rita Soronen, Executive Director of The Dave Thomas Foundation

January 22, 2018 10:00 - 27 minutes - 27.6 MB

Rita Soronen and her team at the Dave Thomas Foundation, have dedicated thier lives to helping orphans find safe and loving families. The impact of thier research and work, have helped countless families come together.

How the Brain Works with Neuroscientist Dr. Heather Berlin

January 15, 2018 10:00 - 29 minutes - 29.3 MB

During improvisation or spontaneous creativity, the brain enters a state of being completely intertwined with the activity, be it painting landscapes, playing jazz or freestyle rapping. This is called the Flow state, a unique pattern of how the brain works that cognitive neuroscientist and professor of psychiatry Dr. Heather Berlin has been studying. In this state, creativity is flowing through a person and so a sense of self, time and place is lost to them until they become aware of the act...

Katie Ford: From Fashion Icon To Hero Of Countless

January 08, 2018 10:00 - 31 minutes - 31 MB

Katie Ford left the helm of Ford Models, one of the global premire modeling agencies, to presue something that would have a profound impact to countless people world wide, the end of human trafficking.

Going Boldly with Star Trek’s Robert Picardo

January 01, 2018 10:00 - 29 minutes - 29.7 MB

Robert Picardo has played many iconic characters over the years from his time in theater to his role as the ship’s doctor in Star Trek Voyager. But what may be most exciting is what lies ahead.

The World’s Most Famous Nomadic Traveler And Writer Nomadic Matt

December 25, 2017 10:00 - 28 minutes - 28.6 MB

Everyone says they want to be a travel writer, exploring the world seeking out new cultures and running a nomadic business but Matt Kepnes is one of the few people who have actually been able to do it. Discover his approach to living life on the road, and how you can see more of the world for less.

Dr. Konstantin Batygin: A Man That Reshaped Our Solar System

December 18, 2017 10:00 - 36 minutes - 35.4 MB

Konstantin and his colleague accomplished something that only a handful of people in the history of man have done. They reshaped our solar system. Using advanced math and predictive modeling, they discovered planet 9. A yet unseen member of our solar system.

Revolution for Dummies with Bassem Youssef

December 11, 2017 10:00 - 24 minutes - 24.7 MB

Years ago, while Dr. Bassem Youssef was waiting in Egypt for his US work visa, he posted a video to YouTube imitating the comedic satire of John Stewart. This video launched an unexpected career as the most famous comedian and television personality in the middle east, at least until the government began a war to take him down.

Producing The Lego Movie with Seanne Winslow

December 04, 2017 10:00 - 31 minutes - 31.2 MB

Seanne Winslow is a master of bringing people together around a common goal, so it should be no surprise that not only did she produce The International Block Buster, The Lego Movie, but she created one of the most extraordinary communities of AAA creatives Hollywood has ever seen.

Getting a Laugh with The Daily Show’s Roy Wood Jr.

November 27, 2017 10:00 - 33 minutes - 33.2 MB

Roy Wood Jr. is a nationally recognized comedian and correspondent on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. But his entire career was created for a single outrageous gamble, hear the wild stories and incredible journey of this master of laughs.

The Secrets of Business Success with Eric Schurenberg, Editor-In-Chief of Inc Magazine

November 20, 2017 10:00 - 35 minutes - 34.6 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Eric Schurenberg has made a career of telling the stories of the greatest Entrepreneurs and companies in the world. What he has learned could change the direction of your business.

The Science of Sex with Dr. Nicole Prause

November 13, 2017 10:00 - 32 minutes - 31.8 MB

Dr. Nicole Prause has made a career of doing high quality peer reviewed research on human sexuality and its impact on our lives. Join us as she shares the incredible inaccuracies, half-truths, and blatant lies that have perpetuated through the ages. I guarantee you will be surprised.

Fun And Games with The Founder And Chairman Of Foursquare, Dennis Crowley

November 06, 2017 10:00 - 34 minutes - 33.9 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Serial entrepreneur Dennis Crowley built some of the most social technology ever made for phones. His design approach and creative processes has earned him the title of Mayor countless times. Discover the most important lessons he learned and how he struggled with difficult decisions along the way.

The Real Story of Ace of Base with Ulf Ekberg

October 30, 2017 13:00 - 36 minutes - 35.4 MB

Welcome to Influencers! For a decade, Ace of Base ruled the billboards, not only racking up top 10 global hits but setting the Guinness World Record for most popular first album ever released. But like most success stories their rise to fame was filled with challenges and setbacks.

