Sounds Good with Branden Harvey (Good Good Good)
Explore every episode of Sounds Good with Branden Harvey
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Oct 2021 | Backhanded Optimism with Adam J. Kurtz | 00:43:07 | |
Sounds Good Season Finale // If you've been looking for a sign to change your life, this is it. As you've probably figured out by now, life isn't a linear line. It's full of ups and downs, uncertainty, and confusion; however, what guides us through is intentionality. That's what illustrator and author Adam J. Kurtz's fourth book, You Are Here (For Now): A Guide to Finding Your Way, tackles. In it are essays and illustrations aimed to help readers with personal transformation — instead of simply living life getting through it day by day, Kurtz wants you to actually enjoy where you are and who you are. As a best-selling designer, artist, and public speaker (whose work has been featured in the New Yorker, NYLON, and more), Adam has dedicated his whole life to finding the humor, truth, and optimism in being alive. He channels the lessons he's learned through his art and wants you to know that it's all going to be okay. His art and stationary brand has been sold all over the world and he's amassed a big social media following through his work in mental health. In this episode, Adam J. Kurtz talks to us about what purpose really means to him and how we’re never as alone as we feel. | |||
| 09 Aug 2021 | Letting Go of Perfection to Find Peace, According to an Expert | 00:52:07 | |
Mental health influencer Poppy Jamie is letting go of the idea of perfection. The British entrepreneur and lifestyle personality made the radical choice to unsubscribe from habits that were making her miserable and in her new book, Happy Not Perfect: Upgrade Your Mind, Challenge Your Thoughts, and Free Yourself from Anxiety, Poppy shares why anyone can benefit from letting go of ideas that no longer benefit us. In this episode, Poppy talks with us about our societal struggle with our egos, our lack of work/life balance, and why resting is the ultimate key to being at peace with ourselves. Her expertise in the field of making difficult, but necessary life changes for good will resonate with anyone who finds themselves struggling with their mental health. | |||
| 07 May 2018 | Grace Bonney — Building Communities with Curiosity | 00:44:51 | |
Founder of Design Sponge, Grace Bonney, believes that curiosity allows you to find deeper meaning inside whatever community you’ve found yourself in. This belief has altered her life in profound and impactful ways ever since she started building her own business.
| |||
| 19 Apr 2021 | What’s Happening at the U.S./Mexico Border and How to Help | 01:06:48 | |
Yonathan Moya grew up on the U.S./Mexico border and sought out a way to tell the stories of the people living there. Following a nine-day photographic journey in 2017, he launched an organization supporting families along the border. Border Perspective leads service-learning trips along the south Texas border to provide opportunities to support local immigrant ministries and to better understand the complexity of immigration. In this episode, Yonathan and Branden discuss what’s currently happening at the U.S./Mexico border, the nuanced and complex historical and political contexts of immigration, and opportunities to create solutions.
Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with the code GOOD (and shop local bookstores online with Bookshop) | |||
| 26 Apr 2021 | John Moe Is Fighting Mental Health Stigma With Humor | 00:36:02 | |
John Moe (“Depresh Mode,” “The Hilarious World of Depression”) is bringing humor to mental health. The writer and radio personality’s work often centers on his mental health journey, and his writing has appeared in numerous humor anthologies as well as The New York Times Magazine, McSweeney's, The Seattle Times, and many more publications. For two decades, he hosted nationally distributed public radio programs. Following decades of living with undiagnosed depression, John is now using his platform to break down the stigma of mental illness. In his new podcast “Depresh Mode,” he interviews comedians, musicians, authors, and actors about living with depression, anxiety, and other common disorders. Through their honest, relatable conversations, listeners can learn more about their options for facing mental illness and feel less alone. In this episode, John shares the power of sharing your story, how humor can make things less scary, and how we can all follow his example in breaking down mental health stigma by talking about it. Guest: John Moe, writer and radio personality
→ Get more Good Good Good at goodgoodgood.co → Join 30,000 weekly Goodnewsletter readers at goodgoodgood.co/goodnewsletter → Become a Member and get the Goodnewspaper at goodgoodgood.co/membership ALJQ0N7w0N34m19nDEug | |||
| 16 Oct 2017 | Dr. Tererai Trent — Awakening the Sacred Dream Inside of Us | 00:51:38 | |
Before Dr. Tererai Trent became Oprah’s “favorite guest of all time,” she was a woman with a forgotten dream and a profound desire to recreate our world for the better. Born in rural Zimbabwe, Dr. Trent is one of the most internationally recognized voices for quality education and women’s empowerment today. She’s the author of ‘The Awakened Woman: Remembering and Reigniting Our Sacred Dreams’ — a book that shares her story of how she planted her dreams deep in the earth and they prayed they would grow and break the cycle of oppression of women today. In this conversation, Branden and Dr. Trent go deep into the heart of the power of an awakened woman and why our dreams will have greater meaning when they are tied to the betterment of your community. | |||
| 29 Jan 2018 | Meera Lee Patel — Making Friends with Your Fear | 00:42:02 | |
What if our deepest fears are shining guideposts, lighting the way to what we truly want in life? Instead of pushing them aside, what happens if we begin listening to our fears—and allow them to lead us bravely into the unknown? Author and illustrator Meera Lee Patel has taken the big, scary concept of fear and crafted a personal, yet universal love letter to it in her newest book My Friend Fear: Finding Magic in the Unknown. Using her own experience with anxiety, Patel help readers examines fear — where it comes from, how it can hold you back, and how it can be harnessed into a power for good. In this Sounds Good conversation, Branden and Meera go deep into the difference between leading lives that are driven by curiosity or security — and the power of changing the story that your fear tells you. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/meera | |||
| 28 Nov 2016 | Jason Russell (1/2) — Building a Movement | 00:45:55 | |
Jason is the cofounder of the iconic non-profit Invisible Children which was founded to increase awareness of the horrendous activities of the LRA in Central Africa. Jason was also the director of the iconic Kony 2012 film that took the world by storm. In this two-part interview Jason and Branden talk about what it means to create a movement, what Jason experienced during his breakdown and subsequent recovery, and Jason’s experience in the world of theater. -- @jasonradical on Instagram and @jasonrussell on Twitter | broomstickengine.com @brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com Find show notes at brandenharvey.com/podcast
| |||
| 04 Dec 2017 | Liz Vice — Seeing Our Calling as an Invitation | 00:57:50 | |
Most of us become impatient in the process and loathe uncertainty. However, Liz Vice has reconciled this truth in a profound way by learning to soar despite roadblocks in her story. While battling with an autoimmune disease for 7 years, Liz felt she had to reconcile with the fact that she would have to forfeit her dreams — instead, her life took a turn for the spectacular. Raised in Portland, Oregon — Liz Vice is a gospel and R&B singer and currently the music director at Hope Brooklyn while balancing touring, playing venues and festivals around the country. She has worked on the background casting for commercial and feature films such as Portlandia, Green Room, the A-List and C.O.G as well as employed by Weiden+Kennedy — an independent advertising agency responsible for clients like Airbnb, Coca Cola, Nike and Old Spice. However, Vice’s path toward film and music was not a straight one, but, rather, shaped by the dreams others had for her. In this conversation, Branden and Liz discuss the power of calling amidst medical roadblocks and the importance of surrounding yourself by people who won’t let you quit. | |||
| 29 Feb 2016 | Ruthie Lindsey — Finding Purpose in the Pain | 00:54:12 | |
You’ve seen Ruthie Lindsey’s work. You just don’t know it. As a stylist, she’s worked with everyone from Warby Parker and charity: water to Mercedes-Benz and Lincoln. And crazily enough, Taylor Swift did a photoshoot in Ruthie’s beautiful home. She’s always dancing, giggling and speaking kind words. So much so that you’d never know the pain she’s overcome through the years and continues to overcome on a daily basis. Today Branden talks with her about choosing joy despite pain, finding your identity, and… well, rap music. -- You can connect with Ruthie Lindsey on Instagram at @ruthielindsey. Connect with Branden Harvey and find out where in the world he is this week on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat at @BrandenHarvey. And subscribe to his weekly goodnewsletter at brandenharvey.com. You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good over at Gradient.is. | |||
| 03 Oct 2016 | Frank Warren — The Art of Authenticity | 00:50:23 | |
In 2004, Frank Warren started an art project called PostSecret. He asked strangers to mail their secrets they'd never shared with anyone to his house. The game plan was to put the few postcards he received into an art exhibit… but he just kept receiving more and more. Frank started a lo-fi blog where he shared a handful of secrets once a week. Now, PostSecret is the largest advertisement-free blog in the world and he’s received more than a million postcards from strangers. -- SOCIAL: @brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | www.brandenharvey.com. You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at www.gradient.is. | |||
| 15 Jan 2018 | Natalie Norton — Sticking Around for the Miracle | 01:15:14 | |
Author, speaker, and life coach Natalie Norton’s life has been put through the ringer. She is no stranger to pain. Tragedy began with the unexpected death of her younger brother in 2007. After this event, her life slowly unraveled over the next few years with the death of her youngest son, a failed adoption of 3 beautiful children who had been living in Natalie’s home for 2 years when the state unexpectedly reunified them with their biological mother. Furthermore, a sudden ‘brain surge’/seizure left Natalie unable to communicate, remember her own name or identify her children as her own. Most recently, her 11 year old son was struck by a a compact SUV while crossing the street — leaving him no option but to spend a month in the ICU. Today, his recovery is still ongoing. This unbelievably painful sequence of events is a mapping of Natalie’s life that, miraculously, has lead her to conclude that it’s worth sticking around for the miracle. In this conversation, Branden and Natalie delve deep into the truth of why a personal commitment to passion and drive changes everything and the idea that our lives are meant to be so much more than the pain inside of it. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/natalie | |||
| 10 Dec 2018 | Dwayne Reed — Teaching, Rapping, and Building Relationships | 00:59:58 | |
Discovered by Pharrell Williams and seen on Good Morning America, Dwayne Reed is the rapping teacher from Chicago responsible for the viral hit, Welcome to the 4th Grade. Dwayne, or as he’s called in his classroom: Mr. Reed, genuinely cares about his students and has found a number of creative ways to show them.
