In this episode, Kate Torode shares the story behind Chicken Nugget Girl — a hilarious, heartfelt “memoir in disguise” that turns everyday chaos into comedy. Drawing on her own life, Kate talks about midlife crises, rediscovering dreams, and the power of humor to process life’s messiest moments.

She opens up about how personal experiences shaped her character Mallory, why laughter is essential to survival, and the challenges of being both an artist and a self-promoter in today’s social media-driven world.

What You’ll Learn

• The origin of Chicken Nugget Girl and how Kate transforms disasters into comedy gold
• What a midlife crisis really means — and why it can be an opportunity for reinvention
• The double-edged sword of AI for writers and creators
• Why stand-up comedy matters as a mirror of society
• Kate’s honest take on social media as both a tool and a trap
• How humor, art, and openness about mental health keep us connected

Kate’s Takeaways

• “A midlife crisis is really a chance to ask: do I keep doing what I’m doing, or do I finally follow my dreams?”
• “Humor isn’t optional. Without it, life would be unbearable.”
• “Mental health matters as much as any other health condition — and we need to talk about it openly.”

Connect with Kate

• Website & updates: KateTorode.com

#KateTorode #ChickenNuggetGirl #MidlifeChaos #ComedyWriting #HumorHeals #MattersPodcast #MattersDotCom

This podcast is brought to you by Matters.com. (Formerly Solvecast.)
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Matthew Campobasso opens up about what truly matters to him at this stage in life and career. With 20+ years of experience in law, he explains how Stoic philosophy helped him shift his perspective — from chasing money and titles to focusing on balance, authenticity, and relationships.

He shares what it’s like teaching future lawyers, why he believes success is more about how you show up than how much you bill, and how being a dad shapes his outlook. We also dive into his personal “aha” moments with Stoicism and wrap things up with a fun Matters speed round.

What You’ll Learn

• Why priorities change as we move through life
• How Stoic ideas can help manage stress and pressure in high-stakes careers
• The difference between thinking like a lawyer and being one
• Why money and titles don’t equal happiness
• How authenticity and daily interactions shape your legacy
• The role of Peloton, journaling, and even video games in Matthew’s balance

Matthew’s Takeaways

• “The best way to teach kids to live a good life is to live one yourself.”
• “We can’t control what happens, but we can control how we respond.”
• “Life is a series of interactions. Always aim to make them better, or at least not worse.”

Connect with Matthew

• Follow him on LinkedIn

#MatthewCampobasso #StoicLawyer #MattersPodcast #law  #Stoicism #StoicWisdom #BalancedLife #AuthenticLiving #LifePhilosophy #MindfulLeadership #LawyerLife #LegalLeadership #CareerBalance #ProfessionalGrowth #LeadershipMatters #GrowthMindset #LiveAGoodLife #AuthenticityMatters #ParentingWithPurpose #LegacyBuilding

This podcast is brought to you by Matters.com. (Formerly Solvecast.)
A new social media and collaboration platform - launching soon.

Join thousands getting the Matters.com newsletter — world news, fresh perspectives, and early beta access.

In this episode of the Matters.com Presents Podcast, Olivia sits speaks with Allen Spence, a U.S. Congressional candidate and seasoned FinTech professional with over 20 years of experience in the financial markets.

Allen shares what matters most to him right now—defending the health of the republic, protecting freedoms, and strengthening the economy. From his perspective on tariffs and constitutional checks and balances, to the future of AI, cryptocurrency, financial regulation, and education, Allen explains how these issues connect to America’s prosperity and liberty.

He also dives into:

Why he believes bad economic policies are hurting Americans

The First and Fourth Amendments under threat

The importance of fair and transparent financial markets

How AI will drive the next wave of productivity

His stance on education, public schools, and career paths

The role of crypto and blockchain in global payments and efficiency

Why freedom of speech is the foundation of democracy

And even his personal passion for coffee and insights on the stock market

Allen’s campaign is built on economic prosperity, transparency, and maximizing individual utility.

