The Kyle Thiermann Show

Amy Baldwin has been on this podcast many times because she’s just the best. She is a Sex and Relationship Coach trained in both the Somatica® and Hakomi Method, Certified Sex Educator, as well as co-owner of a mother-daughter owned online pleasure boutique called Pure Pleasure Shop. Amy has a passion for promoting shame-free, pleasure-focused sexuality education while emphasizing the deep emotional and energetic forces behind great sex and intimate connection, offering everything from private sessions to how-to workshops to erotic empowerment retreats.April Lampert has been a sexual pleasure pioneer since 2008, educating people around the globe about sex toys and sexual health and wellness. She is co-owner and Chief Sales and Partnerships Officer of Hot Octopuss, one of the most innovative and inclusive sex toy brands today. April is an industry personality, mentor and was Woman of the Year in the pleasure products industry in 2016 and has dedicated her life to the business of sexual pleasure. April uses he

Clayton Vila is an X Games medalist skier, award-winning director, and innovator in the realm of street-skiing. It’s wild shit. While working the pro-skier circuit, he began directing his own ski movies, then quickly transitioned to documentaries and branded content for the ski audience and beyond. His unparalleled understanding of professional athletes and their unique struggles has allowed him to highlight the most emotional elements of any story he finds. Vila is only beginning his filmmaking career and has already directed long-form documentaries for ABC and Amazon Prime. Follow Clayton on InstagramIf you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. You can join my newsletter and book club on Substack. It’s glorious.Send voice memos to thiermann@substack.com Writing by Kyle Thiermann is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, c

If you dig this conversation with Chris Ryan, Ph.D and want more, he’s also featured in episodes 48, 79, 109, and 206.Christopher’s work has been featured just about everywhere, including: MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, NPR, The New York Times, The Times of London, Playboy, The Washington Post, Time, Newsweek, The Atlantic, Outside, El Pais, La Vanguardia, Salon, Seed, and Big Think. A featured speaker from TED in Long Beach, CA to The Festival of Dangerous Ideas at the Sydney Opera House to the Einstein Forum in Pottsdam, Germany, Chris has consulted at various hospitals in Spain, provided expert testimony in a Canadian constitutional hearing, and appeared in well over a dozen documentary films.He was on a wild ride even before co-authoring the New York Times best-seller, Sex at Dawn: How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What it Means for Modern Relationships. After receiving a BA in English and American literature in 1984 he spent the next two decades traveling around the world, pausing in unexpected places to work at dec

This damn fine podcast is with a man who has worked as a producer, writer, van builder, winemaker, experiential designer, and restaurant owner. His name is Jordan Chiu and he is one of the most erudite souls I know. In 2018, Jordan built out a van, put his stuff in storage, and drove from California to Argentina. He came back with a lifetime’s worth of lessons, memories, and an incredible partner, who he then tragically lost to suicide after she lost her battle with depression. That loss has fueled his mental health advocacy work and his podcast, Never The Same, which shares stories of people navigating uncertainty and the events that changed them. He can often be found outside on an adventure accompanied by his dog Clover and a good playlist.Many mornings per week, Jordan is awoken by vocal yawns from yours truly. He’s my housemate, sleeps one wall away, and describes my sunrise shrieks as “baby dinosaur groans.” Sorry Jordan, but I’ll never change.P.S. If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short

Tyler Fox is a Maverick’s big wave surfer, entrepreneur, and tiny home dweller. His magazine, Santa Cruz Waves, has been a fixture of the surf community for over a decade. Ever the inventor, Tyler recently pivoted his efforts to 3D printed surfboards and Capture Packs, two ventures we explore in this episode. On a more personal level, Tyler is the dude responsible for getting me into big wave surfing, and his magazine was where I first got my start as a writer. P.S. If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. You can get my Friday newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious.Send voice memos to thiermann@substack.com  Get full access to Writing by Kyle Thiermann at thiermann.substack.com/subscribe

Katie Hendricks, Ph.D. is an evolutionary catalyst, contextual disruptor and freelance mentor who has been a pioneer in the field of body intelligence and conscious loving for fifty years. Katie is the co-author of twelve books, including the best-selling Conscious Loving, At The Speed of Life , and Conscious Loving Ever After: How to Create Thriving Relationship at Midlife and Beyond. Her unique coaching and leadership programs have generated hundreds of body intelligence and relationship coaches in the U.S. and Europe. She developed and led the unique Leadership and Transformation Training for 30 years and is currently joining with her community through the Foundation for Conscious Living to create the Big Leap Online Programs. These online videos are designed to support people in coming home to presence, restoring resourcefulness and creating caring communities.If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop t