| |||
| 18 Sep 2017 | Adam Foss — Making an Impact From Inside a Broken System | 00:50:59 | |
Former prosecutor, Adam Foss is a fierce voice for compassion in criminal justice reform. He’s currently the founder of Prosecutor Impact, a non-profit organization built around the mission of improving community safety in the US by requiring better incentives and more measurable metrics for success beyond, simply, “cases won.”. Not only did he advise President Barack Obama on criminal justice reform, but he was also named the 2017 Nelson Mandela Changemaker of the Year. There is no other way to describe Adam Foss but as a 21st century ‘Giant of Justice’. Recorded together at Life is Good HQ in Boston, Branden and Adam discuss the difference between sympathy and empathy and gain a better understanding of the most important actor in the criminal justice system: the prosecutor. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/adam | |||
| 05 Nov 2018 | Gustavo Guerrero — What Brings Us Together | 01:23:55 | |
As a DREAMer, Gustavo Guerrero is passionate about advocating for human rights, immigration reform, and civil and political rights. As a musician, Gustavo has found a tool to build empathy and understanding, and remind people that they matter — whether they have a social security number or not.
| |||
| 05 Dec 2016 | Jason Russell (2/2) — Recovering from a Breakdown | 00:49:34 | |
This is Part 2 of Branden’s conversation with Jason Russell, the cofounder of Invisible Children and general creative genius. In this two-part interview Jason and Branden talk about creativity, breakdowns, and movements. -- @jasonradical on Instagram and @jasonrussell on Twitter | broomstickengine.com @brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com Find show notes at brandenharvey.com/podcast | |||
| 11 Jul 2016 | Nirrimi Firebrace — Creating Hope in the Heartbreak | 01:01:02 | |
Nirrimi Firebrace is an award-winning Australian photographer who catapulted into the public eye when she was just a teenager. She runs an incredibly popular blog called Fire & Joy, where she’s shared her beautiful, sometimes heartbreaking, and always hopeful life story through photos and words since she was a young teenager. She’s shot for all kinds of brands and bands all over the world and everywhere she goes she loves people well. -- You can connect with Nirrimi Firebrace on Instagram at @fireandjoy and see her photos and read her blog at www.fireandjoy.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is. | |||
| 03 Sep 2018 | DeRay Mckesson — The Case for Hope | 00:41:57 | |
Civil rights activist, teacher, and author, DeRay Mckesson thinks hope is the belief that tomorrow can be better than today. In this conversation, Branden and DeRay talk about his book ‘On the Other Side of Freedom’ and his personal journey of advocacy and activism that has caught America’s attention.
| |||
| 27 Jun 2016 | Sammy Nickalls — Taking Steps & Talking About It | 00:36:41 | |
Sammy Nickalls is an essayist and mental health advocate. She is a staff writer for HelloGiggles and the originator of the popular Twitter hashtag, #TalkingAboutIt. Sammy's work generally focuses on personal essays, feminism, and mental health awareness. -- You can connect with Sammy Nickalls and check out #TalkingAboutIt on Twitter at @sammynickalls.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey (with an -en at the end). And subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is. | |||
| 05 Apr 2021 | 3 Myths About Changing the World | 00:33:12 | |
All over the world, mysterious signs have been popping up. They say messages like: “Don’t give up.” “You are worthy of love.” “Your mistakes don’t define you.” Today we’re introducing you to the woman behind these messages and the global movement: Amy Wolff. One weekend in 2017, Amy and her family anonymously staked in yards in their small town of Newberg, Oregon. They had just learned of suicide rates in their town and wanted to find a way to encourage community members. Little did they know that their project would turn into a global movement featured on Good Morning America, Yahoo, the Washington Post, NowThis, and on countless other media. Within days, Amy incorporated Don’t Give Up as a nonprofit, and products (which the organization sells at-cost) have shipped to all 50 U.S. states and 26 countries, including the Philippines, Rwanda, Costa Rica, and Zambia. Now the movement serves more than as a response to suicide — it’s also a comforting cancer patients, those enduring the loss of a loved one, and those recovering from sexual assault and inspiring people to have the courage to leave abusive relationships or overcome addiction. In this episode, Wolff tells the story of her neighborhood-project-turned-worldwide-movement and reminds us of the power of simple, kind words at the right place at the right time for the right person. | |||
| 05 Mar 2018 | Theron Humphrey — Creating Out of a Place of Belonging | 00:41:45 | |
Do you believe that a broken heart could be the catalyst for most things we create and move toward in our lives? For photographer and world-traveler Theron Humphrey, this statement has been one of the truest statements for the trajectory of his life. And it’s been a wild one.
| |||
| 25 Mar 2019 | Celebrating 3 Years of Sounds Good! | 00:10:58 | |
Branden Harvey jumps in with a short episode to share some exciting personal news, celebrate three years of making Sounds Good, and highlighting what’s ahead for Year 4 of the podcast.
soundsgoodpodcast.com
| |||
| 18 Oct 2021 | How to Turn Good Intentions into Real Change in Your Workplace | 00:42:07 | |
The gap between good intentions and real change is a big one to fill. While many companies are interested in making their workplaces more diverse, it’s not enough to simply want more inclusion. It takes real systemic change to transform any professional setting into an equitable one and many value-driven organizations find themselves stuck at being just short of making real progress. Thankfully, that’s what our next guest is working to solve. Bethaney Wilkinson is the author of The Diversity Gap, a guide to instituting diversity efforts in workplaces. Bethaney’s lived experience as a Black woman in Georgia has been a driving force in writing The Diversity Gap. She's spent over 10 years working with values-driven organizations to diversify their teams, serve their neighbors, and pursue social change with integrity and authenticity. She’s also the founder of The Diversity Gap Academy, an online learning platform which aims to provide leaders with racial justice education. In this episode, Bethaney shares what racial justice means to her and how people can create an inclusive workplace environment where everyone can feel safe. | |||
| 17 Sep 2018 | Jamie Tworkowski — Bringing Your Heart into Everything | 00:51:42 | |
Jamie is the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms and the New York Times bestselling author of ‘If You Feel Too Much’. In this conversation, Branden and Jamie get real and personal about the cost of putting everything into your work, moving courageously toward transition and new chapters, and why the greatest thing we can do is to choose to stay until tomorrow.
