Best Luvvie Ajayi Podcasts (2024)

1
Pull the Weeds (with Sally Thornton, Team Gardener) 1:07:31

13m ago1:07:31

1:07:31

In this episode, Luvvie is joined by Sally Thornton, HR Consultant and the Founder of Forshay, to give her insider perspective as 'team gardener' on the dysfunction, blind spots, and the necessary overhaul of Awe Luv Media. Luvvie and Sally explore the complexities of leadership, the importance of truth-telling in business, and managing team dynami…

1
Brad Meltzer: Empathy, Kindness, Magic, Transformation, and That One Guy in the Restroom That One Time 26:47

3h ago26:47

26:47

Fresh off his viral commencement address at the University of Michigan, I'm joined by best-selling author Brad Meltzer. (Yes, that Brad Meltzer from the "I Am..." biographical children's books we all own!) He talks about his thoughts on kindness as a "naive ideal worth fighting for," the need for more empathy online, his love for the Harlem Globetr…

1
Experience the Valley (How I Almost Went Bankrupt) 52:31

1d ago52:31

52:31

In this episode, Luvvie dives deep into 'The Crumbling' - the most tumultuous period of Awe Luv Media - as it faces operational chaos, underperformance, and financial distress in the first half of 2023. Luvvie recounts experiences of unexpected challenges, including unmet deadlines, poor productivity, and critical financial losses that brought the …

1
How to help your chid identify and develop their passions, with Alyse Levine of Premium Prep 31:02

14d ago31:02

31:02

As parents of teens know, it's the college admission season. That's why I am thrilled to welcome back Alyse Levine, one of the most prominent college counseling experts, to help us out. You all loved my interview with her in January about de-stressing college admissions, which is why I invited her for a 3-Part Parent's Guide to the College Admissio…

1
Build the Foundation (How I Built a Team) 30:51

8d ago30:51

30:51

In this episode, Luvvie pulls back the curtain on the rollercoaster of transitioning from being a solopreneur to running a 7-figure business. Needing to diversify revenue streams, she went from having one executive assistant to 7 full-time salaried employees (with benefits!). And all the plans she had for 2023, with strategy. How she created system…

1
Have we been thinking about kindness all wrong? With guest Jaclyn Lindsey of Kindness.org 30:06

19d ago30:06

30:06

Spawned is back (whoo!) with host Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks and Mom-101. I'm excited to get back to what I love most-- helping us get through the ups and downs of parenting together. Each week I'll be joined by compelling experts, best-selling authors, entrepreneurs, comedians, therapists, and even some big celebrities. I'm thrilled to kick t…

1
Take the Leap (My Journey to Becoming an Entrepreneur) 24:34

15d ago24:34

24:34

In this episode, Luvvie shares her personal journey—from being a 'failed' doctor to accidental entrepreneur—and reflects on the highs and lows of starting and running her business. She discusses the importance of community, the struggles of building a sustainable business, and how her outlook on entrepreneurship evolved over time. This season promi…

1
Season 5 Trailer: The Glory and Grit of Entrepreneurship 1:43

12d ago1:43

1:43

In Season 5, Luvvie delves into the raw reality of entrepreneurship, sharing her struggles and lessons learned from running a multimillion dollar business. Joined by fellow industry leaders, she offers a candid exploration of the unseen side of business, after 2023 was her toughest year running her company. Tune in on your favorite platform to catc…

1
A college guidance expert and former admissions officer helps de-stress the application process. Phew! | Ep 301 36:00

4M ago36:00

36:00

It is so tough to navigate the college search and admission process -- emotionally, practically, financially. (Eep!) It completely stressed me out, and I'm a pretty Type B mom. So learn from my mistakes! To kick off a new year of Spawned, we're lucky to be getting super helpful tips from Alyse Levine, one of the foremost college counseling experts …

1
How moms can find some holiday joy for themselves: With Margaret Ables | Ep 300 26:49

6M ago26:49

26:49

At the end of such a tough year, we're looking to find all the holiday joy where we can, and make fun for our kids -- but why do moms always seem to be the people behind the fun, and not part of the fun? Liz is joined by Margaret Ables, co-host of the fabulous What Fresh Hell parenting podcast to commiserate, and we're offering smart tips (eg stop …

