Actual People

Hi there! I'm back. In this episode I sit down with Ivy Ross, Chief Design Officer at Google and co-author of Your Brain on Art (written with Susan Magsamen, Executive Director International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics @ Johns Hopkins). We talk about one of my new favorite topics, neuroaesthetics (the study of how art and sensory experience affect the brain and body) and why it matters for mental health and overall quality of life. 

The episode covers:

•  Ye olde burnout, stress, and cognitive limits; grad school stimulation and time to rest.
• Reflecting on how grad school is reshaping my processing of people and situations.
• How the latest victorious lawsuit gives us a win over algorithm madness.
• What neuroaesthetics is and where it comes from 
•  How sensory environments (light, sound, texture, space) affect stress and wellbeing 
•  The gap between what we think we need and what our body is trying to tell us
•  Why creativity gets conditioned out of people early 
•  How this connects to mental health, learning, and daily life 

Please hit subscribe and find me on YT and TikTok too where I'm particularly active these slowwwerrrr days of the podcast. Stick with me!

- Chauncey

Written, directed, and executive produced by Chauncey Zalkin. Intro/Outro sound engineered by Eric Aaron. Photography by Alonza Mitchell with Design Consulting by Paper + Screen.

Want to go deeper? Follow my Substack and don't forget to pledge subscription. (;

Want to see the episode? Subscribe to the Actual People YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates and behind the scenes.

We want to hear from YOU so if you want to be a guest, have a pithy but kind retort, or for business inquiries, drop me a line.

Actual People, a Podcast
www.chaunceyzalkin.com

And we're back with an episode about redemption, a first hand account of a Wall Street insider's journey through prison and reinvention with reflection on the times we are living in.

In this first episode of 2026, we dive deep into the life of Richard Bronson, a former Wall Street player who worked at Stratton Oakmont—made famous by the movie The Wolf of Wall Street. Richard's journey is one of redemption, resilience, and facing your mistakes head on with wisdom and empathy.

We discuss everything from the culture of greed in the '80s and '90s, to the mental and emotional toll that financial crimes can take, and how Richard transformed his life after serving time in prison.

In true Actual People fashion, this episode explores the psychology of transition and the emotional and psychological processes of overcoming adversity. Richard doesn't sugarcoat anything (hence, "no glitter in the shit"), and speaks honestly about the mistakes he made, the consequences, and how he rebuilt his life after losing it all. We also dive into the nature of greed and its impact on both individuals and society.

It's not all about hedonistic histories. We also touch on the importance of male friendships, loyalty, and the bonds that hold us together through life’s toughest moments.

Get ready for an episode that’s raw, reflective, and ultimately inspiring—showing that even the most difficult journeys can lead to personal growth and positive change.

In This Episode:

• Richard’s story of working at Stratton Oakmont and committing financial crimes
• Reflections on the '80s and '90s Wall Street culture of greed and excess
• The psychological toll of living a life of self-indulgence and the consequences of those actions
• Redemption and resilience after prison
• The importance of male friendships and loyalty
• AI, technology, and its role in shaping our future
• What we can learn from the mistakes of others and how to move forward

Key Moments:

• [06:15] The culture of greed and excess in the '80s and '90s
• [12:00] Richard's journey from Wall Street success to prison
• [28:30] Male friendships and the bonds that hold us together in tough times
• [45:00] Reflections on AI and its potential to shape our future

Listen now to inspire reflection on how you can rewire your life and find redemption, no matter what the past holds. 

Written, directed, and executive produced by Chauncey Zalkin. Intro/Outro sound engineered by Eric Aaron. Photography by Alonza Mitchell with Design Consulting by Paper + Screen.

Want to go deeper? Follow my Substack and don't forget to pledge subscription. (;

Want to see the episode? Subscribe to the Actual People YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates and behind the scenes.

We want to hear from YOU so if you want to be a guest, have a pithy but kind retort, or for business inquiries, drop me a line.

Actual People, a Podcast
www.chaunceyzalkin.com

In light of the tragic murder of Rob Reiner and his wife, host Chauncey Zalkin explores trusting your gut when it comes to mental health, safety, and faith in your faculties. Also examined is the impact of toxic narratives on the construction of identity and perception.

Addresses

• mindfulness
• consciousness
• mental illness
• interalized narratives 

Written, directed, and executive produced by Chauncey Zalkin. Intro/Outro sound engineered by Eric Aaron. Photography by Alonza Mitchell with Design Consulting by Paper + Screen.

Want to go deeper? Follow my Substack and don't forget to pledge subscription. (;

Want to see the episode? Subscribe to the Actual People YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates and behind the scenes.

We want to hear from YOU so if you want to be a guest, have a pithy but kind retort, or for business inquiries, drop me a line.