| |||
| 12 Mar 2018 | Allison Fallon — Becoming a Force of Love and Change in the World | 00:56:31 | |
Author and speaker Allison Fallon is someone who has lived into this idea that telling the truth about yourself is the hardest thing we can do, but the beginning of something really beautiful. Like many of us, she’s realized that something amazing happens when we realize we don’t have total control and are forced to surrender to a force that is bigger than ourselves. Ally has written and published more than 10 books, coached hundreds of writers, developed multiple writing curriculums, worked as a managing editor at Donald Miller’s Storyline and recently finished writing her latest book, Indestructible. Indestructible tells the shocking story of a marriage that didn’t go as planned, the truth that shattered everything, and the beautiful unfolding around the realization that saving her marriage wasn’t worth losing herself. Through her hopeful journey, she’s learned to heal and grow stronger — because when chaos is present, change is often imminent. In this conversation, Branden and Ally talk about seeing tragedy as an opportunity to shatter the barrier that’s between us and all the love we’ve ever wanted. soundsgoodpodcast.com/allison | |||
| 10 Apr 2017 | Liz Bohannon — Crossing the Point of No Return | 01:12:25 | |
Liz is full of energy, knows what taking big risks looks like, and is the founder of Sseko Designs, an ethical fashion brand that works to educate and empower women. In this episode, Branden and Liz talk about saying yes, feminism, and speaking your dreams out loud. | |||
| 11 Jan 2021 | Shane Claiborne on Abolishing the Death Penalty | 00:33:32 | |
Shane Claiborne is an outspoken critic of the death penalty. He’s a well-respected justice system reform activist and Christian faith leader, and he believes capital punishment needs to go for good in the United States — a country that’s in company with China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Egypt for countries with the highest execution rates. In the first half of today’s episode, Shane shares how he came to believe so passionately against the death penalty, lay out the most important facts, and celebrate progress that’s already been made, such as the abolition of the death penalty in some places and the growing conversation on the topic. He also casts a vision for what a future without the death penalty could look like. In the second half, Shane lays out how each of us can get involved. Guest: Shane Claiborne, activist and author Background reading:
Sponsor: Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/GOOD → Get more good news at goodgoodgood.co | |||
| 01 May 2017 | Jeremy Courtney — Unmaking Violence with Preemptive Love | 00:46:08 | |
Jeremy Courtney is cofounder and executive director of the Preemptive Love Coalition (PLC), an international development organization based in Iraq that brings relief to families fleeing war in Syria and Iraq, helps refugees rebuild their lives, and provides lifesaving medical care for children in conflict zones. | |||
| 22 Aug 2016 | Bonnie Kate & Max Zoghbi — Redeeming Tragedy | 01:11:14 | |
In 2012, Bonnie Kate happened to be watching a movie in Aurora, Colorado when a gunman stormed into the theater and began shooting. Bonnie Kate was shot, but lived. On this week’s episode of Sounds Good, Bonnie Kate and her now-husband Max share the beautiful and hopeful story of how they’ve redeemed such a terrible tragedy in their lives, how they fell in love, the experience of their story going viral online (Their short film, Wildflower, has 1 million views!), and what’s next for them. You’re not going to want to miss this. -- You can connect with Bonnie Kate on Instagram at @bonniekatez. You can connect with Max on Instagram at @belikethefox. Follow them together on YouTube and Instagram at Adventure Us. You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. Learn more about Branden and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com. You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is. | |||
| 15 May 2017 | Ken Wytsma — Exposing the Myth of Equality | 01:00:06 | |
Ken Wytsma is is a leader, innovator, and social entrepreneur. He is the author of The Myth of Equality, Pursuing Justice and The Grand Paradox and president of Kilns College, where he teaches courses on philosophy and justice. He is also the founder of The Justice Conference, an annual international conference that introduces men and women to a wide range of organizations and conversations on racial inequality and social justice. | |||
| 28 Jan 2019 | Andy J. Miller — Making Art and Doing Good | 00:56:23 | |
Andy J. Pizza is an illustrator and podcaster. In this episode, Andy shares the story of his relationship with his mother, how ADHD has affected his life, and how Modest Mouse brought him out of a very dark place.
| |||
| 27 Mar 2017 | Leah Nobel — Having Conversations with 100 Strangers | 00:48:18 | |
For her forthcoming album, Leah Nobel personally conducted a hundred interviews with people of a wide array of background and personalities. She then translated their experiences to song, the results of which is her new album. | |||
| 15 Oct 2018 | Gary Haugen — Ending Slavery in Our Lifetime | 00:49:08 | |
As founder of International Justice Mission, Gary Haugen fights the chronically neglected global epidemic of violence against the poor. In this conversation, Branden and Gary go behind the curtain and dive deep into the story International Justice Mission, lean into the power of systems that care for the individual, and explore the idea that joy is the oxygen behind doing hard things.
| |||
| 19 Feb 2018 | Linda Sarsour — Fighting for All | 00:51:46 | |
How do we maintain resilience and consistency in the midst of opposition? The Women’s March was the largest single-day protest in US history—bringing together more than 3.3 million people in 500 US cities. And Linda Sarsour, a rising household name in the United States, was a big reason why that happened. But that doesn’t come without significant backlash and criticism even while promoting a message that advocates for the dignity and respect of all human beings. Linda Sarsour is an award winning Brooklyn born Palestinian-American-Muslim racial justice and civil rights activist, community organizer, social media maverick, and mother of three. Linda has been at the forefront of major social justice campaigns both locally in New York City and nationally — particularly gaining national attention for her advocacy on behalf of American Muslims and as a co-chair of the Women's March. She is the former Executive Director of the Arab American Association of New York, co-founder of Muslims for Ferguson, and a member of the NY Justice League. In this conversation, Branden and Linda discuss the power of choosing to embrace diversity — leaning into things that are divisive even though they are uncomfortable. (Oh, and here’s the link to our Facebook Discussion group that we gave a shout-out to in the episode: https://www.facebook.com/groups/goodgoodgoodco/) soundsgoodpodcast.com/linda | |||
| 15 Mar 2021 | What We Can Learn From the World’s Most Notable Activists | 00:32:44 | |
Journalist and photographer KK Ottesen has photographed and interviewed the world’s most notable politicians and activists. She is a regular contributor to The Washington Post Magazine, and her work has appeared in many other international publications. Her new book, “Activist: Portraits of Courage” includes portraits of Stacey Abrams, John Lewis, Tarana Burke, Edward Snowden, Bernie Sanders, Cecile Richards, Al Sharpton, Gabrielle Giffords, Angela Davis, and many more. In her book, these world-changers recount the experiences that sparked their work in social justice and politics and share the beliefs that keep them going. In the first half of this episode, KK shares how through her interviews with them, she learned that most of the famous activists we know of today started their journeys simply by believing that a different world is possible, taking one small action step, and then committing to taking step after step. In the second half, she shares that anyone who has hope for a better future can be an activist. It’s more simple than you might think. | |||
| 20 Jun 2016 | Victor Saad — Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone | 00:59:36 | |
Victor Saad is an Egyptian-American living in Chicago who believes that relationships are the most powerful engines for change. After ditching grad school to create his own successful masters program called The Leap Year Project, Victor founded the Experience Institute, joining forces with industry leaders from Leo Burnett, Stanford, and Ideo to design a new type of higher education rooted in real-world experience. -- You can connect with Victor Saad on Instagram and Twitter at @victorsaad.