1
Parenting kids in a gender-nonconforming world: Kate Brookes of Transister | Ep 299 35:34

10M ago35:34

35:34

We all say we want to raise kids who are happy, healthy, and can be their authentic selves. So what happens when your kid is becoming someone who's really different from what we had imagined? That's the story Kate Brookes tells in the wonderful Transister: Raising Twins in a Gender-Bending World. She's incredibly forthcoming, funny, reflective, and…

1
Dr. Devorah Heitner on Keeping Kids Healthy on Social Media | Ep 298 34:06

11M ago34:06

34:06

When the Surgeon General issued his recent advisory on social media and the health of our kids, I knew author, columnist, and adolescent digital media expert Dr. Devorah Heitner would be the perfect person to ask for guidance and reassurance. And wow does she come through! Here, she offers incredibly helpful, specific tips about what we can do as p…

1
Dr. Lisa Damour on the emotional lives of teenagers | Episode 297 27:41

12M ago27:41

27:41

Bestselling author, podcast host, and psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour shares her insights and thoughtful advice on raising emotionally connected and resilient teens and discusses the impetus for her newest book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers. Visit Cool Mom Picks for show notes, and follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Learn…

1
Luvvie Ajayi Jones on raising "good troublemakers" | Ep 296 25:58

1y ago25:58

25:58

I have wanted to talk with best-selling author, TED Talk phenom, and "professional troublemaker" Luvvie Ajayi Jones for so long! With the release of her wonderful new children's book, Little Troublemaker Makes a Mess, it's the perfect time. We discuss what it means to make good trouble, tips for talking to kids when they break the rules, and why to…

1
Revel in Your Joy 12:45

1y ago12:45

12:45

Today, Little Troublemaker Makes a Mess is out in the world. In this episode, Luvvie discusses the idea of returning to one's true self, specifically the pure and hopeful version of oneself from childhood. She shares how this children’s book helped her reconnect with her younger self, and how writing the book has helped her inner child heal and lea…

1
Draw More Trouble (with Joey Spiotto) - Little Troublemaker's Illustrator 40:03

1y ago40:03

40:03

Luvvie is joined by Joey Spiotto, her collaborator for LITTLE TROUBLEMAKER MAKES A MESS. With artworks now being commissioned by some of Hollywood's best, how did this former Little Troublemaker once get into trouble for his illustrations? And how did he get Little Luvvie's fade just right? Find out together with your little ones. -----------------…

1
Affirm Yourself (the ABCs of Troublemaking) 14:57

1y ago14:57

14:57

In this episode, Luvvie brings you the ABCs of Troublemaking, 26 words that are traits that every world changer should have. These affirmations are hype mantras, so feel free to listen in with your littles! --------------- What happens when your big heart gets you in big trouble? Luvvie's first children's book LITTLE TROUBLEMAKER MAKES A MESS is av…

1
Dr. Ken Ginsburg: The ultimate guide to parenting teens | Episode 295 39:02

1y ago39:02

39:02

One of our all-time favorite guests, Dr. Ken Ginsburg, is back to chat about his newest book, Congrats—You're Having a Teen! and debunk some of the most common myths about parenting teenagers. Dr. Ginsburg's insights and work have changed the way we parent our kids, so let's just say if there's an episode of Spawned to listen to, it's this one. Tha…

1
Slay Forever (with Kylee Brown, a Little Troublemaker) 56:56

1y ago56:56

56:56

Luvvie's interviews one of her favorite little troublemakers: 9 year old Kylee Brown. Luvvie and Kylee talk about what adults need to do more (or less of), life lessons and even some of Kylee's favorite things about herself. Kylee then gives the best pep talk anyone needs to hear. Her biggest advice to everyone listening: "Slay forever." It's an ep…