At age 24, Charlie Hart became the 10th employee at RXBAR, the protein bar company known for its clean branding and "No BS" campaigns. A natural marketer, Hart quickly rose to lead the brand’s marketing and growth, helping guide the company to a $600m exit before his 30th birthday. Shortly after, Hart has a crisis of sorts, suffering a panic attack at a business meeting in a luxurious restaurant, a story he recounts in this episode.After traveling the world, Hart Founded Sign and Sapien - an agency specializing in advising and investing for early and mid-stage companies and joined Factor75 as Chief Marketing Officer, where he steered the company towards a ~$300m exit.Today, he works as the Chef Marketing Officer for entertainer and entrepreneur Rob Dyrdek, managing and growing his media verticals and portfolio companies.In this wide-ranging episode, we explore marketing fundamentals, the role of creative agencies, why people love Top Gun, and how to offer and receive feedback. Charlie doesn't have Instagram,

Whew, this was an intense one. But good. And helpful, I hope. In this episode, Sara Russell (@Betheradicalway) and I explore the underworld of depression, a mental state that is all too often felt but rarely explored openly. Sara was just the one I wanted to have on to cover this material. She held the weight of it all with skill and grace. Sara is a longtime friend, a Skills For Change Coach, and Qi Gong instructor. She helps clients analyze behaviors, relationships, and systems to see where old habits that are no longer serving them. Check out Sara's work here. I genuinely hope this episode is helpful to all those who are struggling. However silently. KyleIMPORTANT NOTE: The practices we explore in this episode are not meant to be a substitute for clinical treatment. If you or someone you know is suicidal, call 988. If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests to come o

Steve Coletta has been shaping surfboards since 1967. The Santa Cruz legend has shaped more than 30,000 surfboards under the name Natural Curves Surfboards. My longtime buddy, Kyle Buthman, and I caught up with Coletta in his new residence in Mainland Mexico to talk surfboard and how to stay stoked for a lifetime. As Coletta says, "Our perspective on life is best based on observations without judgments. With judgments, we're forever caught in an illusive trap."Short Film on SteveSteve’s WebsiteP.S. If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests to come on the show. Also, you can get my Friday newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious. Get full access to Writing by Kyle Thiermann at thiermann.substack.com/subscribe

Anupa Asokan [uh-new-puh uh-soak-in] is an avid waterwoman and ocean advocate dedicated to protecting our marine environment. She previously worked for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the World Surf League, and led the Ocean Initiative and Government Affairs at XPRIZE Foundation. She currently works at the Natural Resources Defense Council advocating for meaningful ocean protection and equitable coastal access through the "30 by 30" initiative. Anupa also serves on the national Board of Directors for Surfrider Foundation, is a graduate of UCLA, and holds dual masters degrees from the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography and College of Business. Beyond her advocacy work, Anupa spends her free time surfing, fishing, diving and standup-paddling along the Southern California coast. In this episode we talked hunting, fishing, conservation, downwind paddling and much more. T’was a fun one.Anupa On InstagramLink To Support MPA ExpansionP.S. If you dig this podcast, w

Mark Divine (@realmarkdivine) is a tough one to pin down. And I like that. As a Navy SEAL Commander and Zen meditation practitioner, Divine weaves between worlds of Eastern spirituality and Western militance. This was the second time I had Divine on the show, the first was in Ep. #271, and I find the guy endlessly fascinating. A little background: After a successful 20-year career as a Navy SEAL, Mark was hired to create a nationwide coaching and leadership program for the U.S. Navy’s primary operations force. The program aims to give the SEALs the best leadership and mental management tools in the world and to help them forge unbeatable teams that achieve mission success in the most stressful, challenging environments on earth. He has written numerous books, including Unbeatable Mind and The Way of The SEAL.Enjoy,KyleP.S. If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests to c

The first thing that struck me about William Padilla-Brown was the power and velocity of his speech. It was as if he had more ideas inside him than his vocal cords could handle, like trying to power a city with a single extension cord. A citizen-mycologist and founder of MycoSymbiotics, his perspective on mycology is both captivating and approachable. In this podcast, we got into everything from the alien species of Cordyceps to his early psychedelic experiences that redirected his life into mycology. Enjoy,KyleP.S. If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests to come on the show. Oh, and you can get my Friday newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious. Get full access to Writing by Kyle Thiermann at thiermann.substack.com/subscribe

My buddy Dylan Sohngen is one of the coolest guys I know. Cool… What exactly do I mean by that? It’s usually synonymous with vague detachment. A kind of flick-your-cigarrette-on-the-ground-don’t-give-fuck-about-anything sort of vibe. But Dylan gives many fucks. He’s engaged. In his community, ocean, and the natural world. As a citizen-entomologist, he take frequent pilgrimages to Indo-Borneo in search of exotic bugs. He’s a surfer, diver, and mentor to LA youth. When he’s not looking under rocks in search of scorpions, or chasing swells south of the border, he runs Aqua Surf Surf School on Santa Monica beach, getting kids and adults alike into that big blue healer we all call the ocean.Enjoy,KyleP.S. If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests to come on the show. Oh, and you can get my Friday newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious. Get full access to Writing by Kyle Thie