🔗 Learn more & follow his campaign: Spence2026.com

#AllenSpence #USCongress #Economy #Freedom #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Crypto #Cryptocurrency #Blockchain #FinancialMarkets #StockMarket #EducationMatters #USConstitution #FreeSpeech #ChecksAndBalances #PodcastInterview #PoliticalPodcast #FinTech #MattersPodcast #Spence2026

This podcast is brought to you by Matters.com. (Formerly Solvecast.)
A new social media and collaboration platform - launching soon.

Join thousands getting the Matters.com newsletter — world news, fresh perspectives, and early beta access.

In this episode of Matters.com, Emily sits down with Heather Johnson, the Queen of Copycat Recipes, food and travel blogger, and winner of Guy’s Grocery Games. With over 6 million page views in 2024, Heather shares what truly matters to her — from simple joys like naps, her dogs and cats, to the inspiration she finds at the beach.

Heather dives into:

• How food and travel shape her life and career
• Her most popular copycat recipe (yes, the legendary Casey’s Breakfast Pizza 🍕)
• Why the air fryer is a game-changer for cooking for one
• The rejuvenating power of the beach and travel inspiration
• What it was like to win Guy’s Grocery Games and get praised by Guy Fieri himself
• Her take on what matters (and what doesn’t) — from mental health and dogs to books and politics

Heather also gives us a peek at what’s next, including her upcoming trip to Aruba, and where you can follow her adventures and recipes.

📍 Follow Heather:

• Blog: TheFoodHussy.com
• Instagram: @FoodHussy
• TikTok: @TheFoodHussy

#FoodBlogger #CopycatRecipes #AirFryerCooking #FoodAndTravel #HeatherJohnson #MattersPodcast #ComfortFood #GuyFieri #FoodieLife #CaseysBreakfastPizza #FoodInspiration #TravelEats #BeachVibes #FoodBlogging

This podcast is brought to you by Matters.com. (Formerly Solvecast.)
A new social media and collaboration platform - launching soon.

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In this episode of Matters.com, Emily sits down with Hudson Turman, an 18-year-old nationally ranked debater (3rd in the U.S. for Big Questions Debate) to talk about the power of communication, civic engagement, and the role of debate in shaping future leaders.

Hudson shares:

Why speech and debate matters more than ever in a digital-first world.

How blending technology and in-person communication makes debate even stronger.

The family story that inspired his journey into competitive debate.

What it’s really like to compete at national tournaments.

A speed round on topics from rhetoric and civic engagement to lacrosse, hot honey, and self-driving cars.

💡 Whether you’re a student, educator, parent, or lifelong learner, Hudson’s perspective will inspire you to think differently about how we communicate and engage with the world.

📍 Follow Hudson’s journey: Instagram → @HudsonTurman_19

📍 Learn more: Matters.com  


#SpeechAndDebate #DebateLife #Rhetoric #PublicSpeaking #CriticalThinking
#GenZVoices #FutureLeaders #YouthEmpowerment #StudentVoices #BigQuestions
#CivicEngagement #LeadershipMatters #EducationMatters #LifelongLearning #InspiringVoices

This podcast is brought to you by Matters.com. (Formerly Solvecast.)
A new social media and collaboration platform - launching soon.

Join thousands getting the Matters.com newsletter — world news, fresh perspectives, and early beta access.

Svati Patel shares her powerful journey of adopting Rani, a rescue dog from Puerto Rico. We talk about the stereotypes around rescue dogs, why they end up in shelters, and how adoption truly saves two lives.

Svati also shares her fostering experiences, and why rescue dogs aren’t broken—they’re just waiting for love and a second chance.

👉 Key takeaway: When you adopt, you don’t just rescue a dog—you change your own life too.