Actual People, a Podcast
www.chaunceyzalkin.com

We’re burnt out on bettering ourselves and each other. From sleep scores to productivity hacks to scolding people, the pursuit of improvement has reached a breaking point. Host Chauncey Zalkin is joined by futurist and cultural cartographer Lynn Casey, who explains how Gen Z and Gen Alpha are redefining “better" through spiritual practice, tangible connection,  do-it--with-me vs. DIY and more.

Written, directed, and executive produced by Chauncey Zalkin. Intro/Outro sound engineered by Eric Aaron. Photography by Alonza Mitchell with Design Consulting by Paper + Screen.

Want to go deeper? Follow my Substack and don't forget to pledge subscription. (;

Want to see the episode? Subscribe to the Actual People YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates and behind the scenes.

We want to hear from YOU so if you want to be a guest, have a pithy but kind retort, or for business inquiries, drop me a line.

Actual People, a Podcast
www.chaunceyzalkin.com

Season 3 opens with host Chauncey Zalkin talking burnout, perfectionism in grad school, and finally giving her kids her last name. She then sits down with publishing veteran and writer Cindy DiTiberio (The Mother Lode) who talks reclaiming competence after divorce, the “math of motherhood,” the portal of 40, and what it's like to undergo MDMA therapy.

Highlights:

• The cost of motherhood—money, labor, identity
• Renaissance after divorce
• Flipping the playbook on patriarchal milestones
• Cindy’s journey from ghostwriting to her own voice

Guest:

Cindy DiTiberio — writer, former HarperCollins editor, pens the popular newsletter The Mother Lode, on Substack.

Other Mentions and Resources :

• The House of Mirth (book) by Edith Wharton
• Nightbitch (novel & film) 
• Fresh Starts Registry, support for divorce and major life resets
• Ambition Monster (book) 
• MDMA-assisted therapy (trauma processing in a therapeutic setting)

(Amazon links are affiliate links and a great way to support this podcast!)

Written, directed, and executive produced by Chauncey Zalkin. Intro/Outro sound engineered by Eric Aaron. Photography by Alonza Mitchell with Design Consulting by Paper + Screen.

Want to go deeper? Follow my Substack and don't forget to pledge subscription. (;

Want to see the episode? Subscribe to the Actual People YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates and behind the scenes.

We want to hear from YOU so if you want to be a guest, have a pithy but kind retort, or for business inquiries, drop me a line.

Actual People, a Podcast
www.chaunceyzalkin.com

Are we really getting work done, or just pretending en masse? We're working ourselves to death & getting little done. How do we fix it? Interview with former Washington Post reporter and director of Better Life Labs, Brigid Schulte.

This episode dives into:

• Overwork Culture
• The Behavioral Psychology of Work
• The Importance of "Real Work" vs. "Stupid Work"
• Systemic Challenges
• Workplace Inequality
• Cultural Shifts and Public Policy
• A Vision for the Future

Grab Brigid Schulte's Books here:

Over Work: Transforming the Daily Grind in the Quest for a Better Life

Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time 

(These are affiliate links. Support our podcast!)

Written, directed, and executive produced by Chauncey Zalkin. Intro/Outro sound engineered by Eric Aaron. Photography by Alonza Mitchell with Design Consulting by Paper + Screen.

Want to go deeper? Follow my Substack and don't forget to pledge subscription. (;

Want to see the episode? Subscribe to the Actual People YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates and behind the scenes.

We want to hear from YOU so if you want to be a guest, have a pithy but kind retort, or for business inquiries, drop me a line.

Actual People, a Podcast
www.chaunceyzalkin.com

From developing custom tools to create over 200 VFX shots on his own award-winning indie to supervising globally at major studios like DreamWorks and Sony Animation where he is now, hear Chris Browne's story and spot on advice for creativity that won't quit.

Learn more about Chris here: http://www.chrisbrownedigital.com/projects.html

Written, directed, and executive produced by Chauncey Zalkin. Intro/Outro sound engineered by Eric Aaron. Photography by Alonza Mitchell with Design Consulting by Paper + Screen.

Want to go deeper? Follow my Substack and don't forget to pledge subscription. (;

Want to see the episode? Subscribe to the Actual People YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates and behind the scenes.

We want to hear from YOU so if you want to be a guest, have a pithy but kind retort, or for business inquiries, drop me a line.

Actual People, a Podcast
www.chaunceyzalkin.com

Are women’s networks working? What’s right about them and what can be improved? And why can't we always connect the way we intend to? Host Chauncey Zalkin reflects on these questions before diving into a conversation with Lindsay Kaplan, co-founder of the best-in-class professional women’s network, Chief, who stepped down this year. Together, they explore identity, creativity, burnout, and our role in building community.

