If there is one writer who has influenced my life the most, it's Rob Bell. He began as a pastor of a massive church in MIchigan and has since become a spiritual teacher known the world over.

For the past three years, my friend Dirk has been fighting Acute Myeloid Leukemia and the host of complications resulting from the treatments he's had to undergo. And along the way, he has come near the brink of death and it has left him with a perspective that is unique and has value for all of us.

There are people out in the world who are working on the big problems and inventing the big technologies. In the world of Artificial Intelligence, there is no bigger name (and brain) than Ben Goertzel. His work is at the forefront of technological advancement, with an emphasis on preparing for what is known as The Singularity.

Ross Jennings is known online as The First Piper. His Instagram account has thousands of followers and his YouTube channel is documenting his journey to become the first person to play the bagpipes in every sovereign nation on the planet.

Sarah Foley is a remarkable woman who experienced a life-changing injury, losing the use of her legs in an ATV accident. But don't pity her. She is on a mission to change the lives of people with disabilities, even those whose disabilities are emotional or spiritual.

Maria and I are parents of three boys. We need some advice because we've got teenagers and we can see the finish line. Introducing, Dr. Timothy and Mona Stuart. They are educators and, in my opinion, have been fantastic parents. And now, they are successful empty nesters.

Holly is one of my oldest friends. We met in college, both of us studying graphic design, sharing the same birthday. And I am incredibly proud to call her my friend because while most of us dream of making a mark on this world, Holly has done it.

Joshua Harris is being patient with himself. He’s listening. And he’s finding his community after finding a new life in a new place.

She’s the TOP ultra-endurance cyclist in the world. She’s from my hometown of Anchorage, Alaska. And she’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. But, were I an endurance cyclist, I wouldn’t want to race against her. I’d be chewing on dust for days.

For Brian, surfing and the ocean in general is his holy place. It’s where he finds his center. And I was very grateful that he took the time to explain it to me.

If you study the history of animation, there are few talents that are as influential as Ralph Bakshi. He transformed animation in the 70s and 80s, introducing complex social and adult themes, challenging the status quo of Disney and Hollywood at large. He was the first filmmaker to bring Lord of the Rings to the big screen and his accomplishments have inspired legions of animators, artists and story-tellers working today.

Dallas Seavey has won the Iditarod four times and he's done it faster and at a younger age than anyone, ever. But if you ask him, he'll tell you he's just the coach. The real superstars are the dogs on his team. And after a 3 year hiatus from the race, he's back this March to challenge for the finish line once again. Dallas generously took some time off from training to discuss his career and what he's learned along one of the most isolated trails on the planet.

Mike Cuthbertson is the Managing Director of Destination Residences Hawai’i, a resort management company specializing in exclusive vacation residences on Maui for more than 30 years.

welcome to a meeting of the Doomed Whisky Club. Ben Kellie, DJ Spencer Lee, and myself have this little group. We have always tried to get together but never been able to pull it off. So we text! We send pictures, we share our bottles in virtual space. But for this episode, we managed to get together on Zoom.

Stefan Schaefer is a director, writer, actor and artist who has a new movie out: Aloha Surf Hotel. It made its debut at the Hawaii International Film Festival this last week and it's coming to streaming soon.

Jasmine Raphael is a hip hop dancer, choreographer and dance educator in Los Angeles. She’s been on stage with some of the biggest stars out there… Ariana Grande… Nikki Minaj… and she has a deep philosophy on what dance is, what it can be and why we all can benefit from learning to move our bodies without abandon.

I met Jason Wright before he was the first African American team president in NFL history. And what I learned was that this guy was going to change the world.

My guests this week are two soccer experts who happen to also be child development pros. They spend their days working on a very specific problem: how to stop the above scenario from happening in order to instill genuine love for sport in the minds and bodies of our young athletes.

One of my favorite mystics is my friend Jonathan Yudis, a filmmaker, real estate broker and a legend of Camp Mystic at Burning Man, the annual “experimental” art festival that takes place in the desert outside of Black Rock City, Nevada.

One of the smartest people I met along the way was Mark Begich, who served as Mayor of Anchorage for two terms and served as US Senator for one term. Mark is in the private sector these days but still heavily involved in the political workings of the state. He and I had a great conversation about the current state of politics and where we go from here.