This is one of my favorite podcast episodes to date! In this conversation, I dive into the "behind the music"—both literally and figuratively—of one of country music's rising stars and the world of professional sailing. Through it all, you’ll get to know two extraordinary individuals: Caroline Jones and Nick Dana.

Caroline Jones is a talented singer-songwriter and the only female member of the Grammy-winning Zac Brown Band. Nick Dana, on the other hand, is a world-class professional sailor with an impressive career that includes competing in the Volvo Ocean Race and America's Cup. I’ve known Nick since he was a toddler (a fact that reveals my age), as I was close friends with his late older brother. It was such a joy to catch up with these two incredibly accomplished individuals—who also happen to be married!

Caroline shares her journey into music, her creative process, and the inspirations behind her songwriting. We discuss her skyrocketing career, from touring with legends like Jimmy Buffett to performing in stadiums with the Zac Brown Band. She also talks about her latest single, No Tellin’, and her upcoming tour.

Nick gives us a glimpse into his life as a professional sailor, detailing his path to success, the challenges of competing in events like the Volvo Ocean Race, and the thrill of sailing in the prestigious America’s Cup.

We also explore their beautiful love story—how they were serendipitously set up (thanks to some well-placed meddling by Nick’s mom and sister!), fell in love just before the COVID-19 lockdowns, and how their relationship has transformed their lives and careers. Caroline even shares how she once vowed never to marry, only to find herself happily embracing both marriage and parenthood.

This episode is packed with inspiration, laughter, and heartfelt moments. You won’t want to miss it! If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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You may remember my next guest, Tamir Goodman. Dubbed the “Jewish Jordan” by Sports Illustrated, Tamir made history as the first Orthodox Jewish player to play Division I and professional basketball without compromising his faith.

Tamir’s story is extraordinary. He refused to play on Shabbat — from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday — a decision that made headlines and set him apart in the sports world. Despite this challenge, he achieved his dream of becoming a professional basketball player while overcoming significant obstacles, including severe dyslexia.

Tamir exemplifies the power of faith, character, and resilience. Like all of us, his journey has been marked by setbacks and disappointments. Yet, his unwavering faith in God and belief in himself propelled him forward.

In this episode, Tamir and I discuss how basketball serves as a metaphor for life — with its ups and downs, fouls, wins, and losses. We explore how he overcame tremendous obstacles: navigating dyslexia, facing prejudice for being observant, and enduring professional setbacks. Through it all, he has built a life filled with faith, purpose, family, love, and professional success.

We also delve into his inspiring children’s book, Live Your Dream: The Story of a Jewish Basketball All-Star. The book highlights his journey with dyslexia and how basketball became a tool for empowering others. Tamir continues to inspire through his work with young athletes, showing them how to turn challenges into strengths.

It’s rare to meet someone as extraordinary and inspirational as Tamir Goodman. Trust me — you’ll want to meet him too. If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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In today's episode, I am thrilled to welcome Jenna Bush Hager, American news personality, author, and journalist. Jenna is the host of Today with Jenna & Friends, the fourth hour of NBC's morning news program.

Jenna is the creator of the Read with Jenna Book Club; she has also launched a publishing imprint, Thousand Voices, a joint venture with Random House Publishing House supporting emerging writers. She is also the founder of her own production company. Jenna is a force!

Jenna and I sit down to talk about her latest book and the third book she has co-authored with her twin sister Barbara Bush entitled, "I Loved You First". This is not the first time the Bush sisters have written a book together, but this is the first time they have written a children's book that celebrates the bond between parent and child.

In this episode, Jenna and I talk about why she and Barbara decided to write this book, the power of sisterhood and female friendships, what it is like to host the 4th hour of Today without her dear friend and former co-host Hoda Kotb, the incredible work Jenna is doing through Read with Jenna and Thousand Voices and last but certainly not least - our mutual love of karaoke!

I enjoyed every minute of my conversation with Jenna – it's an episode you won't want to miss! If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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In today's episode, I am so thrilled to share my conversation with author, activist, and storyteller, Susan Lieu.

Susan is a multi-hyphenated artist whose work has captivated audiences nationwide. Her award-winning solo show, 140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother, evolved into her debut memoir, The Manicurist’s Daughter.