We are in the midst of a psychedelic revolution. It’s here. Now the question is whether or not we can approach the conversation with nuance—not something we Americans are not generally celebrated for. Psychedelics force another uncomfortable conversation for many: The power of thought. The suggestibility of your brain while under the influence of psychedelics turns mindfulness into a high-stakes game. We are still in the liminal stages of talking about the mind and mental states with anything like fluency. But our ability to explore this conversation, and put words to feelings, is one of the most freeing forms of language we can practice. For us dudes, this can be especially tough—which is why I’m so glad that a guy like Jesse Gould exists.Gould is founder and president of the Heroic Hearts Project, a nonprofit pioneering psychedelic therapies for military veterans. After being deployed as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan three times, he founded the Heroic Hearts Project in 2017 to spearhead the acceptance and u

Madame Gandhi is an award-winning artist and activist known for her uplifting, percussive electronic music and positive message about gender liberation and personal power. She began producing music in 2015, after her story running the London Marathon free-bleeding to combat menstrual stigma went viral around the world. She has been listed as Forbes 30 Under 30 in Music, and her 2020 TED Talk about conscious music consumption has been viewed over a million times. “Waiting For Me,” shot in Mumbai, India, won the Music Video Jury Award at SXSW Film Festival in 2021 and her 100% Organically Sourced x Sound MANA nature sound pack won the New Wav award at the 2021 Splice Awards. Her third studio album, Vibrations, was released in 2022, following the release of her previous albums Voices (2016) and Visions (2019). In June of 2022, Gandhi completed a Masters in Music Science & Technology at Stanford University's CCRMA where she spent time in Antarctica sampling the sounds of glaciers melting to create empathy and

Zac Cirivello is the Operations Manager of Fly Ranch, a 3,800-acre ranch 12 miles north of Burning Man’s Black Rock City home base in Northern Nevada. Abiding by Burning Man's 10 core principles, Fly Ranch is an alternative community which hosts campouts, work days and more than 700 public nature walks. Projects are organized by hundreds of volunteers and tend to focus on reconnection, healing, human creativity and the land. If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests to come on the show. Oh, and get my Friday newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious.—Kyle Get full access to Writing by Kyle Thiermann at thiermann.substack.com/subscribe

Kolohe Andino (@koloheandino22) is a top five world tour surfer from San Clemente, CA. Also a very thoughtful dude. This episode was recorded back in 2020, and I’m reposting it today for your auditory pleasure. If you dig this podcast, will you be please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It’s takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests to come on the show. Get my Friday newsletter at Substack. It’s glorious. Get full access to Writing by Kyle Thiermann at thiermann.substack.com/subscribe

Scott Norton (@swhnorton) is a venture capitalist and MUD\WTR board member. He previously co-founded Sir Kensington's—the brand that’s best known for making condiments with character. At Sir Kensington’s, he raised over $20 million from investors, guiding the company to a successful acquisition by Unilever in 2017.Scott has been named one of Fast Company's “Most Creative People in Business” and listed on Forbes' “30 Under 30.” About a year ago, I gave Scott one of his first surfing lessons at Venice Beach. While on the wave he maintained a low, crouched position and kept his eyes straight ahead … just like I told him. Nice job, Scott. If you dig this podcast, will you be please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It’s takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests to come on the show. Get my Friday newsletter at Substack. It’s glorious.Send voice memos to: info@kyle.surf  Get full access to Writing by Kyle Thiermann at thiermann.substack.com/subscribe

Nik Strong-Cvetich is the Director of Save The Waves, global nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting coastal resources through a unique combination of protected areas, economics and direct action. He’s also I shredding skateboarder, but don’t tell him I said so.Get my Friday newsletter at Substack. It’s glorious. If you dig this podcast, will you be please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It’s takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests to come on the show. Send voice memos to: info@kyle.surf Get off social media with the dudes who sent the voice memo. Here’s their email: johnoneal17@gmail.com Get full access to Writing by Kyle Thiermann at thiermann.substack.com/subscribe

Ross Gay is one of my favorite poets. As we talk about in the podcast, The Book of Delights helped me through a lot when I was living in my RV. (But then again, I was living in an RV so I needed all the help I could get.) Ross is the author of four books of poetry: Against Which; Bringing the Shovel Down; Be Holding, winner of the PEN American Literary Jean Stein Award; and Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award and the 2016 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. His first collection of essays, The Book of Delights, was released in 2019 and was a New York Times bestseller. His new collection of essays, Inciting Joy, will be released by Algonquin in October of 2022.Read more of Ross here. If you dig this podcast, would you be please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It’s takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests to come on the show. Send voice memos to: info@kyle.surf Support my work on Substack. Get full acce