Welcome back to the free to be podcast! This week, I'm joined by my dear friend Sammy Barr for a conversation about the creator economy, his experience of breaking into the entertainment industry, living with intention, and embracing the winding path involved with building a multifaceted life. Sammy and I met through Greek Intervarsity during our time at USC (he graduated Class of 2025, BA in Cinema and Media Studies).

Sammy works at United Talent Agency (UTA) in their Creators department. As you will gather from our conversation, Texas bred & LA buttered, Sammy is one of the most intentional people I know. he's approached his career with a determined, action-oriented, curious, approach that I really admire and from which I have learned. around two months ago, He started sharing his wisdom as well as his takes on the future of the media, talent, and entertainment industry. We dive into all of this as well as his unique door(s) into his current role at UTA.

This is a conversation about the winding path characteristic of living an intentional, multifaceted life. I loved this conversation and getting to hear more of Sammy's story and wisdom. I left our recording excited to continue growing and being more like love. While, as I'll mention, he & I's friendship initially began with faith as a throughline, it has only grown to contain our creative interests.

Sammy is a true expander and a dynamic storyteller. Whether you're here to learn about the creator economy, hear advice we'd give our younger selves, gain perspective on breaking into the entertainment industry, or because you're one of our supportive friends or family members here for the ride – I am so excited for all of you listening to get to know him and his light! 

the free to be pod is relaunching with a bang. please enjoy this episode with the one & only Jason Saperstone (AKA Jason Sappy). this is your proof that he is just as funny in real life <3. so so lucky to call him a bestie and this was a total blast to record back in the fall of 2025!! since then he has launched the digital footprint series (go follow it!!!) and continued to grow his following.

in this (long overdue) episode we talk about Jason's journey to beginning to post his videos, how he navigates the fear of what people might think in order to continue choosing authenticity, and he schools me in popular culture. so grateful for our friendship J, thank you for sharing your story and joy with the free to be community!

find more of Jason below:

instagram

tiktok

digital footprint series

misc shoutouts:

LAV Salad Dressing (and Natalie and I's podcast together)

Hadley Greene (also sharing our podcast together)

Glennon Doyle's quote is from her book Untamed

Brene Brown - Rising Strong

Elizabeth Gilbert - Big Magic

Emma Chamberlain on Call Her Daddy

It's been too long! This week's episode is with a community fav -- Cailin Bracken, host of Sunday Questions. In the next hour or so, listen in to hear us discover we were separated at birth?? (Kidding, kidding, but boy are we cut from similar cloths!) We dive into Cail's journey to find and cultivate her voice, how her sobriety has intermingled with that pursuit, and how she is embodying the joy of her wonderful, sassy, spunky younger self.

It is a joy to walk this life alongside Cail & each of you listening. Cheers to the journey! Big love, always.

The Free to Be Pod is entering its second season! After some time apart - how I've missed you all - Fi is back and excited to reunite. This new chapter of Free to Be is grounded in one simple mission: Fi finding her voice. But, really, it's about founding our voices, together.

Come on in, take a seat or lace up your walking shoes, grab a cuppa something that warms your heart and let's dive in. Deeply grateful to have you along this journey. Big love.

Hello beautiful people! This episode is a treat. I am so excited for you to meet Katie, one of my very best friends. I've been lucky enough to know and love her since freshman year of high school.

Tune in to hear about how we invest in our friendships, enjoy the little things, balance our goals with being present, what we'd tell our younger selves, and how to make the best out of a breakup. I cannot be more grateful to have had Katie as my friend throughout my college journey. I am so excited to be sharing her wisdom with you this week.

Happy Valentine's Day, Free to Be Family! You are so loved. Until next time.

Katie's Outdoors Account

Big love, Fi.

In this episode, I have the absolute joy of catching up with :. Creator of @cailinbracken and Sunday Questions - The Podcast, Cailin has been an inspiration to me in my creative journey. You may know her from her many accolades-- writing the viral "A Letter to College Sports," running the New York City Marathon, performing a TedTalk. What I love most about Cailin is the gift of her friendship-- one that unfailingly encourages me to share my story with others.

We talk about everything (can you tell we were overdue for a catch-up?!) from senior year, to people pleasing, and to committing to becoming our best selves. This conversation healed me in more ways than one, and has continued to inspire me in the week since we recorded it.

I am so excited to share Cailin with you. If you don't know her yet, you soon will, and you will be better for it. Have an amazing week!

With love, Fi

Find More of Cail:

Mentions:

In this episode, I chat with friend and founder Natalie Felikian. Natalie and I discuss Lav, her single-serve salad dressing company. In Armenian, Lav means "well." Natalie discusses how her Armenian culture shaped her love of food, which ultimately led her to an interest in nutrition, and finally, to creating Lav. We talk all things dressing well--which not only applies to making delicious salads, but also to a life well-lived.

Natalie's pod with Chloe for PerSPECtive

Lav's website (coming soon!)

Nat's TikTok

In this very special episode, you and I get to chat with the lovely Hadley Greene. I know her as my dear friend, neighbor, and favorite lady to go to Church (and Erewhon) with - but you all might know her from her awesome TikToks with her brothers, especially her brother Boomer, and fabulous sense of style. However you encounter Hadley, you quickly learn that she is a light.

Early into our friendship, we realized that we both have brothers with Autism. Having a friend who not only understands this integral aspect of my life but also shares in it has been a great blessing. While plenty of you listening do not have siblings with special needs, I've found that mostly everyone has someone they love with special needs of some kind or another. What Hadley and I have learned from our brothers-namely, how to (try to) not sweat the small stuff-are lessons that can touch anyone's lives for the better. In this episode, we dive into our experiences of having a sibling with special needs, navigating faith and family life in college, and rooting ourselves in community.

Enjoy! Xx, Fi

FIND HADLEY HERE:

In this episode, I had the absolute privilege of interviewing Sam Stack. Sam is a junior at the University of Southern California studying Communications with a minor in Screenwriting and Film. He is an outspoken advocate for men's mental health, and founded the Men's Mental Health Initiative at USC. Recently, he was featured in a segment on The Today Show with Maria Shriver to speak about masculinity and its impact on mental health. In this episode, we talk all things (you guessed it) mental health, as well as the "Sophomore Slump," therapy, Greek Life, friendship, and beyond.

Sam is a light and I am so grateful he shared his story with the Free to Be pod. His courage in owning his story is something we call all admire. I know you're going to love him!

USC Men's Mental Health Initiative: https://www.instagram.com/uscmmhi/

Let's continue breaking the stigma. Thank you, Sam!

Until next time,

Fi <3