The Interview with Leslie Heaney

Today’s episode is all about cannabis! 

Have you ever wondered what is the difference between CBD, THC, Hemp, Cannabis?  Or why is cannabis legalized in some states and not others? What’s its history?  What markets are growing in Europe and worldwide?

Today, Leslie has all the answers to these questions and more.  Leslie is sitting down with Will Muecke, a real expert in the cannabis investment space. 

Will is the co-founding managing member and Chief Investment Officer for Artemis Growth Partners.  Artemis is a private equity platform dedicated to investing 100 percent in the cannabis industry worldwide. 

Artemis Growth oversees $400 million in assets under management.  Before Artemis, Will was the co-founding managing partner of CoreCo private equity and the former co-head of the healthcare services sector in the healthcare investment banking group at Goldman Sachs.   

In our conversation, Will and Leslie talk about the history of cannabis and its criminalization, the state of cannabis in the United States today, the growth of cannabis in European markets and the future of cannabis in both the U.S. and worldwide.

If you ever wanted to know more about cannabis as a cannabis consumer, an interested investor, or just for talking points at your next dinner party… this is an episode for you…

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday/

Today, Leslie is sitting down with celebrity interior designer, Vicky Charles. 

Vicky leads the juggernaut design firm, Charles and Co. Consistently voted as one of Architectural Digest’s TOP 100 Interior Design Firms, with offices in New York, London and Bassano, Italy.  Vicky has a flair for producing imaginative and eclectic interiors for both residential and commercial projects worldwide.

Having worked as the Design Director at Soho House for twenty years, Vicky’s reputation for defining the Soho House aesthetic precedes her, as does the amazing interiors she has designed for her celebrity clients like the Clooneys, Beckhams, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, Harry Styles, the list goes on.

In this episode, Vicky and I talk about her incredible career – how she got her start waiting tables at the Soho House to working her way through the ranks to its Design Director, her following her passions, her design inspirations, her balancing work and family…..and what’s next for Vicky Charles….

This is an episode you won’t want to miss. If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

A Harvard survey found that 44% of Gen Z young adults feel like they don't matter to others and 34% reported loneliness.  A Gallup survey found that 31% of Gen Zers ages 12 to 26 often don’t feel loved, 35% often don't feel supported, and 30% always or often feel like nobody knows them well. 

While these statistics are alarming, thankfully there is a movement working to address this crisis. In this episode, Leslie speaks with Dr. Sarah Bennison.  Dr. Bennison is the CEO and Co-Founder of The Mattering Movement.  

Dr. Sarah Bennison is an educational leader, activist, and founder of Trinity School (NYC) Office of Public Service, a thought leading service-learning initiative engaging students, faculty, families and alumni in ongoing, meaningful community engagement work and social impact curriculum. She started her career in New York City public schools in the South Bronx and has more than twenty-five years of teaching and leadership experience. She is also an adjunct professor at New York University.

Dr. Bennison co-founded the Mattering Movement along with journalist Jennie Wallace who is the author of bestselling book Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic-and What We Can Do About It, two other remarkable women, Kimberly Kravis and Kim Towner. 

The Mattering Movement is working to address the pandemic of loneliness and despair that is plaguing our children and adolescents today.  

Dr. Bennison and Leslie talk about this crisis facing our kids and what you can do to help your children and even yourselves develop a happier more fulfilled life – a life that “matters”. This is an episode you will not want to miss…

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday." 

Leslie is thrilled to be back with Part Two of her conversation with the incredibly talented Grammy-nominated recording artist, songwriter, activist, and filmmaker John Forté.  

In Part 1 John and Leslie talked about his incredible life leading up to his producing the Fugees multi-platinum record, The Score, and his subsequent collaborations with Wyclef Jean. Part 1 ended with John’s arrest at Newark Airport following a drug sting operation. 

We pick up here in Part 2 where Leslie and John talk about his time in prison, the commutation of his sentence by President George W. Bush, and, most importantly, the amazing life, family, and career John has built since then…

John’s story is one of promise, hope, redemption, and love… Tune in to Part 2 with John Forté!

