2 Trick Pony

This week, we welcome actress, writer, and therapist Cricket Leigh to the 2 Trick Pony Podcast. Cricket talks with us about her journey from accomplished voice actor (Avatar: The Last Airbender) to professional therapist, and her efforts to align her talents. A master of reinvention, Cricket shares lessons from her life about finding purpose, optimism, and her infectious enthusiasm for discovery.

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Resources mentioned in the episode:

You can learn more about our guest at: 

https://cricketleigh.com/

@cricketleightalks

In this America's 250th special episode, we speak with Professor Richard Bell, historian of the American Revolutionary period at the University of Maryland, about the life and times of a historical two-trick pony: America's founding father and polymath Benjamin Franklin. Our conversation takes us through Franklin's life, all the while reflecting on what his life and contradictions can teach us today.

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

This week, we speak with educator, writer, and public speaker Amy Betters-Midtvedt. The author of the popular parenting book, You'll Make It (and They Will Too): Everything No One Talks About When You're Parenting Teens, Amy shares valuable insights into how our personal experiences can lead us to wisdom that other people may want (or sometimes, need) to hear. 

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You can learn more about our guest at: 

https://amybettersmidtvedt.com/

In this episode, Dr. Brielle Harbin shares her journey from tenured professor to entrepreneur and education consultant—and how building a “second trick” outside traditional academia reshaped her confidence, creativity, and relationship to work. Brielle reflects on the moment she realized her strengths extended beyond formal academic roles, the practical steps she took to explore community-building and leadership work, and how redefining success helped her design a more sustainable professional life.

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You can learn more about our guest at: 

https://yourcooperativecolleague.com/

This week's conversation features chef Ilaria Ricci, owner of Fancy Food Florence. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and with over twenty years of experience as a professional chef, sommelier, and culinary instructor, Ilaria speaks with us from her home in Florence, Italy about how life’s unexpected turns led her to pivot from corporate law to her culinary career.

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You can learn more about our guest at:

https://www.fancyfoodflorence.com/

This week, we speak with Drew Martin, a nature educator and guide in the Florida Keys with experience in marine biology and exhibit design. An avid wildlife photographer, Drew tells us how he’s incorporated his hobby into his day-to-day life and work.

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Resources mentioned in the episode:

You can learn more about our guest at:

IG @drewbydoobydoo13

For Valentine's Day, we talk with psychologist-turned-florist Alanna Messner-Scholl about her career pivot from a PhD-trained clinical psychologist to running her own florist business, Waverly Flower Co, with a focus on sustainable business practices in the wedding industry. Alanna shares her story about finding confidence as a flower farmer, and how becoming a mom gave her the motivation to explore new directions.

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You can learn more about our guest at:

https://waverlyflowerco.com/

In this conversation, we speak with Dr. Kristin Harlow, a former academic and policy evaluator-turned-weightlifting trainer. We learn from Kristin about her lifelong love for athletics and how she’s building a community for women in strength-training, as well as how she mustered up the courage to leap out of academic research and start her own garage gym.

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Resources mentioned in the episode:

You can learn more about our guest at:

@harlowgarage

In this episode, we have a wide-ranging conversation about a personal search for meaning. A former government employee, April Lee speaks with us about how she left her job to explore creative crafts, reconnect with herself, and gain the confidence to build her own data visualization consultancy.

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Resources mentioned in the episode:

You can learn more about our guest at:

leeaprstudios.com 

New Year’s is a great time to consider a new hobby! We start the year off with professional musician, composer, and instrument maker John C.L. Jansen. We hear about the craft of building unusual instruments like daxophones and custom guitars, and how Jansen incorporates his built instruments into his music compositions. Jansen is also a classical guitarist and university music educator based in Washington, D.C. 

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Resources in the episode:

You can learn more about our guest at:

http://jljinstruments.com/

IG: @jcljansen