Best James Robilotta Podcasts (2024)

1
Chasing Your Goals as an Entrepreneur with Entrepreneurship Researcher Brandon Fong 1:12:47

2y ago1:12:47

1:12:47

Few things bring me more joy than seeing someone shoot their shot, and that’s how today’s episode came about. I got an email from Brandon Fong saying he loves the show and wants to kick it with me in the Diner and I just had to say yes. Brandon is the host of the podcast 7-figure Millennials and wise beyond his years (which sounds like an old-perso…

1
Protecting Your Boundaries and Standing in Your Truth with TV Host Elizabeth Ries 1:21:54

2y ago1:21:54

1:21:54

Today in the booth is TV Host and all-around badass, Elizabeth Ries! I’ve had the privilege of sharing the microphone with her before on live TV, but today we got to kick it via audio. Elizabeth is the host of Twin Cities Live and is a breath of fresh air (which I feel like we all could use in our lives). She shared so much wisdom in this episode a…

1
Practicing Assertive Optimism with Former Band Geek and Extreme Meetings Emcee, Brian Walter 1:12:21

2y ago1:12:21

1:12:21

Sliding in the booth with me this week is Extreme Meetings emcee, Brian Walter! To quote Brian, we are both “raging extroverts,” so this was a good time! We discussed our mutual love for mac n’ cheese and then dove into Brian’s band-geek-trombonist past. After that we talked about being extroverts and how we both have a need to be liked and how bot…

1
Vulnerability vs. Perfectionism with Healthy Relationships Speaker, Bonny Shade 1:11:04

2y ago1:11:04

1:11:04

Diner Talks with James this week is with my dear friend, Sexual Violence Awareness and Healthy Relationships Speaker, Bonny Shade. We first kicked it off talking about buffalo wings with proper “wingo” and diner orders. She then told me about growing up with less than enough in Lake Worth, Florida, and what decisions her family made to set her up f…

1
Instincts vs. Training as a First Responder with Former Fire Chief Rich Gasaway 19:50

2y ago19:50

19:50

This conversation was so powerful that it had both of us welling up. Joining me in the booth was former Fire Chief and lifelong first responder, Rich Gasaway. It’s so fascinating to think about individuals in those roles that we often take for granted until we need them, and it was so beautiful to hear Rich describe the work that he does, how he go…

1
Pregnancy loss and powerful parenting with my wife, Tina VanSteenbergen! - Encore 1:24:03

2y ago1:24:03

1:24:03

We are excited to bring you this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy! This week’s diner guest is my favorite human because it’s my wife - Tina VanSteenbergen Robilotta!!! We kicked off the conversation learning about Tina’s love of bourbon and bubbly water then we dove off the deep end. Tina told me about why …

1
Carving Your Own Lane with Comedic Musician and American Idol’s Tom McGovern 1:05:27

2y ago1:05:27

1:05:27

With me in the Diner today is the man, the myth, the musical comedian – Tom McGovern. I love having fellow comedians in the booth with me because we can riff on everything from grape jelly to sharks (which is… what we did). In this episode Tom shared about his early love for theatre and how it morphed into this amazing career that he now has creati…

1
The Beauty and Power of Clarity with Authentic Communication Expert, Dr. Amelia Reigstad 1:14:17

2+ y ago1:14:17

1:14:17

This week I got to hang out with communication expert, Dr. Amelia Reigstad, and I’m walking away with so many thoughts and ideas on how I can improve my communication and self-awareness. With her badass purple mohawk, she shares about the importance of living an authentic and brave life and I’m here – for – it! She discusses her research on gender …

1
What it Means to be Likeable with Human Behavioral Investigator and Speaker, Arel Moodie 1:12:12

2+ y ago1:12:12

1:12:12

Today I got to kick it in The Diner with fellow New Yorker, Arel Moodie. He’s a professional speaker who helps other speakers start and grow their own businesses. We talked about the experience of fitting in during our younger years (and the difficulty of blending his life growing up in the projects while simultaneously attending Jewish Day School)…

1
From 911 to Peace to Empowerment with Self Defense Expert and Speaker, Jennifer Cassetta 1:12:31

2+ y ago1:12:31

1:12:31

Today’s conversation with Jennifer Cassetta was incredible. She shared a powerful story about her experience in New York on 9/11, how she found safety in her martial arts dojo, and how that moment and that feeling would become a thru line for her work in self-defense and personal development. We talked about confidence and our relationship with our…