This emotionally raw memoir was Apple’s Book of the Month and has been featured in The New York Times and NPR. Through her storytelling, Susan explores themes of grief, intergenerational trauma, identity, and resilience.

In The Manicurist’s Daughter, Susan reflects on her life as the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, her mother’s tragic death from a botched tummy tuck when she was just 11 years old, and her journey to uncover truths about her family and herself. Her story is both heartbreaking and empowering, touching on the complex relationships immigrant women have with body image and beauty standards.

In this episode, Susan and I delve into her family’s incredible journey from Vietnamese refugees to American business owners. We discuss what it was like for her to grow up navigating two cultures, the challenges of confronting her mother’s death, and the broader implications of societal pressures on women—especially immigrant women.

Susan’s story is one of strength, vulnerability, and empowerment. It is equal parts poignant, funny, and inspirational—a conversation you won’t want to miss. If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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Following the devastating fires in California, I kept hearing story after story of Pacific Palisades residents having been dropped by their insurance company just a few months before the deadly fire. The same thing happened this past fall in Florida – Floridians couldn’t afford their increased premiums, so when Hurricane Milton hit – they had no coverage.

In fact, Florida insurance rates have gotten so high that people are beginning to leave the state - insurance premiums, in some cases, surpassing their mortgage payments. Insurance companies also get away with underpaying or slow-paying the insured… leaving people helpless and hopeless.

Thankfully, there are people out there like my next guest, Chip Merlin, Founder and President of the Merlin Law Group. Chip has dedicated his practice to representing and advocating for the insured in disputes with their insurance companies nationwide.

Chip has been called the “Babe Ruth of Hurricane lawyers” and “Master of Disaster” for his nationwide catastrophe work in helping policyholders after Hurricane Katrina. The Florida Association of Public Adjusters awarded him a Lifetime Achievement Award for his advocacy on behalf of policyholders. He is on the Board of Directors of United Policyholders, has been a guest commentator on CNN and Fox News, and is also past Chair of the Insurance Bad Faith Litigation Group of the American Association of Justice.

In this episode, Chip and I discuss the state of the insurance crisis in the US, from California to Florida to NY, and what we, the insured, can do to protect ourselves from insurance companies' malfeasance, and what our state governments should do to protect the insured over the insurers.  

To protect your property and your family, this is an episode you will not want to miss. If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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Today in the US, close to 70% of all students are below proficiency in math and reading, and close to 90% of low-income students are below proficiency. With an overwhelming majority of our students graduating below proficiency in all academic subjects, the United States is in the middle of an educational crisis.  Thankfully my next guest Dr. Kimberly Nix Berens is working to address this crisis. 

Dr. Berens is the author of Blind Spots: Why students fail…and the science that can save them. She is also the Founder of Fit Learning.  Fit Learning is a powerful system of instruction based in behavioral science and the Technology of Teaching, which has transformed the learning abilities of thousands of children worldwide. For more than 20 years, her system of instruction has produced one year’s worth of academic growth in only 40 hours of training. Dr. Berens has helped grow Fit Learning to an organization with more than 30 locations worldwide.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Berens about the state of the US education system today and about the science that shows how children learn and how our education system could have better outcomes.  We talk about her learning instruction method and how with the right instruction, a child that have been labeled as having learning differences or ADHD, may likely be a child who is just being taught subjects in the wrong way.  

This conversation was so helpful for me as a parent – it is a must listen for every parent who wants to learn about how their kids should learn and about what we can do to support our kids who may learn differently. 

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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This episode is brought to you by The Scout Guide. To learn more about the Scout Guide and how to become a franchisee visit franchise.thescoutguide.com and mention The Interview with Leslie Heaney!

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It is an honor and a privilege to introduce my next two guests, James Patterson and Tim Malloy.

James Patterson is one of the most successful authors of all time, having sold over 425 million books. He is perhaps best known for his Alex Cross series, which has been adapted into films such as Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. In addition to his fiction, Patterson has collaborated on New York Times bestsellers with notable figures, including Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Viola Davis. Recently, he has ventured into nonfiction and co-authored Filthy Rich alongside Tim Malloy, which explores the life of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Tim Malloy is a seven-time Emmy Award winner and a veteran reporter with extensive experience in local and network television. He has worked as an investigative reporter, documentary filmmaker, and author. Malloy and Patterson are friends and neighbors in Palm Beach and have collaborated on various projects, including a documentary that highlights underserved communities in Florida. They both appeared in the Netflix documentary based on their bestselling book, Filthy Rich. 