| |||
| 04 Jan 2021 | This Nonprofit Helps Kids Grow $100 Into Thousands For Charity | 00:26:47 | |
The nonprofit Kids Boost empowers kids to become philanthropists and social entrepreneurs. With $100 in start-up funding, kids work with a one-on-one coach to raise funds for a charity they love. On average, participants turn the initial $100 into $1,850 for deserving charities. In the first half of this episode, Kids Boost founder Kristen Williams tells the story of a 12-year-old named Jared, who inspired her to start Kids Boost, and how participants creatively raise money for the causes they care about. In the second half, Kristen shares how everyone — kids and grown-ups alike — can make a difference by doing what they love. Guest: Kristen Williams, founder and executive director of Kids Boost Sponsor: Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/GOOD → Get more Good Good Good at goodgoodgood.co | |||
| 17 Apr 2019 | Sarah Corbett — The Art of Gentle Protest | 00:58:57 | |
What does a gentler form of protest look like? Could it be uniquely effective? Sarah Corbett, TEDx speaker, author, and activist of 30 years has perfected the art of gentle protest.
| |||
| 19 Nov 2018 | Morgan Harper Nichols — Encouraging People on Their Journeys | 00:48:01 | |
You’ve seen her poetry and art on Instagram, but you may not know the backstory behind the colorful creations she shares. Morgan has made her life’s work about creating for the stories of others, through music, words, art, and design.
| |||
| 25 Jun 2018 | Amobi Okugo — Guiding the Next Generation of Athletes | 00:30:02 | |
Nigerian American Amobi Okugo is a professional soccer player (now a reserve for Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers), who is passionate about athletes taking control of their financial lives. After watching so many athletes go broke, he started an organization called A Frugal Athlete — an organization helping increase financial literacy and encourage prudent financial practices among professional athletes.
| |||
| 31 May 2021 | Saving the Bees with Bee Girl Sarah | 00:42:29 | |
Sarah Red-Laird is “the bee girl” who started the nonprofit The Bee Girl Organization to educate and inspire communities to conserve bees, their flowers, and our countryside. The nonprofit helps to regenerate soil, bees, and communities through educational programs and events for both kids and adults. They also partner with universities, public land managers, and private companies to conduct bee health and habitat research. In this episode, Sarah shares why bees are so important for agriculture and the environment, the problems facing bees, and simple action steps anyone can take to save bees. | |||
| 29 May 2017 | Stephen Kenn — Objects as a Gateway to Connection | 00:42:47 | |
Stephen Kenn operates a Los Angeles based design studio focused on furniture and leather goods. Driven by curiosity, Stephen takes a thoughtful and optimistic approach to his work, believing there is always a way to make things simpler. He begins all design projects by seeking out materials that will last a lifetime and experimenting with new processes. In this conversation, Branden and Stephen discuss the idea of seeing objects as an opportunity for story. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/stephenkenn | |||
| 26 Dec 2016 | Bob Goff — Making More Sparks | 00:31:28 | |
Bob Goff calls himself a "recovering lawyer" because after practicing law for 25 years, then becoming the Hon. Consul to Uganda, he gave up his law firm to pursue writing and speaking full time. Bob lives a life of adventure with his family and his NGO Love Does that operates all around the world in places like Uganda, Iraq, and Somalia. -- @bobgoff on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook | lovedoes.org @brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com Find show notes at brandenharvey.com/podcast
| |||
| 06 Sep 2021 | How an Ex-Felon Is Helping Others with Their Second Chance at Life | 01:10:11 | |
After getting out of prison, Jason Wang committed to helping ex-felons get jobs, end generational poverty, and re-enter society. The United States’ incarceration system has made it nearly impossible for ex-felons to have a second chance at life. From the minute they’re incarcerated to the minute they’re released, the U.S. justice system imposes the strictest and harshest of penalties. There is little support for felons once they return to life after imprisonment, and readjusting to society without support is extremely hard. Ex-felons are held to impossible standards during probation and expected to comply with an average of 18-20 requirements every single day — and 68 percent of felons end up being rearrested within three years of being released. But there are people working to improve living conditions for ex-felons once they re-enter society. Free World is an organization working to end generational poverty and the chance of offenders reoffending, and is run by CEO Jason Wang, who is himself an ex-felon who was convicted as a minor. After leaving prison, he found it hard to readjust to civilian life — and now his non-profit works to get ex-felons into well-paying jobs to live life on their own terms. | |||
| 15 Feb 2021 | This Organization Is Helping Young People Get Elected | 00:29:25 | |
After working on Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's presidential campaigns, Amanda Litman founded Run for Something, an organization dedicated to helping young and non-traditional candidates successfully run for office. Run for Something removes barriers to entry by providing assistance with behind-the-scenes mechanics, tactical and strategic support, advice, mentorship, training, and everything in between. Between 2017 and 2020, they’ve helped elect nearly 500 candidates in 46 states. In the first half of this episode, Run for Something co-founder and executive director Amanda Litman explains why anyone can run for office and why it truly makes a difference. In the second half, she lays out the steps for running for office — even if you aren’t sure what you want to run for yet. → Get more Good Good Good at goodgoodgood.co | |||
| 02 Jul 2018 | Brooke Shaden — Art as a Mirror for the Creator and Observer | 00:41:05 | |
Is the process of creating art more about becoming a mirror for the creator or the observer? Fine art photographer, Brooke Shaden, has explored this question for the better portion of her life and found the nuanced answer inside her own powerful story.
| |||
| 22 May 2017 | Ahmed Badr — Challenging the Refugee Narrative | 00:39:10 | |
When Ahmed Badr was 8 years old, his family's home in Baghdad was bombed. He and his family became refugees and moved to Syria. After living in Syria for two years, they applied for a UN Refugee resettlement program and were placed in the United States. Ahmed is the founder of Narratio, a platform for creative expression that seeks to create empathy and alleviate childhood illiteracy by empowering youth through the publishing of poetry, photography, art and narrative. Ahmed is also a published writer, photographer, and poet. With work appearing on the Instagram blog, HuffPost, Adobe, and others, Ahmed explores the intersection between creativity, the refugee experience, and youth empowerment. | |||
| 01 Oct 2018 | Ryan Cummins — Making Charity Go Viral | 00:55:44 | |
Founding Omaze with his business partner Matt, CEO and co-founder Ryan Cummins is responsible for the online platform known for raising hundreds of millions of dollars for charity by raffling once-in-a-lifetime experiences. In this conversation, Branden and Ryan dive deep into the origin of Omaze, the intersection of philanthropy and storytelling, and the power of living for something bigger than yourself.
| |||
| 21 Aug 2017 | Anis Mojgani — Finding Your Way Back to Being Human | 00:59:58 | |
Anis Mojgani has been said to be a poet who gleefully spurns the boundaries of poet. He is not only a two-time National Poetry Slam Champion, winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam, and multiple-time TEDx Speaker, but he’s also an Iranian American living in Oregon with a passion for processing the human interior. Notable to mention: he is one of Branden Harvey’s favorite poets. Anis has performed his slam poetry around the globe and has performed for audiences as varied as the House of Blues and the United Nations. He is also the author of three poetry collections — Songs From Under the River, The Feather Room, Over the Anvil We Stretch. In this conversation, Branden and Anis (while eating doughnuts) take an in-depth look at how poetry can be a tool for creative exploration through the tremendous grief and joy that life holds for humanity. | |||
| 26 Sep 2016 | Jessica Hische — Living Your Life Openly | 00:58:46 | |
Jessica Hische is an amazing lettering artist and author of "In Progress”. She’s done amazing hand lettering work for clients such as Wes Anderson, Penguin Books, The New York Times, American Express, Target, and Nike. Jessica is considered highly in the design community as someone who’s a helper— consistently providing advice on how she’s overcome obstacles in both work and life. -- SOCIAL: @brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | www.brandenharvey.com. You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at www.gradient.is. | |||
| 06 Feb 2017 | Emily McDowell — What to Say When You Don't Know What to Say | 00:50:06 | |
Emily McDowell has been transforming the stationery industry since 2013 with her “greeting cards for the relationships we really have.” She's is a cancer survivor and the creator of Empathy Cards, a line of greeting cards for when you don’t know what to say. She’s also the co-author of her new book, There Is No Good Card For This. She has appeared on Good Morning America, NPR, and NBC, and featured in the New York Times, USA Today, and Women's Health. -- @EmilyMcDowell_: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook | emilymcdowell.com @BrandenHarvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com Find show notes at soundsgoodpodcast.com Sign up for the Goodnewsletter at goodnewsletter.org | |||
| 02 Apr 2018 | Justin Zoradi — How to Build, Empower, and Let Go of Work That Matters | 00:56:11 | |
Award winning social entrepreneur Justin Zoradi’s important work began the day he decided to no longer deny opportunities to others that he demanded for himself.