1
Musical Theater and Suicide Prevention with Mental Health Educator, Joshua Rivedal 1:16:20

2+ y ago1:16:20

1:16:20

Today in the Diner is my man, Joshua Rivedal – he’s an amazing storyteller who is full of compassion and wisdom, and he’s got a wit that won’t quit. He gave me so much to think about regarding how we as a society are approaching suicide prevention, and what we can do as individuals to be there for others. He has some dope insights on vulnerability,…

1
Power of Perseverance in White America with Dr. James Smith, Jr. 1:17:13

2+ y ago1:17:13

1:17:13

My man Dr. James Smith Jr brought the heart today – the wordplay and wisdom was on point! He shared about his experience growing up in West Philadelphia (you know he sang it when he said it) and his experience growing up Black in America. We had a thoughtful conversation about the problematic phrase of “picking yourself up by the bootstraps” and th…

1
Drama Squashing with Workplace Culture Expert and Speaker, Joe Mull 1:12:41

2+ y ago1:12:41

1:12:41

Today I was joined by professional speaker and storyteller, Joe Mull. This conversation was full of wisdom and wit as Joe shared about his experience of being a social chameleon and learning the moments where it’s more important to give up being liked in order to do the right thing. This ties into his work as a “leadership nerd” (his words) where h…

1
How Being a Teen Mom Taught Resilience Expert, Summer Owens, to Say SO What! 1:14:39

2+ y ago1:14:39

1:14:39

Kicking it in the booth with me this week is Resilience Expert and Leadership Speaker, Summer Owens! I love that Summer’s late night guilty pleasure is dark chocolate and red wine. Pretty sure that makes her the classiest guest in the diner so far! Summer and I then discussed how she used to pull her hair out as a nervous twitch when she was much y…

1
Stepping into Your Leadership Presence with Executive Coach and Speaker, Justin Patton 1:07:23

2+ y ago1:07:23

1:07:23

Executive Coach and leadership presence expert, Justin Patton, slides into the diner booth with me this week! We reminisce about eating late-night pizza and our topping preferences. Then I learned that Justin grew up on a farm in Kentucky shoveling manure and bailing hay. Though that was not his destiny it is where he learned a work ethic that he c…

1
Falling In Love With Being Black with Rick Daniels - Encore 1:32:24

2+ y ago1:32:24

1:32:24

We are excited to bring you this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy! Rick Daniels dropped all of the knowledge in this episode. He and I recorded this the week that George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis so you already know that we had a lot to talk about. We discussed parenting in the middle of a powerful …

1
Is Social Media Connecting Us Or Dividing Us More? With Dr. Josie Ahlquist - Encore 1:13:11

2+ y ago1:13:11

1:13:11

We are excited to bring you this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy! This week I am joined in the Diner by social media expert, Dr. Josie Ahlquist! We kicked it off by randomly talking about Josie’s high school dating life. We then discussed her huge transition moving from Wyoming and South Dakota to Los Ange…

1
Processing The Fall Out Of A Million Dollar Business with Tom Krieglstein - Encore 1:08:03

2+ y ago1:08:03

1:08:03

We are excited to bring you this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy! Tom Krieglstein became my first guest to actually eat while he was in the diner! Since he was munching on a veggie pizza, we started by chatting about the impact The Simpsons had on Tom’s dietary choices. We then dove into Tom’s passion of c…

1
Competing ambitions in relationships and trust building with Jess Ekstrom - Encore 1:32:05

2+ y ago1:32:05

1:32:05

We are excited to bring you this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy! I got to sit down with entrepreneur, speaker, and great friend Jess Ekstrom and we jumped right in with their decision to sell their apartment and move into an Airstream. Hearing about her relationship and having different ambitions as a par…

1
Being in Your Underwear in Times Square with Stacy Nadeau - Encore 1:12:33

2+ y ago1:12:33

1:12:33

We are excited to bring you this encore presentation of one of our most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy! Joining me this episode in the Diner is body image expert, coach, speaker, and badass mom, Stacy Nadeau! She and I first discuss why she was in her underwear in Times Square and the journey to being comfortable in your body for men and women…

1
Goats, Diabetes, and Stoicism with Consultant, Coach and Cook, Becky Schmooke 1:25:14

2+ y ago1:25:14

1:25:14

Today I was joined in the diner booth by leadership consultant and owner of Becky’s Mindful Kitchen, Becky Schmooke. Becky, her wonderful sarcasm, and I dove in discussing popcorn in bed and Minnesota diners. We then talked about what she wanted to be when she grew up and how she got to meet both Michelle Kwan and Jill Biden (but didn’t realize it …