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

I am very happy to be back after my brief summer hiatus to bring to you a truly inspirational story of someone who has experienced all of life’s highs and lows and has come through it all thanks to grace, resilience, great friends, and incredible talent.

Today I am honored to be speaking with Grammy-nominated recording artist, songwriter, activist, filmmaker and friend, John Forte. John is probably best known for writing and producing songs for The Fugees and their multi-platinum record The Score, and for his subsequent collaborations with Wyclef Jean.

After huge success as a producer in the late 90s and following the tough unsuccessful (in John’s mind at the time) release of his first album, Poly Sci, John went into a deep isolation. Then when an opportunity presented itself for him to work as a middleman connecting people who were acting as drug couriers, John took it. His focus was less on the work he was doing and more on what he could do with the money he was making – make more music.

In July of 2000, Forté was arrested at Newark International Airport. As he explained to GQ magazine back in 2022, “I was picking up two carriers who had already been cooperating in a controlled sting, because they’d been caught and apprehended with 14 kilograms of liquid cocaine,” he says. He was sentenced to the mandatory minimum of 14 years and incarcerated at FCI Loretto, a low-security federal prison in Pennsylvania.

With friends like Carly Simon and with support from an unlikely ally then Senator Orin Hatch from Utah, Forte’s case was presented to President George W Bush for commutation and his sentence was commuted. After serving 7 years, John was finally free.

John left prison and went on to do what he was always called to do – make music. For more than two decades, John has produced solo albums and a myriad of collaborative projects.

John is currently composing the score and writing/producing the soundtrack for the forthcoming “Kerouac’s Road: Beat of a Nation” for Universal, he also recently scored the forthcoming 6-part HBO series “Eyes on the Prize”.

John’s music has also been featured in films and television, including the Emmy-nominated “Momentum Generation” for HBO. John also created The Brooklyn Nets inaugural theme song back in 2012, a very personal thing for him as a Brooklyn native.

The film, The Russian Winter, was released in 2012, following John’s concert tour through Russia while exploring his life up until then. A second film about John’s life is currently in production, Settling the Score.

John is also very involved in prison reform and social justice initiatives – all while he is enjoying his life as a father of two living on Martha’s Vineyard.

In this two-part interview – John and I talk about his upbringing, his incredible career, his time in prison, his incredible commutation by President Bush and all the amazing work he has accomplished since then - not to mention the wonderful life he has built – savoring the simple pleasures in life like fishing and being a Dad, while writing, making music and producing films.

John’s story is one of promise, hope, redemption, and love. His life and example move and inspire me - I know it will you too...

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and follow us on Instagram at The Interview with Leslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

In this episode, Leslie sits down with Tom Seeman, author of the compelling memoir, Animals I Want to See.

Tom's extraordinary journey takes us from the projects of Toledo, Ohio, where he grew up as one of twelve children in extreme poverty, to the hallowed halls of Yale and Harvard Law School.

Tom's story is a testament to the power of determination, resilience, and the impact of unexpected heroes. From neighbors to teachers, Tom's life was shaped by mentors who saw his potential and guided him toward success.

Today, Tom enjoys a thriving career in private equity and dedicates himself to giving back to the institutions and organizations that played crucial roles in his transformation.

Join Leslie and Tom as they delve into the experiences that forged his character, the challenges he overcame, and the lessons he learned along the way. 

Tune in for an uplifting discussion that will not only inspire you but also reignite your belief in the power of perseverance and the potential for positive change, no matter where you start in life.

If you enjoy The Interview with Leslie, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Follow us on Instagram ⁠@theinterviewwithleslie⁠.

The hottest topic today for women in their 40s and 50s – both literally and figuratively - is menopause!

For something that is one of just two certainties in life for women - menopause and death – it is shocking how little OB/GYNs know about menopause or how few women are getting adequate treatment to relieve some of the crippling symptoms of perimenopause. 

The statistics are staggering – 80 percent of Ob/gyns are untrained in menopause, 75 percent of doctors are uncomfortable talking to patients about menopause symptoms and 75 percent of women who seek care don’t receive any treatment.

