The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

1. 1
   Number 1: 500: Tamara Thornton—The Mother of Mach

   What happens when your son drops out of MIT at 19, starts a defense company in his twenties, and sets out to reinvent the way America builds weapons? If you're Tamara Thornton, you get a job. In this episode, Mike sits down with the Head of Marketing and Communications at Mach Industries, Tamara Thornton, who also happens to be the mother of the founder and CEO, Ethan Thornton. Ethan's decision to leave MIT and pursue his vision for Mach has led to a company now valued at $1.8 billion. But the story gets more interesting when you hear it from his mother—and learn what Ethan was like long before he became a CEO. It's a revealing and often surprising conversation about family, ambition, risk, failure, manufacturing, and the remarkable journey from a kid who liked to blow stuff up to the leader of one of America's fastest-growing defense companies. At the center of it all is a fascinating question: What happens when the son you raised becomes your boss? Shout out to our great sponsors PureTalk.com/ROWE—Switch your phone service today and enjoy your first three months of talk, text, and data for just $15 a month regardless of which plan you choose. BuildFreedom.us—The best place to find a six-figure, AI-proof job. Build your future. Rebuild America.

   August 25, 2026·50min
   Play
2. 2
   Number 2: 501: Andy Stumpf—Gray Noise

   Andy Stumpf knows what it takes to operate when everything goes wrong. A former Navy SEAL who served with SEAL Team Six, Stumpf spent 17 years in the military, including a tour as a BUD/S instructor responsible for training hundreds of aspiring SEALs. He was also shot at close range by an Iraqi insurgent with an AK-47—and somehow came back to serve again. In this episode, Andy pulls back the curtain on the world of special operations and the psychology of becoming a SEAL. He reveals what he learned about the candidates who ring the bell, the methods he used as an instructor to get them to keep going—or make them quit—and what it really feels like when an AK-47 fragment shatters your sciatic nerve. It's a conversation about fear, pain, endurance, and the strange things that happen in your head when the stakes couldn't be higher. Andy is the host of Cleared Hot, one of the most popular podcasts devoted to military life, special operations, and the people who have lived it. Big thanks to our terrific sponsors American-Giant.com/Mike—American Giant makes clothes that last, and they make them 100% in America.Use code MIKE to get 20% off your order. American Giant—American Made. K12.com/Rowe—Find a K12-powered school near you and see what's possible for your child with K12's Career and College Prep. Digs.com/MIKE—Less rework. Less confusion. And a much smoother build experience for homeowners. Get 40% offyour first 3 months

   September 01, 2026·2h 34min
   Play
3. 3
   Number 3: 498: Bill Whittle—Communism for Dummies

   What exactly is communism—and why has it failed so spectacularly everywhere it's been tried? Bill Whittle has spent years answering those questions, and in this episode, he makes the case in a way that's hard to misunderstand. Bill is a writer, filmmaker, and political commentator whose work includes Empire of Terror, a detailed examination of the history and ideology of communism. Here, he breaks down the fundamental differences between individualism and collectivism, explains how free markets actually work, and makes the case for capitalism and the constitutional republic that makes it possible. Using simple analogies, memorable examples, and plenty of common sense, Bill tackles some very complicated ideas without burying them in complicated language. Why does individual freedom matter? Why do markets work without a central planner telling everyone what to do? And what happens when a government decides that the collective is more important than the individual? If you've ever wondered why capitalism works, why communism doesn't, or how the two systems actually differ in practice, Bill Whittle has a few answers—and he makes them surprisingly easy to understand. Big thanks to our terrific sponsors PureTalk.com/ROWE—Switch your phone service today and enjoy your first three months of talk, text, and data for just $15 a month regardless of which plan you choose. NetSuite.AI/MIKE—The #1 Cloud ER. If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, try NetSuite Nextfor FREE. AuraFrames.com—Named the #1 digital picture frame by Wirecutter. Use code MIKE to get $35 off select frames plus FREE shipping. Digs.com/MIKE—Less rework. Less confusion. And a much smoother build experience for homeowners. Get 40% offyour first 3 months

   August 11, 2026·1h 34min
   Play
4. 4
   Number 4: 499: Ted Decker & Ian Cinnamon—Orbiting Home

   What do a Home Depot employee and a satellite have in common? More than you might think. In this episode, Mike Rowe talks with two CEOs about the people and technology quietly building the future around us. First, Mike sits down with Ted Decker, CEO of The Home Depot, to talk about workforce development, the company's "inverted pyramid" philosophy—where frontline associates and customers sit at the top and management exists to support them—and why developing people from the ground up is central to the company's success. Decker also explains the story behind Home Depot's Kids Workshop program, which has introduced generations of young people to tools, building, and the satisfaction of making something with their own hands. Then Mike talks with Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree Ian Cinnamon, CEO and co-founder of Apex, a company tackling one of the space industry's biggest challenges: making satellites faster and at much greater scale. Cinnamon explains just how many aspects of everyday life depend on satellites—from communications and navigation to weather and national security—and why getting more capable spacecraft into orbit is becoming increasingly important. From the aisles of Home Depot to the edge of space, this is a conversation about building things, building people, and building what comes next. Shout out to our great sponsors K12.com/Rowe—Find a K12-powered school near you and see what's possible for your child with K12's Career and College Prep. ZipRecruiter.com/Rowe—The recruiting site that really is the smartest way to hire. Post a job for FREE and find a qualified candidate in 24 hours. GoodRanchers.com/ROWE—Sourcing 100% of their meat from American farms and ranches and delivering straight to your door. Get $50 off anything on their site and get DOUBLE the FREE meat with every order when you start a plan. CamelCityMill.com—The last work sock you'll ever need. 100% American made with a 10-year warranty. Use code ROWE for 10% off Mike's favorite work sock.

   August 18, 2026·1h 13min
   Play
5. 5
   Number 5: 496: Dr. Philip Ovadia—Meat is Medicine

   For decades, Americans have been told that cholesterol is public enemy number one. But cardiologist and heart surgeon Dr. Philip Ovadia says we've been fighting the wrong battle. Despite decades of lowering cholesterol with drugs and dietary advice, heart disease remains the #1 killer in America—and Dr. Ovadia believes it's time to rethink what's really making us sick. After losing more than 100 pounds by adopting a diet centered primarily on meat, Dr. Ovadia began challenging conventional wisdom about cholesterol, nutrition, and metabolic health. Mike sits down with the bestselling author of Stay Off My Operating Table to discuss why he believes insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction—not cholesterol—are driving the epidemic of heart disease. They also dive into his new book, Stay Off My Kitchen Table, available today, and explore why his message has become one of the most talked-about—and controversial—in modern medicine. Tip o' the hat to our excellent sponsors Pure Talk—Switch your phone service today and enjoy your first three months of talk, text, and data for just $15 a month. Go to PureTalk.com/ROWE NetSuite—The #1 Cloud ER. If your revenues are at least in the seven figures, go to NetSuite.AI/MIKE and try NetSuite Next for FREE. GoodRanchers.com/ROWE—Sourcing 100% of their meat from American farms and ranches and delivering straight to your door. Get $50 off anything on their site and get DOUBLE the FREE meat with every order when you start a plan.

   July 28, 2026·1h 49min
   Play