This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben sits down with author, speaker and endurance athlete Risa August for an incredible conversation about what happens when the life you carefully planned suddenly takes a completely different road. 

For nearly seven years, Risa knew something in her body wasn’t right. Despite unexplained weight gain, headaches, changes in her body and eventually debilitating symptoms, she says she was repeatedly told by doctors that she was fine. Finally, Risa insisted on an MRI—and one week later learned she had a tumor at the base of her brain and a rare disease called acromegaly. 

Brain surgery removed part of the tumor, but doctors discovered the remaining portion was wrapped around her carotid artery and couldn’t safely be removed. Faced with radiation, lifelong medication and a body she no longer recognized, Risa found herself sitting on her couch in a pair of “gnarly gray sweatpants” wondering what her life was supposed to look like now. Then she asked herself a different question: What can I do? 

Her answer? Ride a bicycle from Canada to Mexico.

Risa shares how that 41-day journey changed her relationship with her body, perfectionism and the expectations she’d spent much of her life trying to meet. She also introduces Ben to “Bubba”—the name she gave the tumor she still lives with today—and explains why humor became part of how she reclaimed ownership over something that once terrified her. 

Ben and Risa talk about medical self-advocacy, resilience, humor as a coping mechanism, letting go of perfection, taking life’s biggest goals one tiny step at a time, and why changing your life doesn’t necessarily require changing everything overnight.

In this episode:

• The symptoms Risa experienced for nearly seven years before her diagnosis
• Why she finally insisted that her doctor order an MRI
• Learning she had a brain tumor and acromegaly
• Brain surgery, radiation and discovering part of the tumor was inoperable
• Why Risa named her remaining tumor “Bubba”
• Going from Ironman athlete to struggling to get off the couch
• The “gnarly gray sweatpants” moment that changed her perspective
• Deciding to bike from Canada to Mexico
• Riding for 41 days with only a handful of rest days
• Letting go of perfection and the person she thought she was supposed to be
• Why humor can be powerful during life’s darkest moments
• The difference between a huge life change and taking one small step
• Risa’s award-winning book The Road Unpaved
• Choosing what “living” looks like every single day 

Learn more about Risa and follow her journey:

Website: https://www.risaaugust.com

Instagram: @risaunleashed
 https://www.instagram.com/risaunleashed/

TEDx Talk — “How a Single Word CAN Rebuild Your Life”:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK9SITnpvcA

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben sits down with friend—and AJ’s former boss—Debra Berman, a powerhouse marketing executive whose career has taken her from advertising and consumer brands to serving as Chief Marketing Officer of JCPenney and Yahoo! 

Debra takes Ben inside the career journey that eventually brought her to the C-suite, from working on household brands like Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Maybelline and Bacardi to helping rebuild JCPenney’s relationship with its customers during a critical period for the company. She shares what it was like walking into a room of more than 400 employees on her first day, the importance of making leadership human, and how her team used bold marketing—including an intentionally typo-filled Olympics campaign—to get people talking about JCPenney again.  

Then Deb shares how an unexpected speaking engagement helped lead to an opportunity at Yahoo, where she joined during one of the most fascinating chapters in the company’s history. She and Ben discuss working alongside Marissa Mayer, the changing role of digital marketing, the eventual sale to Verizon, and how Deb discovered a certain employee named AJ who would become an integral part of her team—and eventually Ben’s husband.  

Deb also gets candid about navigating corporate America as a woman, the pay disparities she believes existed throughout her career, why becoming CEO was never the goal, and the advice she gives anyone wondering how to take the next step professionally. Her philosophy is refreshingly simple: stop obsessing over titles, do the work, stay curious, and choose opportunities that give you more than one possible path forward.  

Then on Been There, Done That, AJ joins Ben to reflect on working with Deb at Yahoo, why colleagues once called him the “Deb whisperer,” and the importance of truly listening to the people around you. The conversation expands into creativity, branding in the age of AI, why great creative work still requires human judgment—and ends with AJ revealing a little piece of Yahoo history: he’s the voice behind the Yahoo yodel.  

In this episode:

• Deb’s journey from advertising to the C-suite
• Working on some of America’s most recognizable consumer brands
• Taking over marketing at JCPenney during a major turnaround
• The intentionally misspelled Olympics campaign that got everyone talking
• Why career success doesn’t always happen on your terms
• How one speaking engagement unexpectedly led to Yahoo
• Working with Marissa Mayer and navigating Yahoo’s sale to Verizon
• How Deb discovered AJ inside Yahoo  
• Deb’s experience as a woman climbing the corporate ladder
• Why she believes women still have work to do when it comes to equal pay
• Why she never focused on becoming a CMO
• Three pieces of advice for anyone feeling stuck in their career
• Why AJ was known as the “Deb whisperer”
• Branding and creativity in the age of AI
• Why human judgment still matters
• The story behind AJ becoming the voice of the Yahoo yodel  

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben is back from three weeks in Europe—and before he can talk about the incredible vacation, he has a few things to get off his chest about getting there and back.