Written, directed, and executive produced by Chauncey Zalkin. Intro/Outro sound engineered by Eric Aaron. Photography by Alonza Mitchell with Design Consulting by Paper + Screen.

Want to go deeper? Follow my Substack and don't forget to pledge subscription. (;

Want to see the episode? Subscribe to the Actual People YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates and behind the scenes.

We want to hear from YOU so if you want to be a guest, have a pithy but kind retort, or for business inquiries, drop me a line.

Actual People, a Podcast
www.chaunceyzalkin.com

Welcome to a conversation with a true pioneer in elevating the best design in the world. Piers Roberts offers profound reflections on the distance we've fallen from conscious consumerism and where to go from here with a strong emphasis on uplifting neurodivergent ways of thinking.

For over 20 years, Piers has played a significant role in contributing to East London’s success as an inspirational beacon of creativity and innovation. He launched Designersblock in September 1998 at the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, 5 years ahead of the London Design Festival. He went on to develop and produce major Creative Festivals in London, Milan and Tokyo covering design, architecture and illustration. Over 19 years the pioneering and much imitated event showcased over 4000 creatives from 38 countries in 65 events across ten countries.

Piers has written, curated and produced critically acclaimed conferences in Creativity and Entrepreneurship for Southbank Centre, the Oxo Tower and Europe House.

This interview is one of the nearest and dearest to my heart so far in my time hosting this beautiful podcast. It's a true gem and I'm immensely honored to be able to share it. 

Here's what you'll hear (and more:)

• How DesignersBlock ignited a new wave of UK design by repurposing empty buildings for creative shows
• Why neurodivergence is often a hidden driver of visionary creativity—and how it’s misunderstood in traditional systems
• The origin of the term "creative entrepreneur" and how it emerged from economic scarcity and DIY culture
• What it was like to be on the outside of the mainstream design world looking out, not trying to fit in.
• How pioneers often get dismissed in their time, even as their ideas are widely adopted later.
• The emotional toll of being a creative who is early, original—and overlooked
• How burnout, wintering, and wellbeing are essential chapters in a creative life
• The dangers of reducing creativity to metrics, and the value of nonlinear thinking in solving complex global problems.
• and a lot, lot more

References:

Ron Arad, Jasper Morrison, Marc Newson, Ross Lovegrove, Simon Pengelly, Jan Van Der Lande, Hella Jongerius, Richard Hutten, Ineke Hans, Casper Vissers (Moooi), Sheridan Coakley (SCP), Konstantin Grcic, Matthew Hilton, Andrew Purves, Terrance Conran, William Morris, Judy Singer, Catherine May, Joanne Limburg, Martin Evans, and more.

Written, directed, and executive produced by Chauncey Zalkin. Intro/Outro sound engineered by Eric Aaron. Photography by Alonza Mitchell with Design Consulting by Paper + Screen.

Want to go deeper? Follow my Substack and don't forget to pledge subscription. (;

Want to see the episode? Subscribe to the Actual People YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates and behind the scenes.

We want to hear from YOU so if you want to be a guest, have a pithy but kind retort, or for business inquiries, drop me a line.

Actual People, a Podcast
www.chaunceyzalkin.com

Welcome to an imperfect episode about imperfect times. You can call it the 'Boys to Men Episode', 'The Man Show', 'How The Boys Will Thrive 2025', or 'The Bro Show'. It's a musing on boys and men from the perspective of a GenX woman raised in an all female household now raising only daughters herself. 

In this monologue episode, among the bombardment of terror from the White House and in the wake of Andrew Tate's release and the release of Adolescence on Netflix, host Chauncey Zalkin explores her own arc in experiences of boys and men through her GenX life, which looks a lot like the stages of grief. 

But there is hope. 

Further Reading, Viewing: 

• American Women Are Giving Up on Marriage, WSJ
• Battle for the Bros, New Yorker
• Adolescence, Netflix
• The Adolescent Style in American Politics, Atlantic
• The Cruel Kids Table, New York Magazine
• The New Marriage of Unequals, Atlantic
• Why American Women are Staying Single, Swearing Off Marriage, Dating, Business Week

Take a listen, Share Your Experiences.

Written, directed, and executive produced by Chauncey Zalkin. Intro/Outro sound engineered by Eric Aaron. Photography by Alonza Mitchell with Design Consulting by Paper + Screen.

Want to go deeper? Follow my Substack and don't forget to pledge subscription. (;

Want to see the episode? Subscribe to the Actual People YouTube Channel.

Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates and behind the scenes.

We want to hear from YOU so if you want to be a guest, have a pithy but kind retort, or for business inquiries, drop me a line.

Actual People, a Podcast
www.chaunceyzalkin.com