| |||
| 11 Feb 2019 | Pantsuit Politics — How to Have Conversations About Politics | 00:35:36 | |
Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers launched their podcast, Pantsuit Politics, in November of 2015 with the goal of listening to each other first, and talking politics second — even though Sarah is on the left of the political spectrum and Beth is on the right.
| |||
| 27 Aug 2018 | Ben Higgins — Leaning Into Generosity Wherever You Are | 01:05:08 | |
In this conversation, Branden and Ben unpack what it means to lead a life of purpose and generosity, the importance of getting angry about injustice, the burden of fame, humanitarian work, and living into the questions that inevitably come with faith.
| |||
| 02 Apr 2019 | Tyson Motsenbocker — Walking Through Doubt | 01:09:30 | |
Currently touring with Switchfoot and Colony House, Tyson Motsenbocker is a songwriter and guitarist living in San Diego, California.
| |||
| 01 Feb 2021 | Jedidiah Jenkins on Finding Your Purpose | 00:41:01 | |
Jedidiah Jenkins is a travel writer who lives with life with intention and purpose. He worked a dream job as a lawyer for the nonprofit Invisible Children before quitting to bike 10,000 miles from Oregon to Patagonia. He wrote a New York Times-bestselling book about his experience and has inspired thousands of people to engage their own lives with similar curiosity and passion. He is also the executive editor of Wilderness magazine. Guest: Jedidiah Jenkins, author of “To Shake the Sleeping Self” and “Like Streams to the Ocean” Sponsor: Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/GOOD → Get more Good Good Good at goodgoodgood.co | |||
| 20 Feb 2017 | McKel Hill — How to Find More Balance | 00:41:39 | |
In this episode, registered dietician nutritionist McKel Hill shares her personal story and tips for living a more healthy and balanced life. McKel is the founder of Nutrition Stripped, a blog, online community, and resource for a balanced wellbeing. More: brandenharvey.com/sounds-good/mckel-hill | |||
| 01 Jan 2018 | Sarah Corbett — The Art of Gentle Protest | 00:57:43 | |
Today, there are good reasons to doubt the effectiveness of many elements of conventional activism—oftentimes marked by aggression, extreme extroversion and violence. Award-winning campaigner Sarah Corbett started looking for alternatives that appealed to the introvert, namely, craftivism. Sarah’s gentle protest approach to craftivism aims to change the world with deliberate, thoughtful actions that provoke reflection and respectful conversation instead of aggression and division. She’s a world-traveling storyteller, has given several TEDx Talks and wrote A Little Book of Craftivism which was published in 2013, and How To Be A Craftivist, published in 2017. Also notable to mention, Malala has attended one of her workshops. In this conversation, Branden and Sarah chat about how craftivism can be for everyone. From skilled crafters to burnt out activists, gentle protest can be for those people who want to challenge injustice in the world but don’t know what to do, where to start or how to prioritize their energies and time.
| |||
| 01 Feb 2021 | [Unedited] Jedidiah Jenkins on Finding Your Purpose | 00:53:29 | |
This is the full-length, unedited version of our conversation with Jedidiah Jenkins. Jedidiah was one of our first-ever guests on the show when we launched Sounds Good five years ago. His episode remains one of our most popular episodes, so we thought it would be fun to release the full unedited conversation of our latest conversation together. Enjoy! Check out the previous episode in your feed for the shorter, edited version of this episode. Jedidiah Jenkins is a travel writer who lives with life with intention and purpose. He worked a dream job as a lawyer for the nonprofit Invisible Children before quitting to bike 10,000 miles from Oregon to Patagonia. He wrote a New York Times-bestselling book about his experience and has inspired thousands of people to engage their own lives with similar curiosity and passion. He is also the executive editor of Wilderness magazine. In this episode, Branden and Jedidiah talk about the nuance of purpose, how it’s different from what we imagine, and how we can find it — or at least get started in the right direction. | |||
| 28 Mar 2016 | Maia & Alex Shibutani — Taking Kindness to the Olympics | 00:56:13 | |
Maia and Alex Shibutani are Olympic figure skaters at the top of their game. The duo have been in the public eye for years because of their incredible talent at such a young age, but also because brother-sister teams are uncommon in the sport. With 12 years of skating together under their belts, these siblings have competed together all over the world. They just won the National Championship and are competing at the World Championships the moment this episode is going live. ESPN called them stunning. The US Olympic Team describes them as incredibly dynamic in and outside the rink. On top of all of this, I just think Maia and Alex are some of the most genuine, interesting, and fun people I’ve ever met. -- You can connect with Maia Shibutani on Instagram and Twitter at @maiashibutani. You can connect with Alex Shibutani on Instagram and Twitter at @alexshibutani You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat at @brandenharvey (with an -en at the end).
| |||
| 18 Apr 2016 | Me Ra Koh — Letting Your Pain Sing Your Most Beautiful Song | 01:02:59 | |
Me Ra Koh has lived an incredible and diverse life. She’s spent time in a psychiatric ward, written several books, shot photos for some of the biggest brands in the world, and starred all over the television world. She’s recently starred on the Nate Berkus Show on the Oprah Winfrey Network, starred regularly on Disney, and is currently filming and producing a travel show with her amazing family of four all over the world. Me Ra is high-energy, full of intentionality, and loves to laugh. Today she shared about stepping into the unknown, being fully present in the moment, and the beauty of rejection and failure. -- You can connect with Me Ra Koh on Facebook and learn more about her at merakoh.com
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey (with an -en at the end).
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is. | |||
| 10 May 2021 | How to Fight Gun Violence with Shannon Watts | 00:53:27 | |
Moms Demand Action began the day after the Sandy Hook shooting, which claimed the lives of 28 people, including 20 children. Shannon Watts, a mother of five, knew she needed to do something — so she moved into action to end gun violence. She started Moms Demand Action, a non-partisan grassroots movement of moms who fight for stronger gun laws in America and encourage responsible gun ownership. Moms Demand Action has a volunteer chapter in every state plus Washington, D.C. Their work includes advocating for universal background checks, disarming domestic abusers, and responsible gun storage. Volunteers at their Gun Sense Action Network spend one hour per week driving phone calls into lawmaker’s offices or recruiting new supporters into the movement. Activist Crystal Turner also shares the story of how her life has changed since losing two of her children to gun violence in 2015. Crystal turned her pain into purpose and is now a dedicated activist working with Moms Demand Action to push for common sense gun reform. She also founded Mothers in Healing, a nonprofit that provides grief counseling for mothers who have lost a child. | |||
| 02 Aug 2021 | How a College Student Founded NOLA’s First Glass Recycling Plant | 00:37:00 | |
Recycling glass turned this young founder into a TikTok star. Franziska Trautmann was at the end of her college career when her frustration at her city’s (New Orleans, Louisiana) lack of a recycling program for glass boiled over. But rather than just stewing on it, she jumped into action and created the solution that she wanted to see. With the help of her friends, Franziska set out to change her city for the better with her company, Glass Half Full. Today, Glass Half Full is a company that collects glass in New Orleans and converts it to beach-like sand and glass cullet which is then used for disaster relief, eco-construction, new glass products, and so many other things. Glass Half Full reimagines recycling — and they collect all this glass for free with the help of volunteers too. Franziska Trautmann and Glass Half Full are making the world a better place one glass collection at a time. | |||
| 08 Oct 2018 | Scott Harrison — Work That Has No End | 01:44:42 | |
In 2006, with no money and less than no experience, Harrison founded charity: water. Today, his organization has raised over $300 million to bring clean drinking water to more than 8.2 million people around the globe. In this conversation, Branden and Scott dissect his new book Thirst: an inspiring personal story of compassion, redemption, second chances, and the transformative power within us all.
