Our guest today is Ben Pickman, staff writer at The Athletic. He’s been courtside for some of the WNBA’s biggest moments from championships to draft nights and you can also hear him break it all down on No Offseason: The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show. His reporting dives into both the history and future of the league. And his coverage has helped bring more eyes to the players and stories that define women’s basketball and beyond.
Listen to Jess and Ben talk about how covering women's basketball has changed as the league has grown, his favorite stories he's ever written, and what it means to cover the WNBA "BC" (before Caitlin Clark) versus "AC" (after Caitlin Clark).
TW: This episode discusses sexual violence, survivorship, and related systemic issues. Please take care while listening.
On Episode 09, we sit down with Omny Miranda Martone, Founder and CEO of the Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA)—the first organization focused solely on sexual violence prevention.
In this conversation, we talk about what it takes to pass legislation with both AOC and Lindsey Graham, what it’s like to continually share your story as a survivor, and what Law & Order gets wrong (even if we love Olivia Benson).
This one’s special — and so, so important. Take a listen.
Gibi is one of the most recognizable and influential creators in the ASMR space, with over 5 million subscribers on YouTube and a decade of content under her belt. She helped usher ASMR into the mainstream, transforming what was once considered a niche internet curiosity into a global phenomenon.
In this episode, she opens up about her process, what it’s like to have your voice become a source of comfort for millions, seeing the ASMR space grow, and her favorite video she’s ever created.
Today we're talking with Nathaniel Remez, a soloist with the San Francisco Ballet. Nathaniel joined the company as an apprentice in 2016 and has spent nearly a decade building a dynamic career across classical and contemporary work — from Von Rothbart in Swan Lake to pieces by Forsythe, Ratmansky, and Yuri Possokhov.
In this episode, we talk about his creative process, how he approaches character work (hint: it involves reading Frankenstein 4 times), and what it’s like to grow as an artist within one of the most iconic ballet companies in the U.S.
On this episode, Jess sits down with Jesse Moss, the Director of Innovation at Experience Camps.
Experience Camps is a national, no-cost program offering one-week, overnight summer grief camps and year-round support for children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. The organization also works to change the way society talks about grief and grieving people.
Listen to Jess and Jesse talk about ending the "shoulds" around grief, what to say when someone you love has lost someone they love, and the healing power of a good talent show.
Dae Lim is the founder and CEO of Sundae School, a smoke wear brand that was born in Seoul and raised in California. Sundae School has been featured in Vogue and Hypebeast - you can see Pete Davidson and Tinx wearing their iconic fleeces. And Dae has been featured in Forbe's 30 under 30.
Dae talks about his journey in the fashion world, why he envisions God as a weed smoker, and how Sundae School has helped him understand his own identity.
We’re thrilled to chat with Tali Friedman, aka Tali Rose — a self-taught DJ from Montreal who’s gone from mixing in her bedroom during COVID to performing at massive festivals like Igloofest and Piknic Électronik.
Tali shares what it’s like to be on stage in front of thousands, how she prepares for sets, the challenges of being a woman in the industry, and what really goes on behind the scenes of DJ life.
Today we’re sitting down with Gabby Arancio. Gabby started off as an athletic trainer on the sidelines of the national championship-winning LSU football team. And then after spending countless hours with different athletes who constantly asked her for skincare advice, she used what she learned to become an entrepreneur and is now in the works of building her own athletic skincare company, Gameplan. She’s creating a company that makes skincare products made for people who sweat.
Jess and Gabby discuss the importance of helping athletes with their mental health, how she took her idea and made it a reality, and what it's like to get a new brand into the hands of people who will use it.
Today we’ve got Andrej Miljković, a veteran sports journalist for Ekipa, one of Slovenia's original sports media outlets. With 20 years in the game, Andrej has covered four Winter Olympics, five Summer Olympics, and four World Cups. He’s also a staple in basketball coverage, from FIBA World Cups to EuroBaskets, and has followed Luka Dončić's career traveling to Dallas and LA.
Andrej and Jess discuss how important sports are to Slovenians, how meaningful it is to cover something that means so much to so many people, and what it was like to be the only Slovenian reporter to ask Luka a question after his debut game with the Lakers.
Spitty is a rapper and community leader from Brampton, Ontario. His music has made waves around the world and in the music industry, receiving praise from Rolling Stone India and Much Music Canada. He’s performed at festivals like Canadian Music Week, North by Northeast, and Desi fest. He also recently opened up for Simple Plan.
He’s not only committed to making incredible music, but creating community amongst fans and amongst other artists who want to learn how to grow their business. Jess and Spitty discuss his start, the growth of Indian rap, how he prepares to get on stage, and the secret to great freestyle.