In this episode, Leslie speaks with Joanna Strober, CEO and co-founder of Midi Health.  

Joanna has spent her career building businesses that unlock the potential of women and their families. It was Joanna’s own experience struggling with the symptoms of menopause, yet finding no answers, that led her to create Midi Health.  

Midi Health is a virtual care clinic created by specialists in perimenopause and menopause and it is covered by insurance.

Herself a Midi patient, Leslie talks with Joanna about what women can do to treat the symptoms of menopause - from hormone replacement therapy to prescriptions to supplements and lifestyle changes.  

For our female listeners, get ready to take lots of notes as the episode is filled with tons of information and tips for managing your menopause.  For our male listeners, this episode is for you too! At some point you will have a woman in your life that will go through menopause, and you need to know what’s in store.

If you enjoy The Interview with Leslie, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Follow us on Instagram ⁠@theinterviewwithleslie⁠.

Have you ever wondered how celebrities on the red carpet look so amazing? How do they have the perfect hair that lasts for hours? Who are the creators behind these magical looks? 

In today’s episode, Leslie sits down and speaks with “The Hollywood Hitmaker of Hair” –  Adir Abergel. Adir is the creative force behind some of the most memorable moments in celebrity hairstyling. His work has been seen gracing the covers of magazines, red carpets, and runways worldwide. 

Adir’s client list contains some of the biggest names in Hollywood: Kristen Stewart, Rooney Mara, Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kristen Dunst, Reese Witherspoon, Anne Hathaway, and the list goes on and on…

From collaborating with Mario Testino and Annie Leibovitz to styling shoots for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, even creating looks for Dior and Chanel… Adir has been transforming the hair industry since his early days as an apprentice for hair guru Arthur Johns. 

Adir is also the Creative Director for Virtue Labs - a revolutionary hair care brand that is the first to use pure, human Keratin in its products.  

On top of all that, Adir has won countless awards for his work. He most recently received the Hair Artist of The Year at @dailyfrontrow Los Angeles Fashion Awards – an honor presented to him by his dear friend and client Jennifer Garner. 

This conversation between Adir and Leslie is entertaining and full of life stories, celebrity anecdotes, and all of the best-kept hair secrets that Adir shares with his A-List clients. 

If you enjoy The Interview with Leslie, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Follow us on Instagram ⁠@theinterviewwithleslie⁠.

Tune in for part 2 featuring world-renowned mezzo-soprano opera superstar,⁠ Denyce Graves.⁠

Denyce has graced all the major world opera house stages and concert halls during her 30+ year long career. From humble beginnings to winning a Grammy for Best Opera Recording, Denyce's talent is unmatched. 

Leslie and Denyce discuss her greatest mentors, inspirations, the three tenors, and her greatest passion - ⁠The Denyce Graves Foundation. ⁠

Founded in 2021, The Denyce Graves Foundation focuses on educating and mentoring the future generation of opera singers while honoring the history of vocal artists that are less known but have had a major impact on the arts in America. Their motto: "Artistic excellence has no racial, physical, or economic limitations."

If you enjoy The Interview with Leslie, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Follow us on Instagram ⁠@theinterviewwithleslie⁠.

Tune in for a new episode featuring world-renowned mezzo-soprano opera superstar, Denyce Graves.

Denyce has graced all the major world opera house stages and concert halls during her 30+ year long career. From humble beginnings to winning a Grammy for Best Opera Recording, Denyce's talent is unmatched. 

Leslie and Denyce discuss her greatest mentors, inspirations, the three tenors, and her greatest passion - The Denyce Graves Foundation. 

Founded in 2021, The Denyce Graves Foundation focuses on educating and mentoring the future generation of opera singers while honoring the history of vocal artists that are less known but have had a major impact on the arts in America. Their motto: "Artistic excellence has no racial, physical, or economic limitations."

Leslie and Denyce had such an amazing conversation that we are splitting it into two parts! Part two will be released on July 10, 2024 at 7 AM EST 

If you enjoy The Interview with Leslie, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Follow us on Instagram @theinterviewwithleslie.