Superhuman Memory with Alex Mullen 2 Time World Memory Champion

October 23, 2017 10:00 - 29 minutes - 29.1 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Alex Mullen, 2-time World Memory Champion, was a mild-mannered student but after picking up a book on memory tricks he challenged himself to become superhuman and develop the greatest memory of any living person. Surprisingly, this is a learned skill that anyone can master. On this episode of Influencers, discover how you can have that perfect memory you have always wanted.

Stay Focused On The Craft with Film Director, Jon Chu

October 16, 2017 08:00 - 38 minutes - 37.2 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Jon. For those of you who were listening last episode, there were several hints to suggest who Jon is. He grew up in Silicon Valley, Los Altos, California. He is Chinese, not Korean. And as a hint, he has travelled with the Biebs, been sandwiched between Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, done magic with Jesse Eisenberg, and danced with Channing Tatum. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it ...

Be Clear About Why You Want To Do Something with TV Host, Quddus

October 09, 2017 08:00 - 34 minutes - 33.5 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Q. For those of you who were listening last episode, there were several hints to suggest who Q is. He grew up in Canada. The song that represents his life is Step Into A World by KRS-One. And as a hint, his name can be very challenging for people to pronounce, but once you get the hang of it you’ll love it. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in the following podcast, you could win a cov...

Collaboration and Photography with Director and Photographer, Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri

October 02, 2017 08:00 - 27 minutes - 27.5 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Indrani. For those of you who were listening last episode, there were several hints to suggest who Indrani is. She grew up in Calcutta, India, then moved to Toronto and finally to New York. She photographed and filmed with all kinds of celebrities. And as a hint, some of her images are at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, her works have been published in 25 books and 30 exhibitions, and she had a TV show that was about her work. ...

Marketing Should Start With The User with Linda Boff

September 25, 2017 08:00 - 31 minutes - 31.4 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Linda. For those of you who were listening last episode, there were several hints to suggest who Linda is. She grew up in Northern New Jersey. She would love Sigourney Weaver to play her in a movie. And as a hint, think about a 125-year-old startup. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in the following podcast, you could win a coveted invitation to the Influencer Salon.

Actionable Ideas To Get Into Journalism with Kaj Larsen

September 04, 2017 08:00 - 33 minutes - 33.2 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Larsen. For those of you who were listening last episode, there were several hints to suggest who Larsen is. He grew up in a little surfer town in Northern California. He is a SEAL and then went on to graduate from the Kennedy School at Harvard. And as a hint, he was named after a Danish poet. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in the following podcast, you could win a coveted invitatio...

Pitfalls To Be Ready For In the Music Industry with Jesse Carmichael

August 28, 2017 08:00 - 37 minutes - 36.1 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Jesse. For those of you who were listening last episode, there were several hints to suggest who Jesse is. He is in the music industry and is part of a band that may or may not have sold more records than Pearl Jam. And as a hint, Queen Elizabeth and her family has something to do with his middle or core. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in the following podcast, you could win a covet...

Act Confident Then Be Confident with AJ Jacobs

August 21, 2017 08:00 - 35 minutes - 34.8 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us AJ. For those of you who were listening last episode, there were several hints to suggest who AJ is. He grew up in New York City. He has done several books where he had to radically alter his lifestyle. And as a hint, AJ was number one down on the New York Times’ crossword puzzle about two years ago. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in the following podcast, you could win a coveted in...

Overcome Stage Fright As A Poet with Rives

August 14, 2017 08:00 - 30 minutes - 29.9 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us JG. For those of you who were listening last week, there were several hints to suggest who JG is. He grew up in Southern California. He’s a poet, and he held the record for most TED talks at one point. And as a hint, JG is the expert of 4:00 in the morning. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in the following podcast, you could win a coveted invitation to the Influencer Salon.

What Has Changed In The Editorial Content Industry? with Bill Phillips

August 07, 2017 09:59 - 34 minutes - 33.9 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Bill. For those of you who were listening last episode, there were several hints to suggest who Bill is. He grew up in Western Pennsylvania. He is most proud of winning the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in 2015. And as a hint, his last name rhymes with a brand of light bulb. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in the following podcast, you could win a coveted invitation ...

Advice For Scientists From Nobel Prize Winner Martin Chalfie

July 31, 2017 08:00 - 35 minutes - 34.3 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Martin. For those of you who were listening last episode, there were several hints to suggest who Martin is. He grew up around Chicago. He is a a Biologist but he has a very nice award in Chemistry. And as a hint, there is a surprisingly similar reference to aspects of his life in a book by the Brazilian author, Jorge Amado, called Tent of Miracles. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in...

Being A Showrunner And Writer – Find Your Expertise With Mark Goffman

July 24, 2017 08:00 - 29 minutes - 29.5 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Mark. For those of you who were listening last episode, there were several hints to suggest who Mark is. He grew up in Houston, Texas. He worked on a show about con artists. And as a hint, he’s been working on a CBS show and that’s no bull. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in the following podcast, you could win a coveted invitation to the Influencer Salon.