1
Do Well (Letter to My Younger Self) 22:52

1y ago22:52

22:52

Thinking about Little Luvvie. The 5-year old me who rocked gold chains, red lipstick and ruffles on her birthday and told people exactly what she wanted. The kid whose favorite phrase was “that’s not fair!” The tiny rebel who would get in trouble for her mouth, and was willing to as long as she knew it was what felt right. I wrote her a letter, of …

1
Michelle Icard: The hard talks we need to have with our kids (and how to have them) | Episode 294 37:32

1y ago37:32

37:32

Author Michelle Icard chats about her book "14 Talks By Age 14," sharing how parents can approach the difficult conversations we know we need to have with our kids. Find Michelle's helpful book, wherever you buy your books. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. And for show notes, visit CoolMomPicks.com. About our sponsor, Ca…

1
Melinda Wenner Moyer: Parenting strategies for raising good kids into great adults | Ep 293 44:06

1y ago44:06

44:06

We all want to raise kind, generous, caring, empathetic kids -- who turn into great adults. So we turned to the perfect guide: Parenting author, science columnist and researcher Melinda Wenner Moyer. She shares so much science-backed data and turns it into parenting strategies, we can all put to use in our own families immediately. We think you'll …

1
Reaching your organizational goals: Sarah-Hart Unger on prioritizing, organizing, and managing time | Ep 292 23:24

1+ y ago23:24

23:24

Prioritizing and organizing your life, your family schedule, and especially your time is something a lot of moms (like, uh me!) can use help with. Take a listen for some terrific tips from Sarah Hart-Unger, host of Best Laid Plans podcast and co-host of Best of Both Worlds. She shares her genius "nested goals" approach, offers advice for list-makin…

1
Being mixed race in America: A conversation with author Lauren Kung Jessen | Episode 291 36:34

1+ y ago36:34

36:34

As a mixed-race Chinese American, I've struggled to feel a sense of belonging. I grew up feeling more accepted by the German (white) side of my family. Then, as I got older, I learned more about the Chinese side of my family and felt a connection to the experiences of Asian Americans. Just recently, especially as I was editing my book, A Thousand M…

1
Preserving memories in the 21st century | Spawned Ep 290 26:18

1+ y ago26:18

26:18

With the invention of smartphones (and tablets), keeping track of our digital memories (think photos, videos, scans), has become more difficult than we might have expected. In this episode, David Vaskevitch, CEO of Mylio Photos, shares the challenges that he experienced with digital memory preservation, and how families can make it a whole lot easi…

1
The Best of 2022 } Spawned 289 35:37

1+ y ago35:37

35:37

We've talked to so many incredible guests in 2022 -- film directors, authors, journalists, political pundits, activists. So we thought we'd share some of our favorite quotes and thoughtful advice in this fun look back at what we've learned over the past year here. If there's one you want to hear more about, you're already on your podcast app! Just …

1
Moms need more fun over the holidays! | Ep 288 27:56

1+ y ago27:56

27:56

Moms are so busy trying to make fun for everyone over the holidays, sometimes we forget that we're supposed to be having fun too! How do we do that without adding "have more fun" to our to-do lists? Margaret Ables, co-host of the fabulous What Fresh Hell parenting podcast is joining me to offer smart tips, sweet stories, a lot of laughter, and a lo…

1
Why the sex talk with your kids is more important than ever | Episode 287 37:37

1+ y ago37:37

37:37

We've discussed the sex talk on Spawned a few times, however, if your school district is like mine (and many across the country), they are making sex education an optional, home-taught module. That means, we need to be more invested than ever in ensuring our kids are getting comprehensive sex education. That's what Andrea Brand's new book, “Stop Sw…

1
Why our teens are so darn tired, with author Lisa L. Lewis | Episode 286 39:52

1+ y ago39:52

39:52

Just when I thought I was pretty aware of what I needed to know about teens and sleep, I got my hands on Lisa L. Lewis's book The Sleep-Deprived Teen: Why Our Teenagers Are So Tired, And How Parents And Schools Can Help Them Thrive and I realized there was so much I didn't know. That was all solidified during this episode. Whether you have teens or…