From overweight luggage and sweltering jet bridges to questionable international business-class service, missed connections, sprinting through the Philadelphia airport, getting separated from AJ, missing bags, and a compensation battle that came down to just four minutes, Ben has some thoughts for American Airlines. And yes, he fully acknowledges these are first-class problems.  

Ben also talks about the whirlwind following his Traitors: New Blood announcement, getting recognized in public for the first time, some interesting new auditions—and, most importantly, the return of the pumpkin cream cold brew.

Then AJ joins Been There, Done That to recap their unforgettable three-week European adventure aboard their friends’ yacht, KAOS. From thunderstorms at the Acropolis and dancing in Mykonos to helicopter rides over Santorini, visiting the hotel from The White Lotus in Sicily, drinking entirely too much sake in Capri, partying beside an erupting volcano, and making their way through St. Tropez, they revisit some of the most unbelievable moments of the summer.  

And because coming home to the ranch can never be simple, Ben and AJ introduce the newest member of the family: Sally the duck—who promptly disappeared for three days before staging a miraculous return from underneath a hay pallet.  

Airline drama, yachts, volcanoes, sake, pumpkin cold foam and a missing duck. Somehow, it’s all Ben a week.

In this episode:

• Life after the Traitors: New Blood cast announcement
• Ben’s first time being recognized in public for the show  
• Ben’s grievances with international air travel
• The 19-hour journey home from Europe
• Getting separated from AJ after a missed connection
• Why four minutes became a $300 argument
• Ben’s thoughts on airline status and loyalty programs  
• The proper way to order a pumpkin cream cold brew
• Three weeks aboard KAOS
• Zeus crashing their visit to the Acropolis
• Mykonos, Santorini and a helicopter adventure
• Visiting The White Lotus hotel in Sicily
• Ben accidentally taking 12 shots of sake in Capri  
• Club KAOS and an erupting volcano
• St. Tropez, beach clubs and an unforgettable Euro summer
• Sally the duck’s three-day disappearance
• AJ’s upcoming National Anthem performance  

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

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Website: itsbenaweek.com

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, the secret is FINALLY out: Ben is officially joining the cast of The Traitors: New Blood, premiering September 17th on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock!  

After months of keeping one of the biggest secrets of his life, Ben can finally talk about traveling to Scotland, entering the castle, and becoming one of 22 contestants on the first U.S. civilian season of the hit competition series. As a longtime fan of The Traitors, Ben breaks down how the game works, explains Faithfuls, Traitors, murders, banishments and the infamous Round Table, and shares what it feels like to go from binge-watching the show at home to actually becoming part of it.  

Ben also reflects on the journey that brought him here. Just months before filming, he recorded an episode about rejection and wondering when his next “yes” would finally come. Now, after one of the most mentally, physically and emotionally challenging experiences of his life, Ben opens up about feeling like years of hard work may finally be leading to his moment.  

Then AJ joins Been There, Done That to reveal what it was like keeping Ben’s secret, convincing everyone he was away filming a Christmas movie, and holding down the ranch while Ben disappeared to Scotland. They also talk about discovering The Traitors together, why AJ thinks he’d make an incredible Traitor, and what they’re most excited—and nervous—to see when the finished episodes finally air.  

The game has already been played. The secrets have been kept. Now it’s finally time to watch it all unfold.

In this episode:

• Ben officially announces The Traitors: New Blood  
• How The Traitors actually works
• Going from superfan to contestant  
• Filming in Scotland and experiencing the game firsthand
• Why Ben decided to say yes to reality television
• Looking back at rejection before getting one enormous “yes”  
• Why this experience feels like a major turning point
• What Ben can—and definitely cannot—reveal before the premiere
• AJ’s elaborate Christmas-movie cover story  
• Whether AJ would make a better Faithful or Traitor
• The nerves of waiting to see how everything was edited
• What listeners can expect from It’s Ben A Week throughout the season  

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

📍 Listen & Subscribe:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Wherever you get your podcasts

🔗 Connect with Ben:
Instagram: @itsbenaweek
TikTok: @itsbenaweek
Website: itsbenaweek.com

💬 Want to be on the show?
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This week on It’s Ben A Week, the secret is FINALLY out: Ben is officially joining the cast of The Traitors: New Blood, premiering September 17th on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock!  