🔗 Connect with Svati on LinkedIn: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/svati-patel-366a7a5

🐾 Learn more at Petfinder.com

#AdoptDontShop #RescueDogs #PetAdoption

This podcast is brought to you by Matters.com. (Formerly Solvecast.)
A new social media and collaboration platform - launching soon.

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Mike Zeinfeld interviews Laura Richards, a bestselling author and speaker who helps women heal and rebuild after experiencing narcissistic abuse. Laura shares her personal journey of living with a covert narcissist for 33 years, how she discovered the concept of narcissistic abuse, and the importance of spreading awareness. She discusses the traits of narcissists, their manipulative tactics such as gaslighting, and the devastating impact on victims' self-esteem. . The conversation also touches on various related topics, including mental health, social media's influence, and the importance of support systems.

00:19 Understanding Narcissistic Abuse

02:11 Personal Journey and Realizations

04:59 Empowerment and Moving Forward

07:06 The Role of Social Media

08:18 Next Level Thoughts on Narcissism

10:42 Speed Round: Matters or Not Matters

https://www.instagram.com/thatswhereimatpodcast/

https://www.thatswhereimatpodcast.com/free-gift-from-laura

This podcast is brought to you by Matters.com. (Formerly Solvecast.)
A new social media and collaboration platform - launching soon.

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Welcome back! We interviewed Avelyn Simons, an award-winning high school drama teacher, director, and performer. She discusses the significant impact of arts education on students. 

With 18 state nominations under her belt, Avelyn shares her journey from performer to educator, the challenges she faced, and the rewards of seeing her students grow. 

She elaborates on the transformative power of public speaking classes, the importance of taking risks in directing complex shows, and the broader life skills students gain from theater. 

00:16 Avelyn's Journey to Teaching
01:40 Impact of Arts Education
03:20 Challenges and Successes in Directing
04:33 Personal Stories and Student Growth
07:55 Risk Taking in Theater
10:03 Speed Round

https://www.linkedin.com/in/avelyn-mae-simons-5ab747248/

This podcast is brought to you by Matters.com. (Formerly Solvecast.)
A new social media and collaboration platform - launching soon.

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We’re switching things up and doing a podcast profile — and this one’s a standout. Mike interviews Amanda Trisdale about Leta’s Tap Styles (And My Autistic Life) — a podcast she hosts with her 13-year-old daughter, Leta.

The show explores the powerful intersection of dance and neurodiversity, with real stories, advocacy, and rhythm to spare. Amanda shares how a random social media hack sparked the idea for the podcast, Leta’s success in the tap world, and how they launched a nonprofit dance studio designed for autistic dancers. And of course, we close with the Matters.com speed round.

00:21 The Origin of the Podcast
01:03 Leta's Journey in Dance
01:39 Challenges and Advocacy in Dance
02:56 Purpose and Structure of the Podcast
05:21  Seeking Guests...
06:16 Speed Round: Topics that Matter

https://www.letatapstyles.com/

This podcast is brought to you by Matters.com. (Formerly Solvecast.)
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In this episode, we speak with Grant McCracken, founder of DarkHorse Security, about his mission to make cybersecurity accessible and affordable for organizations of all sizes. Grant discusses the importance of proactive security, especially for smaller organizations, and his efforts to eliminate barriers to effective cybersecurity. Additionally, the episode features a rapid-fire speed round covering topics such as skiing, artificial intelligence, pizza, exercise, video games, mental health, entrepreneurship, effective altruism, duck fashion shows, toe wrestling, and antibiotic resistance.

00:24 The Importance of Cybersecurity
00:52 Making Cybersecurity Accessible
02:16 Grant's Personal Journey
03:44 Speed Round: Matters or Not
06:22 Serious vs. Ridiculous Topics
11:29 Conclusion and Contact Information

https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantmccracken/

https://darkhorse.sh/

This podcast is brought to you by Matters.com. (Formerly Solvecast.)
A new social media and collaboration platform - launching soon.

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