Nerds That Talk Good

In this solo episode, Joel Benge previews his upcoming book Be a Nerd That Talks Good, shares his nerd origin story, and invites listeners to join the Book Army for an early look at the frameworks behind powerful technical messaging.

EP019: Mic Check, Math Check: The Flow of Hip Hop & Learning with Professor Lyrical Episode Summary: What happens when an elite battle rapper becomes a math professor? In this episode of Nerds That Talk Good, Dr. Peter Plourde—better known as Professor Lyrical—breaks down how he uses hip hop and academic rigor to reshape how […]

EP018: From Judo to JavaScript, & Fighting for What Matters with AnnMaria De Mars Episode Summary: In this episode of Nerds That Talk Good, Joel sits down with Dr. AnnMaria De Mars—world judo champion, educational psychologist, four-time tech founder, and game developer—whose life story reads like a cross between a TED Talk and an action […]

In this episode of Nerds That Talk Good, host Joel sits down with Jon Selig, a former tech sales professional turned stand-up comedian and corporate comedy trainer. Jon shares his journey from selling enterprise software at Oracle to performing stand-up for over a decade, and how he now helps sales and marketing teams sharpen their messaging through humor.

Cultural ecologist Rina Atienza joins Nerds That Talk Good to explore play, media, and meaning-making. From McLuhan’s media ecology to the power of card decks, we unpack how constraints fuel creativity and why storytelling matters more than ever.

Episode Summary: Jeffrey Wheatman, a cyber risk leader, strategist, storyteller, and former VP at Gartner, joins me to talk about bridging the gap between security, risk, and business leadership. Jeffrey shares his non-traditional path into cybersecurity—from retail management to pen testing—and how he discovered that his true strength wasn’t just in doing security, but in […]

Cybersecurity, food safety, and gorillas collide in this conversation with Kristin Demoranville. In this episode of Nerds That Talk Good, host Joel speaks with the founder of AnzenSage and Bytes and Bites podcast host about the intersections of OT security, AI in agriculture, and the challenge of making technical communication accessible. Kristin shares how primate behavior informs cybersecurity leadership, why the food industry is a major cyber target, and why she believes in slowing down and being mindful of what we eat. Tune in to hear how technology is shaping the future of food and security.

Episode Summary: In this high-energy episode of Nerds That Talk Good, Joel talks with Zac Hyde, a former Army Ranger, CISO, and now a powerhouse email copywriter who helps brands cut through the noise with bold, emotion-driven storytelling. Zac shares his unorthodox path from jumping out of planes to accidentally closing a $4.9M deal with […]

Adam DuVander of EveryDeveloper breaks down why developer marketing should feel invisible. Learn how to earn developers’ trust, avoid BS marketing traps, and craft content that actually gets results. Plus: Why “there is no spoon” in dev marketing.

Motion Director Joel Loukus breaks down visual storytelling, creative pitches, and why technical messaging needs myth and structure. Hear insights on the Hero’s Journey, motion design for high-stakes audiences, and the art of making people care.