1
The Stories of A Radiant Haitian Queen with Storyteller and Activist Ferene Paris Meyer 1:17:54

2+ y ago1:17:54

1:17:54

Today I was joined by storyteller and activist, Ferene Paris Meyer. This episode was humorous and heartfelt as Ferene shared about her experience growing up in a family of Haitian immigrants and how that shaped her current world. She spoke about her awakening and coming alive as a proud Haitian woman and how she dove into her culture through food, …

1
Being Between Dreams with Actress, Director and Reiki Practitioner, Leslie Meisel 1:13:07

2+ y ago1:13:07

1:13:07

My dear friend, Leslie Meisel, joins me this week in the diner. She is an actor who has appeared on Broad City, RISE, Difficult People, and a director. Recently she has also become a practicing reiki master! We talked about whether you should order steak at a diner and a fun quirk about her related to Grease 2. I loved hearing about how Leslie’s ac…

1
Marketing and the Hustler’s Mindset with speaker and master marketer, Odell Bizzell II 1:08:50

2+ y ago1:08:50

1:08:50

My man Odell Bizzell II slid into the diner booth with me this week. He and I have known each other for a number of years from the speaker circuit and I have always respected his hustle. We talked about how he and I travel differently and why he typically spends all of his time on the road in the hotel. He told me some of the powerful lessons he fa…

1
Turning You Mess into your Message with abuse survivor and victim advocate, Desi Garcia 1:10:42

2+ y ago1:10:42

1:10:42

This week in the diner I had a thoughtful and vulnerable conversation with Survivor and CEO of Candle In A Dark Room, Desi Garcia. Desi shared her gripping and heart-wrenching story of surviving childhood physical and sexual violence. She told the story of how she turned her “mess into her message” and how she felt called to help other survivors an…

1
The Juxtaposition of Forgiveness and Discipline with high energy powerhouse entertainer, Ernee Peppers 1:04:37

2+ y ago1:04:37

1:04:37

You can skip today’s cup of coffee because today’s guest – Ernee Peppers – has enough energy for all of us. Ernie has an electric and contagious personality and will inspire you to drop your baggage and step into your badassery. Todays episode centered around the power of forgiveness and the gift that is for yourself. Ernee shared about some trauma…

1
What Continuing to Believe in Yourself Looks Life with speaker and entrepreneur Jake Kelfer 1:01:58

2+ y ago1:01:58

1:01:58

Today we’re kickin’ it in the Diner with your new friend and mine, Jake Kelfer. He’s an incredible entrepreneur who shared story after story about how he would bet on himself and keep pushing and trusting his ideas until they either came to fruition or failed. He shared about massive successes – writing a bestselling book and starting an NBA draft …

1
Do You Keep Promises with Yourself? With Hall of Fame Speaker and Entertainer, Jason Hewlett 1:11:34

2+ y ago1:11:34

1:11:34

Today in the booth, Jason Hewlett is coming in hot and ordering up a Moons Over My Hammy and dishing out advice that’s good for the soul. We talked about body image and being comfortable in our own skin, ways to discover our signature moves – or our natural strengths, how to be comfortable in the different seasons of parenthood and ditch the idea o…

1
Be Ready For Your Story to Change Someone’s Life with Big Bang Theory Actor, Alessandra Torresani 53:13

2+ y ago53:13

53:13

Sliding into the diner this week is actor, Alessandra Torresani. You’ve seen her on Big Bang Theory, American Horror Story, and most recently the movie, Women is Losers. She and I kicked things off by disclosing our first on-stage kisses (spoiler, hers was Frankie Muniz) then made our way back to our favorite diner orders. Alessandra told me about …

1
Living a Life Where You Need to Pinch Yourself with Stu Massengill 1:12:59

2+ y ago1:12:59

1:12:59

This week in the diner I hung out with my man, Stu Massengill. What I appreciate about Stu is that he is so dedicated to looking for what’s next and building his legacy, but he’s also so in tune with the present moment and savors every day, and I loved the way he talked about striking that balance. In this episode, we talked about Stu’s career as a…