After months of keeping one of the biggest secrets of his life, Ben can finally talk about traveling to Scotland, entering the castle, and becoming one of 22 contestants on the first U.S. civilian season of the hit competition series. As a longtime fan of The Traitors, Ben breaks down how the game works, explains Faithfuls, Traitors, murders, banishments and the infamous Round Table, and shares what it feels like to go from binge-watching the show at home to actually becoming part of it.  

Ben also reflects on the journey that brought him here. Just months before filming, he recorded an episode about rejection and wondering when his next “yes” would finally come. Now, after one of the most mentally, physically and emotionally challenging experiences of his life, Ben opens up about feeling like years of hard work may finally be leading to his moment.  

Then AJ joins Been There, Done That to reveal what it was like keeping Ben’s secret, convincing everyone he was away filming a Christmas movie, and holding down the ranch while Ben disappeared to Scotland. They also talk about discovering The Traitors together, why AJ thinks he’d make an incredible Traitor, and what they’re most excited—and nervous—to see when the finished episodes finally air.  

The game has already been played. The secrets have been kept. Now it’s finally time to watch it all unfold.

In this episode:

• Ben officially announces The Traitors: New Blood  
• How The Traitors actually works
• Going from superfan to contestant  
• Filming in Scotland and experiencing the game firsthand
• Why Ben decided to say yes to reality television
• Looking back at rejection before getting one enormous “yes”  
• Why this experience feels like a major turning point
• What Ben can—and definitely cannot—reveal before the premiere
• AJ’s elaborate Christmas-movie cover story  
• Whether AJ would make a better Faithful or Traitor
• The nerves of waiting to see how everything was edited
• What listeners can expect from It’s Ben A Week throughout the season  

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

📍 Listen & Subscribe:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Wherever you get your podcasts

🔗 Connect with Ben:
Instagram: @itsbenaweek
TikTok: @itsbenaweek
Website: itsbenaweek.com

💬 Want to be on the show?
Submit your story or pitch at itsbenaweek.com

This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben is joined by fellow barrel racer and friend Sydnee Carter for an episode dedicated to exes, cheating, red flags, and one breakup story that quickly turns into something straight out of a true-crime documentary.  

Ben kicks things off by revisiting some of his worst relationships—from discovering a boyfriend cheating through messages on a forgotten laptop and confronting him outside a hotel room, to catching another boyfriend swiping on Tinder while they were sitting together in first class on the way to Mexico. Through it all, Ben reflects on the strange intuition that told him something was wrong before he ever had proof.  

Then Sydney shares a breakup story that takes the episode in an entirely different direction.

After ending an on-again, off-again relationship, her ex’s behavior began escalating—from showing up unexpectedly and contacting friends and family to appearing at places she was dating someone new. Then Sydney’s neighbor spotted a man dressed entirely in black running across her property.

Police searched Sydney’s home and discovered a hidden camera in her bedroom.

Then Sydney found another.

And another.  

What followed was a years-long ordeal involving police investigations, fingerprints, protective orders, another arrest, probation, allegations of similar behavior involving another woman, and ultimately a shocking prison sentence.  

Ben and Sydney unpack how relationships can change after a breakup, why people ignore obvious warning signs, the importance of trusting your intuition, and the unsettling reality that sometimes you don’t fully know how someone will react until a relationship ends.

This episode starts with bad-boyfriend stories and somehow ends in a courtroom. Buckle up.

In this episode:

• Ben’s history of being cheated on  
• The gut feeling that told Ben something wasn’t right  
• Confronting an ex outside a hotel after watching his messages in real time  
• Catching a boyfriend using Tinder on the way to Mexico  
• Sydney’s toxic on-again, off-again relationship  
• When her ex’s behavior began escalating after their breakup  
• Discovering three hidden cameras inside her home  
• The police investigation and protective order that followed  
• Why trusting your gut—and paying attention to red flags—matters  

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

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Website: itsbenaweek.com

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben sits down with 18-year-old DJ and producer Remington Runyan to talk about discovering a passion for music, performing at iconic venues, and chasing a dream that’s only just beginning.  

Ben first met Remington years ago through family friends, but after watching him unexpectedly take over the DJ booth at Nikki Beach in St. Barths, he knew there was something special happening.

