In this episode of Life's Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese sits down with Leela Hazzah, founder of the Lion Guardians program, a groundbreaking initiative in Kenya and Tanzania that transforms Maasai warriors from lion hunters into lion protectors.

Leela recounts her journey from Egyptian-American roots to becoming one of CNN’s Top 10 Heroes of the year, sharing how her childhood love of animals grew into a lifelong mission to save lions. She explains how living with Maasai communities taught her that traditional knowledge and cultural practices are essential to successful conservation. What began as a small experiment with five guardians has now expanded into a thriving program covering thousands of square kilometers and reversing the decline of lions outside protected areas.

The conversation also explores Leela’s leadership work with We Africa, an initiative that supports women leaders in conservation across the continent. She highlights the importance of shifting from ego-driven, competitive models to collaborative, inclusive approaches that amplify community and indigenous voices.

Life's Tough, Explorers are Tougher showcases not just the resilience of explorers but also their ability to reshape systems. This episode reminds us that true conservation is about people as much as it is about wildlife.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese sits down with Dr. Rodrigo Medellín, known for his mission to save bats and, in turn, protect tequila production. Rodrigo dismantles long-standing myths about bats, addressing misconceptions rooted in literature, pop culture, and recent pandemic fears. He explains how vampire bats—just three of over 1,400 bat species—were unfairly demonized and highlights their minimal impact on livestock and human health.

Rodrigo shares his remarkable childhood story of raising vampire bats at age 11, a journey fueled by insatiable curiosity and family support. His career path led him to uncover the vital role of nectar-feeding bats in pollinating agave plants, which sustain the tequila industry. The discussion reveals astonishing bat migrations, the threats they face from climate change, and the cutting-edge GPS technology being developed to track their movements.

Listeners will gain practical tips on supporting bat conservation—from building bat houses to choosing bat-friendly agricultural products. Rodrigo’s passion is infectious, showing how protecting an often-feared species can have far-reaching environmental and cultural benefits.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese welcomes Hayley Arceneaux, childhood cancer survivor and astronaut. Hayley shares her deeply personal and inspiring journey—from undergoing treatment at St. Jude as a child to becoming a physician assistant at the very hospital that saved her life. Now, she’s on the verge of becoming the youngest American in space as part of the Inspiration4 mission.

Hayley reflects on her training, the surprise invitation to join the crew, and how she was chosen to represent the mission’s pillar of Hope. She offers insight into what this mission means for her patients, how she speaks to teens about resilience, and the real meaning of staying positive through life’s hardest moments. Her story is a testament to courage, transformation, and using personal challenges to inspire the next generation.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese interviews Richard Garriott, a real-life explorer, entrepreneur, and video game legend. As the son of an astronaut, Garriott always had his eyes on space—but his journey took an unconventional path through fantasy, failure, and relentless curiosity.

Garriott recounts how he built one of the first successful computer game empires, funded his own space mission, and became the first second-generation American in space. From exploring the Marianas Trench to collecting haunted artifacts, his life is a mix of science fiction, exploration, and real-world impact. Listeners will hear insights about resilience, creativity, and the future of democratized space travel—plus what it really feels like to look down at Earth from orbit.

This episode is a must-listen for dreamers, gamers, and explorers alike.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, we meet Dr. Kathy Sullivan—astronaut, ocean explorer, and author of Handprints on Hubble. Kathy shares her groundbreaking journey from becoming the first American woman to walk in space to later becoming the first woman to dive to the deepest point on Earth. With a blend of humor and humility, Kathy talks about her love for adventure, her rescue dog Murphy, and the mindset that kept her grounded—whether orbiting the planet or diving miles beneath its waters.

Kathy reflects on her time with NASA, the challenges of leadership in high-stakes environments, and the evolution of the Hubble Space Telescope. She also discusses the importance of storytelling, public service, and mentorship—offering inspiration for the next generation of explorers. This is a rare conversation with one of the most multidimensional explorers of our time.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, marine ecologist Dr. Roxanne Beltran shares what it’s really like to study elephant seals—and why these unlikely collaborators are crucial for understanding ocean health. From wrangling 2,000-pound mammals on windswept beaches to being featured on the cover of Science, Roxanne brings humor, humility, and heart to every part of her work.

Roxanne opens up about her journey into marine biology, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the unexpected joys of mentorship. She dives into the scientific methods behind tracking elephant seals and the role they play in climate monitoring. As a passionate advocate for accessible science, Roxanne reminds us that being an explorer isn’t about perfection—it’s about curiosity, resilience, and staying grounded in community.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese welcomes Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, the first Italian to walk in space and a globally respected voice in the astronaut community. Luca opens up about his infamous near-drowning during a spacewalk, and how that life-threatening moment ultimately deepened his understanding of risk, resilience, and what it means to lead.

Beyond spaceflight, Luca shares profound reflections on mindset, fatherhood, and the quiet discipline that drives extraordinary achievements. He offers insight into the many roles astronauts must play—technician, philosopher, teammate, and mentor—and reveals the emotional complexity behind space missions. This conversation is a masterclass in mental strength, ego regulation, and purposeful exploration.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, we meet Tia, a Charleston native whose journey from bartending to global recognition began with a personal health crisis. After years in the food and beverage industry, Tia’s decision to quit smoking triggered an unexpected and debilitating decline in her health. Conventional medicine offered no solutions, but a chance encounter with two holistic healers changed everything. Through an elimination diet and profound lifestyle changes, Tia not only reclaimed her health—she rediscovered her roots.

Tia's reconnection came through the act of crabbing, a practice tied to her Gullah Geechee heritage. What began as a way to stay active turned into a viral Airbnb experience—“Casual Crabbing with Tia”—and a new mission to educate, preserve, and heal. Her story captures how the water became both a source of joy and transformation. She now champions oyster shell recycling and envisions a nonprofit dedicated to marine restoration. Tia's passion, vulnerability, and vision remind us that explorers come from everywhere—and often, they return home to find themselves.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life's Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese dives into conversation with Susan Baur, founder of Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage. What began as a personal effort to clean Cape Cod ponds evolved into a joyful movement of women in their 60s to 80s suiting up in wetsuits to restore their local ecosystems.

Susan shares how, after a career in psychology and writing, she found healing and renewed purpose through diving. From litter to laughter, these “old ladies” are flipping perceptions of age and service—proving that community, curiosity, and courage don’t retire. This episode is a celebration of humor, second chances, and the grit it takes to find joy in unexpected places.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life's Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese welcomes filmmaker, photographer, and Explorers Club 50 honoree Brendan Hall. Brendan shares how his childhood passion for filming led him to a career as a documentary filmmaker and how his authentic, accessible approach to storytelling shaped his journey.

Brendan discusses his selection for the dearMoon mission, a civilian lunar project with SpaceX, and how the experience impacted his life even though the mission was eventually canceled. He also dives into the making of his film Out There: A National Parks Story, which took seven years to complete and focuses on personal, transformative experiences in national parks rather than extreme feats. Brendan emphasizes the importance of capturing genuine stories, vulnerability, and the communal power of storytelling to inspire and connect people.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.