1
What Does it Mean to Show Up for Someone? with CEO Ercole Perrone 1:12:08

2+ y ago1:12:08

1:12:08

In the booth with me this week is the one and only Ercole Perrone (say it with a thick Italian accent or you’re doing this glorious name (and man) a disservice). This conversation was so good – it centered around the theme of being a better listener, leading and taking care of others with great empathy, and being a good human who stands up for othe…

1
Divorce Sucks…Temporarily with "Our Happy Divorce" Authors, Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond 1:11:33

3y ago1:11:33

1:11:33

"Our Happy Divorce" authors, Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond slid into the diner booth with me this week. Divorce is never easy but these two have figured out a way to make it work for their son Asher. We started our conversation talking about how Ben and Nikki met, when the sparks flew, and what brought them from San Francisco to Tampa, Flor…

1
Rewrite the Definition of Success with Washington Post Best Selling Author Laura Gassner Otting AKA LGO 1:20:50

3y ago1:20:50

1:20:50

Buckle up, y’all because this episode is jam-packed with nuggets of wisdom that will stick with you long after listening. Today I kicked it in the booth with bestselling author, socially conscious entrepreneur, and speaker Laura Gassner Otting (aka LGO). We talked about finding what you love to do, defining success and what is enough for yourself, …

1
What Living in China for 6 years and Leaving Your Dream Job Taught Life Coach, Geneviève Pépin 1:08:09

3y ago1:08:09

1:08:09

I don’t even know if there are diners in the Canary Islands, but I do know that this week’s guest, Geneviève Pépin, slid into this diner all the way from off the coast of Morocco. Geneviève and I started off discussing the magical foods that are poutine (because she’s from Quebec City) and arepas (because they are delicious). Then she told me about…

1
The Pursuit of Truth with Emmy-Nominated Reporter and Anchor, Joe Mauceri 1:11:43

3y ago1:11:43

1:11:43

Longtime friend and Emmy-nominated anchor and reporter, Joe Mauceri, slid into a Brooklyn diner booth with me for this episode! Joe and I talked about a few childhood memories and what kind of burger you’re allowed to order in a diner. After asking Joe what he wanted to be when he was a kid, we learn about the home videos where his on-camera experi…

1
How to Make Conversations Less Awkward with Networking Strategist and Speaker, Tollisha Joseph 1:09:08

3y ago1:09:08

1:09:08

This week in the booth is networking expert and Twix connoisseur, Tollisha Joseph. We spent our time talking about how to form relationships, how to stand out in a room full of people, and how to get out of our own way. We talked about boundaries and values, and she shared advice for looking to your past to help you figure out what you should do wi…

1
Gay Dad Life and Storytelling-time with Mike Ganino 1:21:14

3y ago1:21:14

1:21:14

In the booth with me this week is the storytelling, improv-loving, eggs benedict-hating, Mike Ganino. He’s lived 79 lives, and because he’s an efficient storyteller we got to hear about most of them. We talked about everything from his time as a flight attendant (including month-long layovers in Hawaii and dating for drinks), his leading role in a …

1
Why Women Need Women with Women’s Empowerment Speaker (and my wife!) Tina VanSteenbergen 1:14:29

3y ago1:14:29

1:14:29

It’s Diner Talks with James’ first birthday! To celebrate Tina VanSteenbergen, my badass wife, slid back into the diner booth with me! Tina is a professional women’s empowerment speaker and runs her own women’s conference called Persist. We started the way we always do, talking late-night foods. The last time Tina was on the podcast she was pregnan…

1
Women, Use Your Voice! with the Enigmatic Emcee and Potent Professional Speaker, Quinn Conyers 59:24

3y ago59:24

59:24

Quinn Conyers slid in the Diner booth with me this episode! She is an incredible Master of Ceremonies (emcee) and powerful public speaker who specializes in helping Black women find and use their voices. Quinn and I first bonded over our love of crabby fries. Then we learn how Quinn fell in love with being an emcee. I loved her mantra of, “I don’t …

1
How to Get Respect and Teach Respect in Relationships, Parenting, and Humanity with Mike Domitrz 1:13:25

3y ago1:13:25

1:13:25

This week incredible professional speaker, respect expert, and dear friend, Mike Domitrz is in the booth with me! Age has hurt Mike’s ability to do a lot of late-night eating so we quickly moved past that. We did bond over being in charge of the morning announcements in grade school and getting in trouble for something we said. Then Mike shared the…

1
Punching the Misconceptions of Sex Work in the Face with Paige Savage: Model, Content Creator, and Bada$$ Sex Worker 1:22:43