Their latest collaboration, American Heroes, pays tribute to some of the greatest heroes in the United States Armed Forces. American Heroes emphasizes the courage, bravery, character, and patriotism of recipients of the three most significant military awards: The Medal of Honor, The Silver Star, and the Distinguished Service Cross.

In this episode, Patterson, Malloy, and I discuss their incredible book American Heroes, their past collaborations on Filthy Rich, how they began their careers, and why these inspirational stories about real American heroes are vital for us to hear.Patterson and Malloy are not only brilliant but also hilarious. It was a joy and privilege to sit down with them both. I am very excited for you to listen!

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In honor of President’s Day this past Monday, we are re-releasing this incredible episode about the women who made Teddy Roosevelt.

In this episode, Leslie sits down with Ed O’Keefe — an award-winning TV producer, reporter, and author. While as a Harvard Kennedy School Fellow, O’Keefe stumbled upon some unpublished letters between Theodore Roosevelt and two of the most important women in his life: his daughter Alice and his sister Bamie.

As a lifelong admirer of Roosevelt, Ed delved into the influence these relationships had on Roosevelt and his rise to the Presidency in his debut novel, “The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt – The Women Who Created a President”.

Ed and Leslie talk about Roosevelt’s incredible life and legacy and the women in his life that gave its shape and meaning, they explore Roosevelt’s legacy and the incredible museum that is being built in his honor in North Dakota led by Ed as the new CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation.

For history lovers, this is an episode you don’t want to miss! If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

Tune in next week when Leslie is joined by bestselling author, James Patterson, and Quinnipiac Poll Analyst, Timothy Malloy, as they discuss their new book “American Heroes”.

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It turns out that many celebrities, politicians, and CEOs look to astrology before making any plans – they consult their astrologer before a political race, before accepting a role in a movie, or before they decide on an acquisition.

Before a financial advisor, spouse, or therapist – they call their astrologer – and not just any astrologer - but they call my next guest - astrologer to the stars, Rosie Cutter.

Looking to the celestial as a guide is nothing new for the rich and famous. JP Morgan is famous for saying that millionaires don’t need astrologers; billionaires do, and Nancy Regan was famous for consulting her astrologer before all of President Regan’s important decisions.

Cutter knows first hand how important guidance can be and has cultivated trusted relationships with those in and out of the spotlight.

In this episode, Rosie breaks down the difference between tarot reading, palm reading, and astrology, how she came to this incredible career, and what the stars are saying for all of us this year…I had a reading with Rosie to get ready for this conversation, and let me say – she was spot on. This lady knows what she is talking about!

If you are ever curious about having a reading done or want to know what this year has in store, this episode is for you! If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram@TheInterviewWithLeslie.A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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Today, it is estimated that approximately 3 percent of incarcerated people in the United States are innocent. Thankfully, there are Innocence Projects across the country who are dedicated to investigating and litigating claims of innocence. Without them, these innocent people would have no path to exoneration.

In this episode, I sit down with Jason Gichner, the Executive Director of the Tennessee Innocent Project. Since its founding in 2019, the Tennessee Innocence Project has won 9 exonerations, representing more than 230 years collectively served for crimes these people did not commit. The Tennessee Innocence Project’s 9 exonerations also represent 25% of all known exonerations in the history of Tennessee and they have achieved all of this in just 5 years. 

In our conversation, Jason and I talk about the factors that lead to innocent people being convicted. We discuss specific cases of their clients like Ricky Lee Webb, who served a 47-year sentence (the 4th longest in the history of the U.S.) for a murder he did not commit. Jason and I talk about how the Tennessee Innocence Project does its work and what new laws and policies could be put into effect in both Tennessee and nationwide to help prevent innocent people from being incarcerated. 

The Innocence Project is such an important organization. As Jason said in our conversation, this is a political issue – no one wants innocent people behind bars. I hope you will find this episode inspiring, and you’ll want to learn more about what we all can do to help support their important work.

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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