1
Anya Kamenetz: The impact of Covid on kids - what we know and what we don't yet | Spawned Ep 285 30:55

1+ y ago30:55

30:55

What's been the impact of Covid on kids? On mothers? How about on education? On class division? On our careers? On healthcare? Today I'm welcoming back author and NPR Education Reporter Anya Kamenetz who researched it all and put it into the must-read book The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Kids' Lives....and Where We Go Now. Her fascinating point:…

1
Let's talk about perimenopause, with Dr. Makeba Williams | Episode 284 32:03

1+ y ago32:03

32:03

If you're like Kristen and in the throes of perimenopause, then you're probably wondering why no one talks about it. Well, that's about to change as Kristen chats with Dr. Makeba Williams, a physician who specializes in the healthcare needs of midlife and menopausal women. She answers all of Kristen's burning questions, which might just be yours to…

1
The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Care, with Rina Raphael | Spawned 183 31:25

1+ y ago31:25

31:25

I will never think about yoga, supplements, activated charcoal or bath salts the same way after speaking with Rina Raphael, author of the utterly fascinating new book The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop, and the False Promise of Self-Care. How did wellness go from a legitimate health need to a $4.4 trillion industry? What's the role of wellne…

1
How to raise media-savvy kids and BS-proof our brains: Dr Seema Yasmin | Ep 282 37:24

1+ y ago37:24

37:24

We don't want our kids to fall for false news, rumors, or disinformation. But how do we teach our kids media literacy when we can't even keep up with all the social media apps? Journalist, professor, and UCLA/Stanford professor Dr. Seema Yasmin joins Liz to talk about her incredibly engaging, very important new YA Handbook, "What the Fact?!: Findin…

1
Developing healthy eating habits and positive food relationships with our tweens and teens, with Nicole Cruz, RD | Episode 281 49:02

1+ y ago49:02

49:02

As parents, one of the most challenging parts of raising kids is feeding them. It's especially hard if you have your own issues with body image and food, like many Gen X parents do. Thankfully, experts like Nicole Cruz, a registered dietitian nutritionist, and mom of three can really help. Her intuitive eating and non-diet approach to food felt rev…

1
The world needs funny women. With Wendi Aarons. | Ep 280 35:44

2y ago35:44

35:44

You wouldn't think in 2022 that an author would have to fight to keep a female protagonist in a book, and yet that's just what happened to award-winning humorist Wendi Aarons when she first pitched her middle-grade book, Ginger Mancino: Kid Comedian. (Spoiler: It got published, Ginger is indeed a girl, and it's wonderful.) Wendi joins Liz to talk a…

1
How our relationship with mobile phones has changed (and changed us) | Spawned Ep 279 35:14

2y ago35:14

35:14

Since I got my first smartphone back in 2006, my relationship with my phone has certainly changed my life. It's also changed how I function as a person in this world, for better and for worse. Turns out, I'm not the only one, which is why I was so excited to chat with Emmy-award-winning journalist, and host of the new Mobile Diaries podcast from T-…

1
How to get into college: Invaluable tips and fascinating insights from Ned Johnson | Ep 278 44:19

2y ago44:19

44:19

Author, educator, and Prep Matters founder Ned Johnson joins Liz once again to talk us through -- or talk us down from -- the college application process. And yes, I mean parents! You'll appreciate his thoughtful insight on the whole process, "test optional" schools, financial aid, the pitfalls and benefits of stress, the impact of Covid, how Black…

1
Helping kids foster positive relationships and learn effective communication, with author Catherine Newman | Episode 277 31:53

2y ago31:53

31:53

By Cool Mom Picks

1
Roo Powell of Undercover Underage on her experience catching online child predators | Ep 276 33:17

2y ago33:17

33:17

By Cool Mom Picks

1
Get Your Money (from Rising Troublemaker: A Fear-Fighter Manual for Teens) 12:57

2y ago12:57

12:57

It's book launch week, and RISING TROUBLEMAKER is finally out in the world! To hold you over until you can get a copy of RISING TROUBLEMAKER in your hands, today Luvvie is sharing a sneak peek of the audiobook version (that she narrated herself - it’s a whole new level of having Auntie Luvvie in your teen's ears to guide them.) She is sharing an ex…

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