Our current loneliness epidemic may seem insurmountable, but solutions to overcome the problem are out there. This episode, host Krys Boyd talks with three experts who take on loneliness head on, from why it’s so hard to address, to ways to use our creativity to connect with others, to a guide for making and keeping friends. 

Today’s Silicon Valley is far from the tech utopia many of us may still have in our minds. Mike Isaac, Silicon Valley and technology reporter for The New York Times, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the transformation of the cushy Silicon Valley work style to a more serious tone where A.I. dominates the conversation, how the pandemic changed the work vibes there, and why it might be a harbinger for how we will all work in the near future. His article is “Silicon Valley Is in Its ‘Hard Tech’ Era.”

For people seeking to lose weight, Ozempic can seem like a dream drug — but it doesn’t work for everyone. Andrea Javor is a freelance writer, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her journey using Ozempic, the disappointment that came when the scale didn’t budge for her, and why doctors think GLP-1s can regulate diabetes without the weight loss. Her article “Ozempic didn’t work for me. I was furious – and ashamed” was published by The Guardian.

Grammar hounds might despise it, but “like” is both ubiquitous and necessary in our everyday speech. Megan C. Reynolds, editor at Dwell magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss one little word that defines so much of modern speech: like – from approval on social media to, like, the way we all casually talk today – and why we should all give it a second look. Her book is “Like: A History of the World’s Most Hated (and Misunderstood) Word.”

President Trump is determined to shift manufacturing jobs back to American soil — but that’s a monumentally difficult task. Rachel Slade joins host Krys Boyd to discuss challenges small businesses face when they want to source American-made products, how regulation gets in the way, and why labor unions might help bring jobs back. Her book is “Making It in America: The Almost Impossible Quest to Manufacture in the U.S.A. (And How It Got That Way).”

This episode originally aired June, 6th 2025.

Happiness may feel elusive, but there are some proven strategies to get you there. Arthur C. Brooks is Parker Gilbert Montgomery Professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School. He is also a columnist at The Atlantic, where he writes the weekly “How to Build a Life” column. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss a compendium of his columns about the pursuit of happiness, how we can conquer our worries, and when it’s time to stop pursuing perfection. His book is “The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life.”

For the first time in decades, the U.S. is facing a brain drain of the nation’s top researchers and scientists. Ross Anderson, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how Trump administration funding cuts, ideological stances and immigration crackdowns are opening up opportunities for foreign countries to offer well-equipped labs and academic havens for top researchers – and what that means for the future of science in the U.S. His article is “Every Scientific Empire Comes to an End.”

One in 20 deaths in Canada are the result of Medical Assistance in Dying, the country’s legalized euthanasia. Elaina Plott Calabro, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why the MAID law has made medically assisted death more common than Alzheimer’s and diabetes deaths combined, why that’s taken advocates by surprise, and why patients say they prefer to die in this manner. Her article is “Canada Is Killing Itself.”

Attorneys who practice immigration law have been busy with the Trump administration’s policies. Tekendra Parmar joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how immigration attorneys are approaching their workload now that stricter regulations and procedures are in place, the types of immigration practices that have sprung up to help confused clients, and why it’s so hard to gain legal status in the U.S. His article “The Tricky Business of Being an Immigration Attorney in 2025” was published by Inc.

 If the 9-to-5 grind gets you down, maybe it’s time to do more with your life. Rutger Bregman, historian and co-founder of The School for Moral Ambition, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why so many people feel like their jobs don’t make a difference in the world and how we can instead use our talent and education to focus on the world’s biggest problems. His book is “Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference.”