| |||
| 26 Jun 2017 | Eric Holthaus — Recognizing the Human Story in Weather | 00:32:32 | |
In 2014, Rolling Stone referred to Eric Holthaus as “the Rebel Nerd of Meteorology”, mainly in regards to his reputation for being defiantly optimistic in the world of science. His work as a meteorologist and writing has highlighted the belief that climate change is the most important and consequential story of our time. Furthermore, Eric’s transparency about living with autism and advocating for self-care have changed the way he interacts with the rest of the world. In this conversation, Branden and Eric discuss how weather unites us in unique ways — and how this notion should be celebrated. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/eric | |||
| 23 Oct 2017 | Firuzeh Mahmoudi — Why Activism is the Same as Breathing | 01:07:54 | |
The 1979 Iranian revolution radically shaped who Firuzeh Mahmoudi is today. She grew up witnessing massive rallies, captivated by the excitement, chaos, and hope. Years later, when protests erupted in 2009, Firuzeh — with no prior experience — organized concurrent rallies in 110 cities in support of the Iranian protesters – the largest global day of support for Iran in history. She is now the founder and director of United for Iran, an independent nonprofit based in San Francisco that works for civil liberties in Iran — with a special emphasis on using technology to fight injustice. In this conversation, Branden and Firuzeh talk about how working to advance civil liberties globally by advocating for human rights, supporting civil society, and engaging citizens all over the world can be the most challenging and rewarding work a person can be a part of. | |||
| 11 Apr 2016 | Adam J. Kurtz — Illustrating Joy in the Midst of Reality | 00:51:01 | |
Adam J. Kurtz, or ADAMJK is an artist, and author of 1 Page at a Time, which has been translated into more than a dozen languages. As an artist he’s worked with the New York Times, HP, Buzzfeed, Tumblr and Urban Outfitters. In this episode, Branden and Adam talk about optimism, depression, making opportunities happen, and how to take life day by day. -- You can connect with Adamjk on Instagram and Twitter at @adamjk and see his work at adamjkurtz.com. You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey (with an -en at the end).
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is. | |||
| 14 Aug 2017 | WeRateDogs — Wielding Twitter as a Joy Outlet | 00:55:20 | |
In 2015, WeRateDogs was born. If you would've told Matt Nelson then that he’d be entertaining 750,000 people in less than a year, he would've laughed in your face. For those of you who never knew something like WeRateDogs existed, it does. More than 3 million Twitter followers eagerly await the internet phenomenon of dog photo submissions being paired with witty captions — and the final products are brilliant. Not only is WeRateDogs used as a “joy outlet” for it’s followers, Matt has also ventured to use his online presence to converse and bring awareness to global conversations. In this episode, Branden chats with Matt on the creative craft of molding your words to convey your embarrassingly quirky thought or idea in 140 characters for your unpredictable audience. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/weratedogs | |||
| 30 Apr 2018 | Miles Adcox — Why Empathy and Self-Awareness Change Everything | 00:48:45 | |
Miles Adcox lives by these ideas: Empathy over action, love over agenda, and grace over advice. He is a speaker, writer, and CEO/Owner of Onsite — an extended care center for emotional trauma & co-dependency located in the rolling hills outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
| |||
| 03 Feb 2016 | Introducing Sounds Good with Branden Harvey | 00:02:15 | |
Sounds Good With Branden Harvey is a weekly podcast that explores the lives, stories and adventures of the happiest people on the Internet. Every week, our host Branden Harvey sits down with someone who is spreading hope and positivity in the world, and tries to figure out just what it is that makes them tick. Sounds Good With Branden Harvey is part of the Gradient Podcast Network, with new episodes released each Monday. | |||
| 28 Jun 2021 | How to Keep Juneteenth Alive All Year Round | 00:29:14 | |
Pulitzer Prize winner Professor Annette Gordon-Reed has been celebrating Juneteenth her entire life. But in light of the global spotlight on the Black Lives Matter movement from last year’s protests against police brutality, more and more people are aware of what Juneteenth represents for America. As well as a celebration of Black joy and liberty, Juneteenth is an opportunity to reflect on the history of emancipation—and how we can continue to fight for civil rights the other days of the year too. In this episode, Professor Gordon Reed — a notable American historian and Harvard professor — shares why she wrote On Juneteenth, her personal relationship to the federal holiday, and why this year’s Juneteenth felt different than years before. → Read Good Good Good's guide on how to celebrate Juneteenth | |||
| 17 May 2021 | 6 Good News Stories to Make Your Week Better | 00:29:23 | |
There’s always good news if you know where to look. Every month, we publish a print newspaper called The Goodnewspaper, full of hope and ways to make a meaningful difference. In this episode, Branden sits with the managing editor of The Goodnewspaper, Kailey Thompson, to share our favorite good news stories from the first half of 2021. These stories will inspire you and challenge you to go out into the world and become good news. Get good news delivered to your doorstep each month by subscribing to The Goodnewspaper at goodgoodgood.co/membership Guest: Kailey Thompson, managing editor of The Goodnewspaper | |||
| 06 Nov 2017 | Amena Brown — Finding Inspiration on the Mountain and in the Mundane | 00:43:33 | |
Does it ever feel like our souls hold massive record collections: melodies, rhythms and bass lines? Memories that ask you to dance and memories that haunt you in a minor key? Lies that become soundtracks to your days while truths play too softly to be heard? Spoken word poet, author and speaker Amena Brown seems to think so. Amena Brown’s broken records played messages about how she wasn’t worthy to be loved. The author of five spoken word albums and two nonfiction books (including ‘How to Fix A Broken Record’), Amena performs and speaks at events from coffeehouses to arenas with a mix of poetry, humor, and storytelling. In this conversation, Branden and Amena explore and debunk the myth that we have to always be searching for the adrenaline in order to make profound work or do impactful things. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/amena | |||
| 08 Feb 2021 | Positive Peace and How We Can Get More of It | 00:36:43 | |
Is the world becoming more peaceful? Or less? How would we know if it was? In an effort to measure peace, entrepreneur and philanthropist Steve Killelea founded the Institute for Economics and Peace, a nonprofit global research institute that measures peace levels around the world. The Institute created the conceptual framework for “positive peace,” which describes the attitudes, structures and institutions that underpin and sustain peaceful societies. Hint: Peace includes more than just an absence of violence. The Institute’s work now informs influential institutions such as the United Nations and the World Bank. In the first half of this episode, Steve describes the difference between “positive peace” and “negative peace,” plus how the Institute developed the framework for positive peace. In the second half, Steve and Branden share good news from data the Institute has collected. | |||
| 03 Jul 2017 | Jonny Sun — The Strange Hope of Being an Alien | 00:54:23 | |
You've probably seen @jonnysun's "weird Twitter" tweets of his life as a lonely alien experiencing earth. What you might not know is that Jonny Sun, the Asian Canadian playwright, artist, architect and comedian has a master's degree from Yale, is a PhD candidate at MIT, and is a fellow at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center. In this episode, Branden talked to Jonny about navigating the world of happiness in art and academia while wrestling with depression and anxiety. They also giggled through a conversation about Jonny’s news book, ‘Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too’. | |||
| 18 Feb 2019 | Nadya Okamoto — Google Stuff and Just Do It | 00:40:41 | |
Nadya Okamoto founded PERIOD at the age of 16, and so Branden and Nadya talk about periods and how to make a difference while you’re young.