The Paradox of Choice with Barry Schwartz

July 17, 2017 08:00 - 33 minutes - 32.6 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Barry. For those of you who were listening last week, there were several hints to suggest who Barry is. He was born and raised in the Bronx. He is famous for having bought a pair of jeans that were the best fitting jeans ever. And an idea that he had articulated as foreign to the way everybody thought had then become the received wisdom. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in the followi...

Book in a Box; Write A Book That’s Valuable To Your Audience with Tucker Max

July 10, 2017 08:00 - 36 minutes - 35.4 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Max. For those of you who were listening last episode, there were several hints to suggest who Max is. He grew up in Lexington, Kentucky. He would pick Lose Yourself by Eminem as a song that represents his life. And as a hint, he’s like the frat boy David Sedaris, even though he wasn’t in a fraternity. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in the following podcast, you could win a coveted ...

Social Sex: Make Love Not Porn with Cindy Gallop

July 03, 2017 08:00 - 39 minutes - 38.3 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Cindy. For those of you who were listening last episode, there were several hints to suggest who Cindy is. She grew up in Brunei in Borneo. She openly says that she dates younger men. She’s had an illustrious career in advertising. And as a hint, if you watch porn, then you should know who she is and you certainly need to know who she is. Then, the second interview is anonymous. If you can figure out who it is before we reveal it in the follow...

Treating Autism with Dr. Joan Fallon

June 26, 2017 08:00 - 30 minutes - 30 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have with us Joan. For those of you who were listening last time, there were several hints to suggest what Joan does. She’s in the medical industry working with a slew of diseases and looking at how to affect them, ranging from autism to Parkinson’s. She grew up in New York. If somebody were to play her in a movie, it would be a cross between Melissa McCarthy and Meryl Streep. She’s also sat on the Dalai Lama’s bed but didn’t even tell him about it. Then, ...

Be Flexible And Have A Goal with Jason Feifer

June 19, 2017 08:00 - 36 minutes - 35.9 MB

Welcome to Influencers! We have Jason on the podcast today. For those of you who were paying attention in last week’s episode, there were a few critical hints. He grew up in Coral Springs, Florida and he stumbled into what he loves doing through blogging before the word blog existed. And as a hint, if you are a close watcher of the magazine rack, you would’ve noticed a major visual change on the cover of a particular magazine in the last couple of months and you might have a sense of where ...

Advice To Writers, Always be Writing with Jeff Davis

June 12, 2017 08:00 - 30 minutes - 30.3 MB

Welcome to Influencers! We have Jeff on the podcast today. For those of you who were paying attention last week, there were a few critical hints. He grew up in a little town in Connecticut called Milford, he recently hit 100 episodes with his TV show and he works out six days a week. And as a hint, think of an ‘80s movie starring a young actor who became famous on a TV show and they rebooted that movie and are now finishing up their sixth season which will air this summer. Then, the second...

The Promise of a Pencil with Adam Braun

June 05, 2017 08:00 - 29 minutes - 29.1 MB

I’m here with Adam. For those of you who were paying attention last week, there were a few critical hints. When he was traveling, he met a child who was quite poor. The child was asked if he could have anything, what he would have. The child said, “A pencil.” Adam is a New York Times bestselling author that achieved position two, which is absolutely incredible. If anybody were to play him in a Hollywood film, he would want Denzel Washington. The song that represents his life is Everything in...

Constantly Develop Your Skills with Dan DiPiazza

May 29, 2017 08:00 - 29 minutes - 29.1 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, we have Dan as our guest. For those of you who had listened to the last episode and tried to figure out who he is, here were the hints: He was born in Detroit but grew up mostly in Florida. He wants Will Smith to play him in a movie. The movie that would represent his life for the last year would be The Revenant. His name was almost Jamal Johnson, but instead he has a different name. Who is Dan? Let’s welcome him on. Then, the second interview is anonymous. I...

Have A Strong Cultural Base with Aya Kanai

May 22, 2017 08:00 - 36 minutes - 35.2 MB

Welcome to Influencers! Today, I have the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Aya. For those of you who had listened to the last episode and tried to figure out who she is, here were the hints: Aya is clearly in fashion. She styled Michelle Obama while Barack Obama was our President and went to the White House to do so. She styled Scarlett Johansson. Her job requires a lot of lifting potentially hardworking and dramatic people. She is not white. Who is Aya? Let’s welcome her on. Then, t...

Guests

AJ Jacobs
1 Episode
Barry Schwartz
1 Episode
Bill Phillips
1 Episode
Jeff Davis
1 Episode
Rob Legato
1 Episode
Tucker Max
1 Episode