Remington shares how a DJ controller he barely touched for two years became the start of a new obsession after the California wildfires forced his family to evacuate. With the help of friends, countless hours of practice, and a growing love for house music, he quickly found himself playing parties, beach clubs, and even one of the most iconic venues in the Caribbean.  

The two also discuss:

• how DJs read a crowd
• why song selection is more important than people realize
• the truth about pre-recorded DJ sets
• producing original music
• Coachella dreams
• and what it feels like to perform for hundreds of people.

Whether you’re an aspiring artist or simply curious about the world of electronic music, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a creative career from the ground up.

Stay connected with Remington:

🌐 Website: www.remingtonrunyan.com
📸 Instagram: @remingtonrunyan

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

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🔗 Connect with Ben:
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Website: itsbenaweek.com

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben sits down with his dear friend Diane Love for one of the most heartfelt conversations of the season.

The two first met in Cabo San Lucas over poolside cocktails and an unforgettable Beyoncé dance party. But behind Diane’s infectious energy is a story of unimaginable loss, resilience, and choosing joy every single day.  

Diane shares the story of her son Wyatt, who was diagnosed as a child with the rare genetic disease Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). Doctors warned he might not live past the age of 10, but Wyatt defied expectations—traveling the world, competing in gymnastics, attending college, and embracing life with remarkable courage.  

Then, at just 22 years old, Wyatt’s life was tragically cut short in a Lyft accident after a newly approved driver became lost on the way home. Diane opens up about the heartbreaking night she lost her son, the years-long legal battle that followed, and why she now encourages every rideshare passenger to check their driver’s experience before getting into the car.  

Ben and Diane also discuss:

• trusting your intuition
• grieving differently
• finding humor after unimaginable loss
• faith and healing
• living fully despite uncertainty
• and why every day deserves to be celebrated.

Despite experiencing profound heartbreak, Diane continues to inspire others through advocacy, fundraising for ALD research, and her commitment to choosing joy every day.

This episode is emotional, inspiring, and a powerful reminder that life is fragile—and worth living to its fullest.

For more information on ALD and to help check out www.cureald.org

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

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Website: itsbenaweek.com

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben tackles one of life’s greatest inconveniences: grocery shopping. What starts as frustration over a parasite outbreak linked to lettuce quickly turns into a full-blown breakdown of everything that’s wrong with the modern grocery store experience.  

From fluorescent lighting and mysteriously rearranged aisles to self-checkout machines that never work, wandering shopping carts, awkward parking lot conversations, and the ongoing debate over who actually returns their cart, Ben hilariously dissects every step of the weekly grocery run.  

Along the way, he shares his thoughts on:

• the lettuce parasite outbreak
• why grocery stores feel like casinos
• self-checkout becoming a part-time job
• shopping cart etiquette
• people who block entire aisles
• grocery store fashion choices
• and why running into acquaintances is somehow the worst part of the entire experience.

If you’ve ever found yourself arguing with a self-checkout machine or silently judging someone who abandoned their shopping cart, this episode is for you.

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben is joined by one of his favorite people—and the veterinarian responsible for saving more of his animals than he can count—Dr. Sally Everett from the Granbury Animal Clinic.  

The two look back on the unbelievable story that started their friendship after Ben and AJ’s tiny barn cat, Chrissy, suffered a life-threatening medical emergency that left her intestines literally hanging out. Against all odds, Sally saved her life, and the rest is history.  

From there, the stories only get crazier.

Ben and Sally revisit Phil the pig’s complicated surgery, custom diapers for a cat, late-night emergency vet visits, Christmas concerts, Mariah Carey, Pete’s Piano Bar, party buses, inside jokes, and the unforgettable nights that turned a veterinarian into one of their closest friends.  

Later, AJ joins the aftershow to share even more behind-the-scenes stories, including the clinic appreciation party that lasted until 2 a.m., Hendrix’s dental surgery, and why Sally has officially become part of the family.  

This episode is hilarious, heartfelt, and full of stories that prove life is always more entertaining when animals—and good friends—are involved.

In this episode:

• How Sally saved Chrissy the barn cat’s life  
• The emergency surgery that started a lifelong friendship  
• Phil the pig’s surprisingly complicated surgery  
• The custom diapers made for a tiny bobtail cat  
• Emergency vet visits and life with dozens of animals  
• Mariah Carey concerts and the quest for better seats  
• Pete’s Piano Bar, bottle service, and unforgettable nights out  
• Hendrix’s dental surgery and why dog teeth matter  
• The funniest and strangest moments from life at a veterinary clinic  

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

📍 Listen & Subscribe:
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🔗 Connect with Ben:
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Website: itsbenaweek.com

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