| |||
| 04 Sep 2017 | Pantsuit Politics — Setting Out to Find the Nuance Again | 00:56:40 | |
Sarah Stewart Holland (a progressive) and Beth Silvers (a conservative) became friends in 1999 and haven’t recovered since. Sarah, a professional blogger and social media consultant, and Beth, a human resources executive and yoga teacher, challenged the notion that talking news with your politically opposite college friend is always messy. What evolved out of their friendship was Pantsuit Politics — a podcast that has someone on the right (Beth) and someone on the left (Sarah) having conversations with the goal of listening to each other first and talking politics second. In this conversation, Branden, Beth and Sarah, talk about bringing a distinctly women-centered perspective to the conversations happening around politics, intending only to learn from each other rather than walking into the discussions trying to win. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/pantsuitpolitics
| |||
| 26 Feb 2018 | Ilwad Elman — Passing Down a Legacy of Peacemaking | 00:47:09 | |
In 2010, the conflict in Somalia was raging heavily and the majority of Mogadishu and the South Central Regions of Somalia were lost to the control of the Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group al-Shabab. Somali-Canadian social activist, Ilwad Elman, living in Canada at the time, left the safety of her new home in North America to return to her home country of Somalia. Even in the midst of terrorism, conflict, and violence, Ilwad has remained in Somalia ever since — working for peace, security, and empowerment in creative and innovative ways. Today, Ilwad Elman is known for her work at the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center in Mogadishu alongside her mother Fartuun Adan, the NGO's founder. She was voted the African Young Personality of the Year during the 2016 Africa Youth Awards. She is also the feature story in Issue 03 of the Goodnewspaper. In this conversation, Branden and Ilwad discuss the opportunity we all have been give to live with intentionality and the opportunity to serve our communities. There is joy when we choose to educate ourselves in what is happening in our cities, and collaborate in order to add value. soundsgoodpodcast.com/ilwad | |||
| 12 Sep 2016 | Brad Montague — Don’t Hide Your Magic | 00:55:10 | |
Brad Montague is the creator of Kid President, the popular web series featured on Rainn Wilson's Soulpancake YouTube channel that has been viewed more than 16 million times. With a passion for helping foster creativity and compassion in young people he is constantly creating new and unique ways to make the world a better and more childlike place. -- SOCIAL: @brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | www.brandenharvey.com. | |||
| 09 Jul 2018 | Benjamin Von Wong — Using Art to Make People Care | 00:48:24 | |
Benjamin Von Wong is a world-renowned photographer who decided to use his talents to make a difference. He never set out to be a photographer, and he became one almost by accident. Nevertheless, in the space of the past 5 years since he quit his day job as a mining engineer, he’s earned a worldwide reputation as a brilliantly original photographic artist, and was even named one of four winners of this year’s Imaging Alliance award for Visionary Photographers.
| |||
| 16 Jan 2017 | Matt Wertz — The Habit of Curiosity | 00:38:27 | |
Matt Wertz is a singer-songwriter who's toured with acts like Hanson, Jason Mraz, Gavin Degraw, Five For Fighting, and Ben Rector. He’s also the host of the podcast Curiosity Habit. In this episode, Branden and Matt dive deep into Matt's background, his intentional curiosity, and growing self-awareness. -- @Matt Wertz on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook | mattwertz.com @brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com Find show notes at soundsgoodpodcast.com Sign up for the Goodnewsletter at goodnewsletter.org | |||
| 29 Mar 2021 | Sharing Your Story & Creating Community | 00:25:29 | |
At 22, Paige More (The Breasties) got a preventative double mastectomy before ever being diagnosed with cancer. At the time, she was working as a producer for Good Morning America and felt on top of the world, but she had just discovered she carried the BRCA 1 gene mutation that indicates a higher risk for developing breast, ovarian, and other types of cancer. While seeking resources, support, and guidance online, she was discouraged to find only stories of nightmare experiences and worst-case scenarios. But Paige’s experience was different from those stories. After her surgery, she felt strong and sexy, so she started sharing her story on Instagram and co-founded a hopeful, empowering community for other “previvors” and women affected by breast and gynecological cancers. This community, called The Breasties, is a nonprofit organization that hosts events and retreats and offers a positive alternative to the nightmarish stories for others facing similar situations. The Breasties is on a mission to increase access to reliable information, provide a safe and empowering community, and help women feel less alone. In this episode, Paige explains how sharing your story, giving yourself permission to be yourself, and showing up imperfectly but authentically are the keys to making an impact. Most importantly, when we work together in community, we have the power to make an even bigger difference. | |||
| 06 Aug 2018 | Jodi Ettenberg — A Nomad’s Journey of Painful Surrender | 01:06:49 | |
Jodi Ettenberg is a Canadian ex-lawyer who later discovered her passion in the world of food and travel. A decade later, because of a crazy unfortunate turn of events involving a spinal tap, Jodi is left wondering if she’ll ever be able to live her life of food and travel ever again. In this conversation with Branden Harvey, Jodi shares her wildly heartbreaking and powerful story for the first time on a podcast since the turn of events that changed her life forever.
| |||
| 30 Oct 2017 | Abby Falik — How Travel Exposes the Nerve You Can’t Ignore | 00:48:24 | |
The British born essayist, Pico Lyer, once said, “We don’t travel to move, we travel to be moved.” There is a unique power in global experiences that takes us outside our comfort zones and shapes our empathy. Abby Falik is one of those individuals who have discovered this power. Abby is the Founder & CEO of Global Citizen Year, an innovative ‘for-purpose social venture’ on a mission to make it normal for kids to choose a ‘bridge year’ abroad after high school: an experience that builds self-awareness, global skills and grit. Abby is a recognized expert on social innovation and the changing landscape of education. She has been featured by Forbes, NPR, The Washington Post and The New York Times. In 2016, Fast Company named her one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business. In this conversation, Branden and Abby go deep into the philosophy behind the importance of travel and the strength in pursuing a possibility that is not yet happening. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/abby | |||
| 23 May 2016 | Tyson Motsenbocker — Walking Through Doubt | 01:06:40 | |
Tyson Motsenbocker is a songwriter and guitarist living in San Diego, California. After the release of two EPs Until it Lands and Rivers and Roads, Motsenbocker defined himself as a mature lyricist and accomplished songwriter, sharing the stage with the likes of David Bazan, Vance Joy and James Bay. In 2013, after the death of his mother and hero, Motsenbocker walked the six hundred mile stretch of coastline to San Francisco in memory of her. His most recent album Letters to Lost Loves is based on his experience losing his mother and walking down the west coast. The album has been incredibly well received. NPR described it as “a strongly-formed debut album from someone who's been through the ringer spiritually, physically and emotionally.” -- You can connect with Tyson Motsenbocker on Instagram and Twitter and buy or stream his new album at www.tysonmotsenbocker.com.
