We're All Going To Die, Anyway

In this episode, Jess sits down with David and Andrea LaFrance, two people she met during a rare encounter -- while stranded in the middle of the Bahamas airport, to be exact -- and with whom she developed a deep connection and long-lasting relationship. Together, they have endured many ups and downs, but one of the most tragic events was the sudden loss of their son Connor at the age of 14.

How David, Andrea, and the rest of their family responded to their son's passing is what makes their relationship with Jess and this conversation in particular so impactful. This couple have committed their lives to celebrating Connor's life and the inevitable long-lasting joy in doing so. They are steadfast in their approach to honoring his legacy, learning to seek out and read the signs from above, and understanding that The Good Life can be found by simply doing what we love.

In this special episode, Jess shares a story that she has never shared publicly before...her first experience with death. When she was only 13 years old, she lost her friend and her first love, a boy named Bobby. He was the son of a high ranking politician in Florida and was tragically murdered by his mother, who then took her own life. Because the death was public news, the family held a closed funeral and Jess was never able to grieve for him, which left a lasting impact on the way she viewed and came to understand loss.

Jess also shares a special poem that has brought much solace to her life called "The Dash." We all have a birth date and we will all have a day that we die. But it's the dash between those dates that really constitutes our LIFE. And Jess reminds us all that paying attention to that "dash" and filling it with love, memories, and connections will help make our life a Good Life worth living.

In today's episode, Jess speaks with Tim Federle, the producer of Disney+'s hit show "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series." He shares incredible insights throughout the conversation about his own experience being bullied as a boy, how being a theatre kid "saved his life," and how he now gets paid for doing all the things for which people used to make fun of him.

Tim's search for living The Good Life has him redefining his version of success, and he talks about how, as adults, we need to give ourselves permission to change our aspirations and dreams. Jess and Tim bond over their shared theatre roots, their love of connecting with kids, and how they both feel leadership is ultimately about bringing out the good in people.

IG + Twitter: @TimFederle

In today's episode, Jess sits down with TV director Michael Medico to discuss the most influential moments of their past, including the death of loved ones, the loss of relationships, and how they are both discovering new and unexpected passions.

Michael shares how as a child, his mother's mental illness helped shape his ability as a performer to think about people's emotional needs and how he and his partner, Brian, now approach modeling a "realistic relationship" for their children. And in a way only good friends can do, Michael brings Jess to tears with some very kind words about what it means to be a true mother and nurturer.

IG + Twitter: @michaelmedicola

Website: www.michaelmedico.com

Books mentioned by Michael:

"Genius Foods" by Max Lugavere

"David and Goliath" by Malcolm Gladwell

In this episode, Jess sits down with writer, poet, and artist Megan Baca. Though at the beginning of the conversation, they start as strangers, they soon discover so many similarities about their creative passions, the emotional trauma of childhood bullying, and learning how to "reparent" yourself later in life.

Megan candidly shares her struggles to fit into a world that didn't appear ready to accept her for her extroverted, talkative, unapologetic self. She and Jess connect over what it means to finally be "seen" by a loving partner, and Megan reveals a powerful story concerning the birth of her third daughter. Most importantly, she and Jess talk at length about how the deaths of loved ones have positively influenced their search for The Good Life and how it is never too late to passionately run in the direction of our dreams.

Twitter + IG: @themeganbaca

In this episode, Jess sits down with her longtime friend, writer, author and media strategist, Jennifer Romolini. If Jenn had a superpower it would be calling out bullshit, helping people see the value in their "weirdness," and leaving the world a better place for the next generation.

In this convo, Jenn opens up about her complicated childhood being raised by teen parents and how it has informed her own relationship to motherhood. She's worked for some of the biggest media and digital brands in the world and yet here she is "tearing her old self down" along with all of the hustle and grind nonsense this culture of overachievers is pushing on us. In the middle of her life, Jenn is changing the way she thinks about what matters most. She and Jess share some hilarious and vulnerable truths about their changing bodies and don't hold back on their excitement to build The Good life, especially as they dare to tear down some walls and start anew.

IG + Twitter: @jennromolini

In this episode, Jess sits down with two stellar cast members from Disney+'s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series -- Frankie Rodriguez and Joe Serafini. They dive into conversations surrounding breaking into Hollywood, the necessity and desire to always lead with kindness, and how you're never too young to utilize your success for advocacy and platforms you believe in.

Both Joe and Frankie are portraying an iconic gay couple on a Disney+ show, and they explore the weight of being a role model and the responsibility and opportunity this show has of normalizing this relationship for a young audience. Jess's conversation with these two passionate, curious, and thoughtful young performers demonstrate that we are indeed never too young to live and explore The Good Life.

IG: @frankiearodriguez + @joe_serafini_

Twitter: @MrFrankieAR + @joe_serafini_

In this episode, Jess and her husband, Felipe, sit down for a second interview after grappling with two recent and devastating losses in his family: The passing of his mother, Rosario (age 72) and his brother José (age 40), who both succumbed to COVID-19 within five days of each other.

Recorded exactly one month after they passed, Felipe discusses the very real, very raw range of emotions that he continues to navigate while grieving. They both discuss the rampant misinformation about COVID and the circumstances and choices that led to his family members contracting the virus. But most of all, they visit the lives and legacies of the two souls they've lost and what it means to search for The Good Life in the middle of indescribable loss.

IG: Flopez_woodworker

Website: www.felipelopezwoodworker.com

In perhaps her most personal episode yet, Jess sits down for a candid conversation with her husband and acclaimed woodworker, Felipe Lopez. It's their first public interview together and they delve into Felipe's upbringing in Mexico City, the loss of his cousin to HIV/Aids, and of course, the journey of their relationship as a couple who married later in life and are childless by choice.

Felipe, a self described feminist, bravely shares his questioning of the toxic masculinity present in his culture. This touching and inspiring dialogue between husband and wife reminds us that as we seek out living The Good Life, or "La Buena Vida," having a partner along for the ride can make all the difference.

We encourage you to stick around for the following episode, where Felipe and Jess are confronted with some shocking and life-altering losses that came only a few months after this initial recording, yet continue to shape their dialogue around The Good Life while balancing death, loss and grief.

IG: Flopez_woodworker

Website: www.felipelopezwoodworker.com

In this episode, Jess sits down with her friend, kickboxer, stuntwoman, celebrity trainer, and former WWE Pro Wrestler Kendra Smith. While Kendra's background and expertise lean heavily on physical abilities, her spiritual transformations throughout her life and career leave no doubt that a quest for The Good Life always starts from the heart.

They discuss how Kendra witnessed heartbreaking deaths as a child and how that impacted the way she looks at life now as an adult. Jess and Kendra share a beautiful conversation about how each chapter of our lives -- no matter how messy or complicated -- is just another stepping stone towards joy and embracing the unknown.

IG + Twitter: @RealKendraSmith

Forge Studio IG: @forgestudiola