Fifty episodes in and we have started to recognize a pattern: the most interesting people don’t follow straight lines—they pivot, rebuild, and end up somewhere better.

Enter Kathy Wise. A former attorney turned award-winning journalist, Kathy is now the Editorial Director of D Magazine and the founder of MÄHJ the Magazine, a quarterly mahjong publication that’s equal parts culture, connection, and beautifully curated storytelling.

But before all of that, Kathy was in the trenches of legal practice doing the work, winning the cases, and ultimately realizing that success doesn’t mean much if it costs you everything else.

So she walked.

What followed wasn’t a neat, pre-planned transition. It was a leap that was sparked by her instinct, sharpened by her experience, and ultimately rewarded Kathy with a career built on curiosity, storytelling, and a willingness to chase what actually feels right.

In this episode, we cover:

• Texas State Fair cake judging
• How a chance connection through her therapist led her into publishing
• Building a career at D Magazine 
• The launch of MÄHJ the Magazine, a quarterly release inspired by the winds and seasons of mahjong, designed to connect a fragmented global community
• Safari coffee (instant, unapologetic, and apparently amazing)
• Why mahjong isn’t just a game

Kathy has written about everything from wrongful convictions to pickleball to drag racing. Her writing is always about people and the stories worth telling. 

And for our 50th episode, we are pretty excited to tell part of hers. 

👉 Listen now:  

Find Kathy at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-wise-5b8b4340/

Explore more of Kathy’s work: https://www.dmagazine.com/writers/kathy-wise/page/3

How to subscribe to MÄHJ the Magazine https://mahj.com/products/mahj-magazine

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 Explicit Rating is for the occasional use of colorful language.