You can follow along with Branden Harvey’s travels and adventures on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. Learn more about Branden and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is. | |||
| 30 Jul 2018 | Ben Nemtin — Making the Impossible Possible | 01:13:21 | |
In a pit of depression, Canadian producer, writer, speaker, Ben Nemtin, and his three best friends decided to create the world’s greatest bucket list to make them feel alive. In this conversation, Branden and Ben dive deep into how to make the impossible possible and why humanity puts off the things we really want to do in our day-to-day lives.
| |||
| 23 Apr 2018 | Anjali Pinto — What Grieving Teaches Us About the Human Story | 00:54:36 | |
After photographer Anjali Pinto’s husband died suddenly at age 30, she didn’t turn inward. She turned to Instagram. Over the course of the past year and a half, those Instagram posts—one a day, every day—have become a kind of documentary project: a tribute to Jacob and an unfolding of Pinto’s grief.
| |||
| 14 May 2018 | Rob Lawless — The Untapped Value of Human Connection | 00:45:19 | |
Rob Lawless set out to meet 10,000 people for 1 hour each in November of 2015. He wanted to learn about others’ lives and see what comes of opening doors for no particular reason.
| |||
| 25 Jan 2021 | Can Wearing a Dress Change the World? | 00:36:33 | |
Dressember founder and CEO Blythe Hill is on a mission to use fashion to end human trafficking. What she started as a style challenge in 2009, she turned into a nonprofit with global reach. The challenge is simple: Every December, wear a dress (or tie) every day. It’s a great conversation starter, and it works to raise funds for trafficking prevention, intervention, and survivor protection. In the first half of the episode, Blythe tells the story of how she started Dressember and how it works so effectively as a fundraiser and conversation-starter. In the second half, she gets to the bottom of QAnon, trafficking misconceptions and misinformation, and how you can make a difference. Guest: Blythe Hill, founder and CEO of Dressember Sponsor: Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/GOOD → Get more Good Good Good at goodgoodgood.co | |||
| 29 Aug 2016 | Phil Martin — Thriving With Autism | 01:03:00 | |
Phil Martin is a photographer and EMT who also happens to be on the autism spectrum. He serves as a volunteer and advocate for Autism Speaks— the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization. Phil has a beautiful and powerful story and an especially great laugh. I can’t wait for you to get to know and learn from him. I know I’ve learned a lot from him. -- You can connect with Phil Martin on Instagram at @phil.martin and see his photography at www.dcportraits.org. You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. Learn more about Branden and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com. You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at Gradient.is. | |||
| 24 Oct 2016 | Charlie Todd — Spreading Chaos and Joy | 00:47:12 | |
Charlie Todd is the founder of Improv Everywhere and has been producing and directing the group’s work for over fifteen years. Improv Everywhere as a group carries out pranks, which they call "missions", in public places. The chaotic and joyful experiences they create have gone viral on YouTube time and time again. -- @improveverywhere on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook improveverywhere.com @brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat brandenharvey.com Join the Sounds Good with Branden Harvey Email Party at brandenharvey.com/podcast
| |||
| 09 Oct 2017 | Clint Smith — How More Understanding Activates Real Hope | 00:49:31 | |
Clint Smith is a poet whose work goes beyond passion and straight into the world of social engagement — his work creatively invites his listeners out of ignorance and into the world of a real and authentic kind of empathy. Clint Smith is a writer, teacher, and Ph.D. Candidate at Harvard University. He is a 2014 National Poetry Slam champion, an Individual World Poetry Slam Finalist, and author of the poetry collection Counting Descent. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The Guardian,and he has delivered two popular TED Talks, The Danger of Silence & How to Raise a Black Son in America. In this conversation, Branden and Clint go in deep into the heart of our work of building a better world coming from an understanding of how the world has already been built. | |||
| 14 Jun 2021 | Intervening When You See Harassment Is Easier Than You Think | 00:37:37 | |
Intervening when someone is being harassed feels scary. But a global, people-powered movement called Hollaback is making it easy to put an end to harassment — and they’re seeing huge progress. The organization has grown to 14 countries, where it provides free trainings on conflict de-escalation, bystander intervention, resilience, and more. Through their simple, effective programming, Hollback is on a mission to empower people to take a stand against harassment and effect positive change. In this episode, Hollaback co-founder and executive director Emily May shares the disturbing story of harassment that inspired her to start Hollaback, why bystander intervention is important, how anyone can learn to be an effective bystander through Hollaback’s five steps of bystander intervention, and why we can be hopeful about addressing harassment. | |||
| 25 Jul 2016 | Sleeping at Last — Turning Inspiration into Art | 00:52:59 | |
Ryan O’Neal is the singer-songwriter and composer behind the band Sleeping At Last. Sleeping at Last’s music has been featured in and used by the Twilight Saga, the Fault in Our Stars trailer, Dancing with the Stars, Jane the Virgin, Super Bowl Commercials, Ellen DeGeneres, a million episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, So You Think You Can Dance, Kid President, and dozens of other shows. This week Branden talked with Ryan about how he got where he is, his creative process, and what inspires him. -- You can connect with Sleeping at Last on Instagram and Twitter at @sleepingatlast and listen to his music (and subscribe to his fun newsletter!) at www.sleepingatlast.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. Learn more about Branden and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com/goodnewsletter.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is. | |||
| 16 Apr 2018 | Scott Hamilton — How Adversity Paves the Way for Our Purpose | 01:09:31 | |
Olympic figure skater Scott Hamilton’s wake-up call came at the breaking point of his life — losing his mom to cancer. Today, the most recognized male figure-skating star in the world, Scott Hamilton has won 70 titles, awards and honors including an Olympic gold medal, an Emmy Award nomination, and induction into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.
| |||
| 25 Apr 2016 | Sara Hopkins — Why To Be Yourself Online | 00:42:10 | |
Sara Hopkins is a news reporter turned viral comedic celebrity. Sara has an infectious personality full of hope, optimism, and kindness, which has earned her more than 960,000 followers on Vine, a quarter million followers on Instagram, and tens of thousands more scattered across the rest of the internet. She’s collaborated with brands like Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and Target and has been talked about everywhere from Adweek and Business Insider to Vogue and People. -- You can connect with Sara on Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Vine at
@sayhop.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. And subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is. | |||
| 22 Oct 2018 | Devin Allen — Leaving a Legacy of Justice and Art | 01:19:09 | |
In 2015 when protests broke out in Baltimore in response to the death of Freddie Gray, photographer and activist Devin Allen was one of the first photographers on the scene to share his photos with the world. And now over a year after his rise to fame, Devin is helping change his community and the way it’s perceived for good.
| |||
| 02 Oct 2017 | Kevin and Blake Walsh — Choosing to Stay Until Tomorrow | 00:52:20 | |
Seconds before Kevin Walsh was about to attempt suicide in 2007, he received an unexpected phone call from his first crush, Blake. That phone call saved his life. Now, a decade later, the two are married. Not many people had heard their story until Kevin posted his story on Quora in answer to the question, “What is one moment in your life you thought could only happen in a movie?” His response went viral and was then featured on HuffPost, Buzzfeed, The Independent, and People. In this episode, Branden, Kevin, and Blake go deep into the human struggle to find a reason to stay until tomorrow and the power of speaking our love for each other out loud. | |||
| 09 May 2016 | Joshua DuBois — Helping Keep Hope Alive in the White House | 00:38:36 | |
Joshua DuBois is a former assistant to President Obama and became the President’s friend and spiritual advisor. Often described as Pastor-in-Chief. He was named one of the top 100 most influential African Americans in the country by The Root and Ebony Magazine. He’s written four cover stories for Newsweek and has been featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, CNN, and the Washington Post. Joshua is now the founder and CEO of Values Partnerships, a consultancy that has worked with Paramount Pictures, Oprah Winfrey, The History Network, and ABC’s Shark Tank. -- You can connect with Joshua DuBois on Instagram and Twitter and learn more about Joshua and buy his book at www.joshuadubois.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is. | |||
| 03 May 2021 | Rainbow Railroad Is Helping LGBTQ+ People Flee Persecution | 00:37:10 | |
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape countries where they face imminent danger because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The Canada-based organization works to solve a multi-layered problem that goes beyond LGBTQ+ persecution — they’re also responding to a global refugee crisis. Refugees already face mounting challenges, but anti-LGTBQ+ legislation only adds to the obstacles. The organization addresses both challenges together. The organization has been praised for helping 70 Chechen men resettle in response to anti-gay purges in Chechnya beginning in 2017. Since 2006, Rainbow Railroad has helped more than 800 persecuted LGBTQ+ people from 38 countries travel to safety. In this episode, Branden Harvey sits down with Rainbow Railroad executive director Kimahli Powell to learn about the extent of the persecution LGBTQ+ people face around the world and the inspiring ways the organization provides transportation and support to bring people to safety. | |||