3y ago1:22:43

1:22:43

It is so important to have conversations with individuals that we don’t know anything about, because if we don’t hear their story from them, we’ll write the story for them, and often inaccurately so. That’s what today’s episode is all about. I got to kick it in The Diner with my friend, Paige who has built a career as a sex worker. We talk about he…

1
From College Football Star to Attempting Suicide to Mental Health Expert with Darryll Stinson 1:14:52

3y ago1:14:52

1:14:52

Conversations about mental health need to be in the forefront of our lives, and this episode with my man, Darryll Stinson, is the perfect example of their impact and the power of vulnerability. Darryll was a D1 athlete who was destined for the NFL, but when he injured his back his life took a different path. Addiction and suicidal thoughts took ove…

1
Speaking Out Against Sexual Violence while Creating Space for Trauma Healing with Trauma Expert, Brittany Piper 1:08:42

3y ago1:08:42

1:08:42

Jumping into the Diner with me today is trauma and sexual assault expert, Brittany Piper. Before we got too deep we started out talking about late-night Dairy Queen runs for some blizzards, because, priorities. I then asked how Brittany has found and built her online community and how she made the decision to live her mom-life and sexual assault su…

1
Riding the Self-Esteem Rollercoaster as an Actor with Anna Roisman 1:08:41

3y ago1:08:41

1:08:41

What do you get when you put two New York comedians in a Diner? Well, you get 15-minutes up-top talking about soup and how much we love to hate on New Jersey. Solid gold commentary and when you’re getting soup recs from the queen of viral internet soup videos, you better watch your mouth and listen up! This conversation was so fun and Anna is a bla…

1
Swimming in Antarctica and Multiple Overdoses with Mental Health Expert, Archie Messersmith-Bunting 1:12:06

3y ago1:12:06

1:12:06

This week I got to kick it in the booth with Archie Messersmith-Bunting, aka The Feelings Guy™ and we got DEEP. Before diving into conversations about mental health, drug abuse, singing on Broadway, and an experience of being bucked into the waters of Antarctica – we talked about Archie’s hometown in Alabama which is where all of the unclaimed bagg…

1
When is the Last Time You Played as an Adult? with Gary Ware 1:14:47

3y ago1:14:47

1:14:47

My man, Gary Ware, stepped into the diner and brought a bunch of truth and his expertise in play to the booth. Before we dove into all that we compared notes on how we both eat our pancakes. Then we discussed our mutual love, improv comedy. I asked Gary how Gary got into improv (turns out it was completely on accident!) and what improv taught him a…

1
Balancing Work Ethic and Being Gentle with Ourselves with Survivor’s Andrea Boehlke 1:10:24

3y ago1:10:24

1:10:24

You love to see a human that’s like, yeah, I did Survivor… THREE times. This week’s guest in the Diner was the woman, the myth, the legend – Andrea Boehlke. She was born and raised in Wisconsin and moved to New York to pursue a career in acting, which is where we met. We talked about her farmer work ethic that translated well to persevering through…

1
Falling in Love with Rejection with New York Times bestseller, Harlan Cohen 1:16:50

3y ago1:16:50

1:16:50

This week was so much fun, I got to hang out with New York Times Bestselling author, Harlan Cohen, and he shared so many powerful nuggets of wisdom. We kicked off the conversation talking about food (as one does in The Diner) and that led to an interesting conversation about having (or in Harlan’s case not having) strong opinions. We talked about c…

1
Perfectionism and Integrative Medicine with Wellness Expert Kristel Bauer 1:00:46

3y ago1:00:46

1:00:46

Today I’m hanging out in the diner booth with wellness expert, Kristel Bauer. We talked mind, body, heart, and soul – as we do in the diner, we covered it all. She shared about how she got into integrative medicine and how she valued a holistic approach to wellness. We talked about perfectionism and how vulnerability is far more relatable and power…

1
Everyone’s Favorite Sardine Eating, Ukrainian Immigrant, Stand-Up Comic, Boris Khaykin 1:14:16

3y ago1:14:16

1:14:16

Boris and I go way back, and I’m so glad he finally made it to The Diner. My boy rolled up with a can of sardines and apologies in advance for what it sounds like on a podcast when a guest eats sardines. After a lot of talk of omlettes and the many versions of canned fish that exist, Boris shared about his childhood in Ukraine, and their journey to…

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James Robilotta Podcasts

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