Behind The Brilliance

Lisa recaps the episodes of Season 10. 

Lisa answers a frequently asked guest and listener question: what's behind her brilliance?   

Sam Sokolow is the Emmy nominated producer of 'Genius', an anthology drama series on National Geographic. His work in film and television has led to a body of work that reflects his passion and curiosity. In this conversation, Sam unpacks the keys to his success, his reflections on the unexpected twists in his journey, and his advice to the dreamer who's wondering whether it's too late to win (spoiler alert: it's not). Behind His Brilliance: Perseverance Say hi to Sam on Instagram: @samsokolow

J Michael Straczynski is probably best known as the creator of the sci fi TV series, Babylon 5, in addition to the Marvel Comics, The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, and Fantastic Four. He's also the pen behind DC Comics' Superman and Wonder Woman. Before becoming a successful screenwriter, Joe battled unfavorable personal circumstances that shaped his grit and tenacity. In this winding conversation, we talk about Joe's life, his work, and how he's found peace in every season of his life. Behind His Brilliance: Following his holy calling  Say hi to Joe on Twitter: @straczynski

Sam Parr is the founder and CEO of The Hustle, a rapidly growing 8 figure media company that's taken no venture capital. Besides being ambitious and smart, Sam is self-aware and thoughtful about both his professional and personal lives. In this conversation, we talk about his take on building companies, leadership, lifestyle design, mental health, and much more.  Say hi to Sam on Twitter and Instagram: @thesamparr

Bill Duke is among the most accomplished actors in Hollywood with more than 70 credits to his name. Also an accomplished director, he continues to create work that inspires and educates. During this conversation, Bill opens up about his struggles and triumphs and what he's learned about love and longevity.

Lisa shares reflections from Seneca's essay, On the Shortness of Life

Emily Nagoski is blending research and wisdom as an author, sex educator, and neuropsychologist. She sat down with me to talk about her books, her work, and what she's learned about sex, feminism, and avoiding burnout. This episode is a good listen for women AND men since we're all interconnected. Behind Her Brilliance: Her Husband Say hi to Zainab on Instagram: @enagoski

Zainab Johnson is among the best and brightest standup comedians working today. Her perspective is unique, and her voice is fresh. During this winding chat, Zainab and I talked about how she found her way to comedy, what she's learned from failure, how she handles fear, and the role faith plays in her life. There is funny stories, inspiring gems, and excellent wisdom tucked away in this episode.  Behind Her Brilliance: Her Upbringing + Her Family  Say hi to Zainab on Instagram: @zainabjohnson

Lisa shares 3 illuminating questions and her thoughts on the importance of breaks, rest, and sabbaticals.

Therapist and Speaker Nedra Tawwab has amassed a following of nearly 300,000 on Instagram where she doles out inspiring, useful nuggets of wisdom about mental health, life, and personal development. Her perspectives on boundary setting and healing from past trauma continue to be lauded by followers from all walks of life. Now she's sitting down with me to talk about big mental health ideas, the value of therapy, and her take on what makes healthy relationships work. Behind Her Brilliance: Being Open + Sharing What She Knows Say hi to Nedra on Instagram: @nedratawwab

Charlie Gilkey is a brilliant strategist and author who's written an excellent book titled Start Finishing. The book helps creatives, entrepreneurial types, and professionals finish what they start. The book lays out practical advice for everything from managing project logistics to fending off procrastination. In this chat, Charlie and I talk about how to create work that matters. Behind His Brilliance: Tenacity and Generosity Say hi to Charlie on Twitter: @charliegilkey

Lisa offers illuminating questions in preparation for 2020.

Brian is the author of one of my favorite books of 2019 titled, The Geometry of Wealth. Brian’s work centers around helping us connect our pursuit and management of money to meaning. This to me makes his work unique because it’s not all about stacking as much as you can and it’s also not about pretending money doesn’t matter. There’s an important balance that has to be found if you’re going to build wealth AND be happy. Behind His Brilliance: Curiosity Say hi to Brian on Instagram: @bportnoy

After traveling to every country in the world, Jessica Nabongo joins Lisa to pull back the curtain on her journey from Detroit to Japan to trotting the globe. The dynamic entrepreneur opens up about her best experiences, why she's not afraid to see the world alone, and how she thinks about her purpose as a visible leader charting new territory.  Behind Her Brilliance: Confidence + Authenticity  Say hi to Jessica on Instagram: @thecatchmeifyoucan

Lisa recaps each interview from Season 9 of Behind the Brilliance. 

Elaine Pagels is a preeminent figure in the theological community. She is a religious historian at Princeton and the author of several books including her recent memoir, Why Religion? During this conversation, Elaine opens up about her winding journey with faith, the lessons she's learned about grief, and how she's remained optimistic through it all.  Behind Her Brilliance: Following what she loves with passion  Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB185

Vanessa K. De Luca is a brilliant and dynamic journalistic force who was the lauded Editor in Chief at ESSENCE magazine...and then she wasn't. With grace and resilience, she's charted a new path for her career and is creating a blueprint for other professionals who want to create lives that are rich with meaning and relevance. Behind Her Brilliance: The People in Her Life Say hi to Vanessa on Instagram and Twitter: @vanessa_kdeluca Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB184

Mandela SH Dixon is the founder and CEO of Founder Gym, an online training center for underrepresented founders. During our conversation, we talked about how flipped a talent for teaching into a dynamic career in Silicon Valley.  Behind Her Brilliance: Nature and Nurture  Say hi to Mandela on Instagram @mandelash and Twitter @mandelash TOPICS COVERED Mandela's perspective on failures and how to keep moving  Why Mandela started Founder Gym and what she's learned in the process  Mandela's thoughts on starting a company with a romantic partner  How Mandela went from teaching elementary school to empowering hundreds of founders  And much, much more! Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB183  

Lisa tees up the final block of Season 9 with a discussion on reinvention, a recurring theme in the forthcoming episodes.    Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB182