Luisa Abram

At the 2019 Northwest Chocolate Festival, I caught up with Luisa Abram. We found a (mostly) quiet spot to discuss adventuring through the Amazon rainforest on boats and on foot, making new and high-quality milk powder, discovering new locales with great new cacao, making new bars, monkeys, and more! Luisa is such a dynamic and fascinating young woman who has already made an impact in the world of fine chocolate, and she has so much more she wants to share with all of us.

At the 2019 Northwest Chocolate Festival, I caught up with Luisa Abram. We found a (mostly) quiet spot to discuss adventuring through the Amazon rainforest on boats and on foot, making new and high-quality milk powder, discovering new locales with great new cacao, making new bars, monkeys, and more! Luisa is such a dynamic and fascinating young woman who has already made an impact in the world of fine chocolate, and she has so much more she wants to share with all of us.

Interview Episode 15 – Luisa Abram

Join in my conversation with Julia and Kelley – recent members of the Utah Chocolate Society – as we talk about finding fine chocolate, finding chocolate nerds, and experiencing our legendary tournament for their first time! Utah has had great chocolate and a fun scene for a long time, so hear these fine people’s story of discovery and chocolate camaraderie.

Join in my conversation with Julia and Kelley – recent members of the Utah Chocolate Society – as we talk about finding fine chocolate, finding chocolate nerds, and experiencing our legendary tournament for their first time! Utah has had great chocolate and a fun scene for a long time, so hear these fine people’s story of discovery and chocolate camaraderie.

Inside the Chocolate Society – 2

John Nanci

Back in November, 2018, I was able to find John Nanci. Like a lion, I separated him from the masses, except then we sat and talked – for an hour! John started Chocolate Alchemy years and years ago to share what he found out about chocolate – especially with regards to making it. The chances are that if you have ever looked into making it yourself, you have stumbled across his work. I fist encountered it in 2009, dumb-founded that such a repository of all things chocolate-making was out in the open. Sit back, relax, grab a bar of chocolate, and enjoy an intriguing look into the life and mind of someone truly dedicated to fantastic chocolate!

Back in November, 2018, I was able to find John Nanci. Like a lion, I separated him from the masses, except then we sat and talked – for an hour! John started Chocolate Alchemy years and years ago to share what he found out about chocolate – especially with regards to making it. The chances are that if you have ever looked into making it yourself, you have stumbled across his work. I fist encountered it in 2009, dumb-founded that such a repository of all things chocolate-making was out in the open. Sit back, relax, grab a bar of chocolate, and enjoy an intriguing look into the life and mind of someone truly dedicated to fantastic chocolate!

Interview Episode 14: John Nanci

The annual tournament may just be the highlight of all the Utah Chocolate Society does. Every year we start with 64 of the world’s best chocolate bars, and every year we subject ourselves to the toil of randomly pairing, tasting, and voting on them to have them compete and move on or drop out of our single-elimination tournament. It involves 9 meetings between February and April culminating in the April ChocSoc birthday extravaganza. Taste buds are overwhelmed, hearts are broken, senses are delighted. And we come up with the one…Setting out bars for a past tournamentIn this episode – the first in a new sub-series highlighting the mechanics and activities of the Utah Chocolate Society – several ChocSoc members and I sat down to tell tales and share memories of our own chocolate tournament experiences. Join us as we recount some of the fun and learning and tastiness of tournaments past!There is so much chocolate to prep!

The annual tournament may just be the highlight of all the Utah Chocolate Society does. Every year we start with 64 of the world’s best chocolate bars, and every year we subject ourselves to the toil of randomly pairing, tasting, and voting on them to have them compete and move on or drop out of our single-elimination tournament. It involves 9 meetings between February and April culminating in the April ChocSoc birthday extravaganza. Taste buds are overwhelmed, hearts are broken, senses are delighted. And we come up with the one…Setting out bars for a past tournament In this episode – the first in a new sub-series highlighting the mechanics and activities of the Utah Chocolate Society – several ChocSoc members and I sat down to tell tales and share memories of our own chocolate tournament experiences. Join us as we recount some of the fun and learning and tastiness of tournaments past!There is so much chocolate to prep!

Inside the Chocolate Society 1: The Tournament

Diogo Vaz

I got to meet Felipe and William of Diogo Vaz at the Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle back in November. Felipe and I sat down to talk chocolate and  his background. He changed career paths dramatically 5 years ago to leave the office, corporate world and work in food, and again only months ago to dive headlong into chocolate production. Diogo Vaz has their own plantations on Sao Tome, and their production facility is only minutes away. Listen in on a fascinating story of a unique approach to chocolate!

I got to meet Felipe and William of Diogo Vaz at the Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle back in November. Felipe and I sat down to talk chocolate and his background. He changed career paths dramatically 5 years ago to leave the office, corporate world and work in food, and again only months ago to dive headlong into chocolate production. Diogo Vaz has their own plantations on Sao Tome, and their production facility is only minutes away. Listen in on a fascinating story of a unique approach to chocolate!

Interview Episode 13: Felipe of Diogo Vaz

Lars Moller

Lars Moller of Ingemann Fine Cocoa occupies a niche in the cacao supply chain that is rather unlike the vast majority. Ingemann buys cacao from farmers in Nicaragua, and they work the fermentation and drying of the beans – with an unheard-of level of sophistication and data to provide a variety of flavor and chemical profiles. Along the way, they supply a guaranteed path to market, and secure minimum pricing (to allow even higher) to 1,000 farms. Lars has a cool story, and I am excited to share it with you!

Lars Moller of Ingemann Fine Cocoa occupies a niche in the cacao supply chain that is rather unlike the vast majority. Ingemann buys cacao from farmers in Nicaragua, and they work the fermentation and drying of the beans – with an unheard-of level of sophistication and data to provide a variety of flavor and chemical profiles. Along the way, they supply a guaranteed path to market, and secure minimum pricing (to allow even higher) to 1,000 farms. Lars has a cool story, and I am excited to share it with you!

Interview Episode 12: Lars Moller of Ingemann Fine Cocoa

Bryan Graham

Bryan Graham and his wife Dahlia started Fruition Chocolate amidst a fascination with the mystique and magnetism of chocolate making drawing them in. Over the years, they have sourced great cacao and experimented with new approaches to single origin chocolate, inclusions, and confections. In this interview, Bryan tells his story of how he discovered food, decided to become a chef, and found a passion for making chocolate that would define his career. Fruition Chocolate has a special distinction among chocolate makers of the world – they are one of only 4 chocolate makers to win the Utah Chocolate Society Annual Chocolate Tournament. Two years ago, their Hispaniola bar rose to the top of a field of 64 world-class bars in a blind-tasting, single-elimination tournament. No small feat!

Bryan Graham and his wife Dahlia started Fruition Chocolate amidst a fascination with the mystique and magnetism of chocolate making drawing them in. Over the years, they have sourced great cacao and experimented with new approaches to single origin chocolate, inclusions, and confections. In this interview, Bryan tells his story of how he discovered food, decided to become a chef, and found a passion for making chocolate that would define his career. Fruition Chocolate has a special distinction among chocolate makers of the world – they are one of only 4 chocolate makers to win the Utah Chocolate Society Annual Chocolate Tournament. Two years ago, their Hispaniola bar rose to the top of a field of 64 world-class bars in a blind-tasting, single-elimination tournament. No small feat!

Interview Episode 11 – Bryan Graham of Fruition Chocolate

Harish Manoj Kumar is the head farmer for Regal Chocolates where they grow cacao in southern India. In this interview, Harish tells us his story of beginning to grow cacao and learning how to greatly improve his family farm’s biological health and the quality of cacao they produce. Amelonado varietals of cacao have long been associated with cheap and poor quality beans, but there has been amazing progress in their quality when the trees and fruit and seeds are treated well, and Regal Chocolates has found beautiful flavors with amelonado beans along with Trinitario and Criollo. The Solstice India bar uses Harish’s beans, and that bar just won the Northwest Chocolate Festival’s Gold Award for Dark Chocolate Bars! Harish tells stories of the wildlife which threaten his farms; reducing pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals his farms use; improving yields of his various crops though symbiosis rather than chemicals and more. Harish has had to learn so much through asking people, receiving painful feedback, and trial and error, but his quick (relatively speaking!) progress manifests his commitment and intelligent discoveries. Not just anyone can go from zero to world-class in cacao growing in a decade!

Harish Manoj Kumar is the head farmer for Regal Chocolates where they grow cacao in southern India. In this interview, Harish tells us his story of beginning to grow cacao and learning how to greatly improve his family farm’s biological health and the quality of cacao they produce. Amelonado varietals of cacao have long been associated with cheap and poor quality beans, but there has been amazing progress in their quality when the trees and fruit and seeds are treated well, and Regal Chocolates has found beautiful flavors with amelonado beans along with Trinitario and Criollo. The Solstice India bar uses Harish’s beans, and that bar just won the Northwest Chocolate Festival’s Gold Award for Dark Chocolate Bars! Harish tells stories of the wildlife which threaten his farms; reducing pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals his farms use; improving yields of his various crops though symbiosis rather than chemicals and more. Harish has had to learn so much through asking people, receiving painful feedback, and trial and error, but his quick (relatively speaking!) progress manifests his commitment and intelligent discoveries. Not just anyone can go from zero to world-class in cacao growing in a decade!

Interview Episode 10 – Harish Manoj Kumar of Regal Chocolates

Domantas Uzpalis, the man behind Chocolate Naive, is one of the most inspiring people I know in chocolate. His approach to chocolate-making is creative and thoughtful and fresh and new. But he is not merely jaded with the status quo. He wants to personally create and provide new ideas and products in the workd of fine chocolate, and he does so terrifically! Listen in to our conversation as the Northwest Chocolate Festival 2018 wound down (I have many more episodes from last weekend to come) as we discuss his roots and his singular perspective on the world of craft, expressive chocolate.

Domantas Uzpalis, the man behind Chocolate Naive, is one of the most inspiring people I know in chocolate. His approach to chocolate-making is creative and thoughtful and fresh and new. But he is not merely jaded with the status quo. He wants to personally create and provide new ideas and products in the workd of fine chocolate, and he does so terrifically! Listen in to our conversation as the Northwest Chocolate Festival 2018 wound down (I have many more episodes from last weekend to come) as we discuss his roots and his singular perspective on the world of craft, expressive chocolate.

Interview Episode 9 – Domantas Uzpalis of Chocolate Naive

Matt Caputo

Matt Caputo is a longtime friend, and really a driving force behind my adventures in and passion for chocolate. The store started by his dad is where I have hosted the Chocolate Society from the beginning, and Matt personally introduced me to most of the chocolate world. Matt curates one of the greatest fine chocolate collections in this or any country, and his passion for fine foods, flavors, and practices drives the entire food culture in Utah.

Matt Caputo is a longtime friend, and really a driving force behind my adventures in and passion for chocolate. The store started by his dad is where I have hosted the Chocolate Society from the beginning, and Matt personally introduced me to most of the chocolate world. Matt curates one of the greatest fine chocolate collections in this or any country, and his passion for fine foods, flavors, and practices drives the entire food culture in Utah.

Interview Episode 8 – Matt Caputo

Emily Koons

Emily and Dayton Koons began Cacao Review as an Instagram chocolate review project. They take beautiful pictures and review wonderful bars, but last year they launched their first chocolate bar collaboration collection featuring bars from some of the world’s top chocolate makers. This year, they have upped the ante with a further flung range of makers making super-limited bars (200 bars – tops!) with some cool accoutrements to make the collection all the more special. Listen in to how it came to be (and how 3 of the bars taste)!

Emily and Dayton Koons began Cacao Review as an Instagram chocolate review project. They take beautiful pictures and review wonderful bars, but last year they launched their first chocolate bar collaboration collection featuring bars from some of the world’s top chocolate makers. This year, they have upped the ante with a further flung range of makers making super-limited bars (200 bars – tops!) with some cool accoutrements to make the collection all the more special. Listen in to how it came to be (and how 3 of the bars taste)!

Interview Episode 7: Emily Koons of Cacao Review

Steve, Mike, Erika, and AJ of Chocolate ConspiracyAJ founded Chocolate Conspiracy 8 years ago, and we met shortly thereafter. He is a fun character, and we have talked a lot over the years about all things chocolate. Chocolate Conspiracy has a very unique approach to chocolate making in that they use unroasted cacao and sweeten it with honey local to Utah/Wyoming. AJ’s background is diverse, and his style is inimitable. It is a little bit of a shame that I wasn’t recording through the entire conversation that led up to officially beginning the podcast interview!

Steve, Mike, Erika, and AJ of Chocolate ConspiracyAJ founded Chocolate Conspiracy 8 years ago, and we met shortly thereafter. He is a fun character, and we have talked a lot over the years about all things chocolate. Chocolate Conspiracy has a very unique approach to chocolate making in that they use unroasted cacao and sweeten it with honey local to Utah/Wyoming. AJ’s background is diverse, and his style is inimitable. It is a little bit of a shame that I wasn’t recording through the entire conversation that led up to officially beginning the podcast interview!

Interview Episode 6: AJ Wentworth of Chocolate Conspiracy

I was able to sit down with Sarah Hartman of Harper Macaw last November at the Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle, Washington. Sarah and her husband, Colin, are using Brazilian cacao to craft chocolate that is bold and fruity, and they are striving to help the rain forests from whence comes their cacao. Sarah is originally from Brazil, and her love and commitment run deep. And through it all, you can hear the bustle of the festival as it was wrapping up!

I was able to sit down with Sarah Hartman of Harper Macaw last November at the Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle, Washington. Sarah and her husband, Colin, are using Brazilian cacao to craft chocolate that is bold and fruity, and they are striving to help the rain forests from whence comes their cacao. Sarah is originally from Brazil, and her love and commitment run deep. And through it all, you can hear the bustle of the festival as it was wrapping up!

Interview Episode 5: Harper Macaw

DeAnn Wallin of Solstice Chocolate has a unique style that is quintessentially American and bold and fun. Solstice Chocolate typifies the sorts of qualities that makes American chocolate unique from European bars. Her chocolate is bold and bright and expressive, and she is a blast to talk with (or grab midnight Mexican food with)! Join us as we talk about each of Solstice’s bars and the beans from whence they come, and the flavor profiles that define them. Great chocolate awaits!

DeAnn Wallin of Solstice Chocolate has a unique style that is quintessentially American and bold and fun. Solstice Chocolate typifies the sorts of qualities that makes American chocolate unique from European bars. Her chocolate is bold and bright and expressive, and she is a blast to talk with (or grab midnight Mexican food with)! Join us as we talk about each of Solstice’s bars and the beans from whence they come, and the flavor profiles that define them. Great chocolate awaits!

Interview Episode 4: Solstice Chocolate

Volker Lehmann

In Part 1, Volker tells the story of his discovery of cacao that had been lost to Westerners – but was still known by the people in the jungle of Bolivia. In Part 2, we talk about the struggle of convincing the chocolate industry to try such unusual and small cacao beans. Volker labored for years to prove to people that the cacao from his wild forest trees – that violated industry standards for size – could make exceptional chocolate. Now his cacao is a hot commodity! Listen in to his very human story of struggle, and success, and striving for yet greater excellence.

In Part 1, Volker tells the story of his discovery of cacao that had been lost to Westerners – but was still known by the people in the jungle of Bolivia. In Part 2, we talk about the struggle of convincing the chocolate industry to try such unusual and small cacao beans. Volker labored for years to prove to people that the cacao from his wild forest trees – that violated industry standards for size – could make exceptional chocolate. Now his cacao is a hot commodity! Listen in to his very human story of struggle, and success, and striving for yet greater excellence.

Interview Episode 3.2 – Volker Lehmann Part 2

Volker is a brilliant and fascinating man who, after growing up in Germany, traveled the world in search of adventure and helping people. Join in our conversation as we discuss how he discovered and came to purchase the land whereon grows the most pure cacao varietal currently known. His stories take us from cold European winters to African savannah with cows mingled with giraffes to the tropics in the Caribbean and South America.

Volker is a brilliant and fascinating man who, after growing up in Germany, traveled the world in search of adventure and helping people. Join in our conversation as we discuss how he discovered and came to purchase the land whereon grows the most pure cacao varietal currently known. His stories take us from cold European winters to African savannah with cows mingled with giraffes to the tropics in the Caribbean and South America.

Interview Episode 3.1 – Volker Lehmann Part 1

Hazel Lee

Last November, I was able to sit down with Hazel in the midst of the hubbub of the Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle. Hazel is a HARD-core chocolate fan, and she is a member of the Academy of Chocolate, among other distinctions. Our focus is in talking about her beautiful, endlessly helpful, and intriguing chocolate tasting map. This is a poster designed to help people articulate what it is they taste and smell and experience with fine chocolate, and it is amazing. My 11-year-old daughter was listing off accurate flavor note after note using the map. Hazel is a fun, all-around incredible human, and she is delightful to share a conversation with! Enjoy! Check out her website, with the option of ordering your own tasting map here: http://hazeljlee.com/taste-with-colour/

Last November, I was able to sit down with Hazel in the midst of the hubbub of the Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle. Hazel is a HARD-core chocolate fan, and she is a member of the Academy of Chocolate, among other distinctions. Our focus is in talking about her beautiful, endlessly helpful, and intriguing chocolate tasting map. This is a poster designed to help people articulate what it is they taste and smell and experience with fine chocolate, and it is amazing. My 11-year-old daughter was listing off accurate flavor note after note using the map. Hazel is a fun, all-around incredible human, and she is delightful to share a conversation with! Enjoy! Check out her website, with the option of ordering your own tasting map here: <a href="http://hazeljlee.com/taste-with-colour/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://hazeljlee.com/taste-with-colour/</a>

Interview Episode 2: Hazel Lee

Listen in to my conversation with Anna and Robbie of Ritual chocolate, 2 incredible people who have a truly singular vision about their ideal of fine chocolate. They discuss their backstory in beginning their company with attendent trials and stresses, and their perserverance to make it where they are today – one of the US’s preeminent chocolate makers. 

Listen in to my conversation with Anna and Robbie of Ritual chocolate, 2 incredible people who have a truly singular vision about their ideal of fine chocolate. They discuss their backstory in beginning their company with attendent trials and stresses, and their perserverance to make it where they are today – one of the US’s preeminent chocolate makers.

Interview Episode 1: Ritual Chocolate

This second installment briefly discusses how to engage your senses to really experience chocolate. Did you know that you have WAY more than 5 senses? Or that tasting food engages more than just your tongue? So much of how we sense our food is beyond mere taste, and engaging the way your body and mind experience can make a great thing even better!

This second installment briefly discusses how to engage your senses to really experience chocolate. Did you know that you have WAY more than 5 senses? Or that tasting food engages more than just your tongue? So much of how we sense our food is beyond mere taste, and engaging the way your body and mind experience can make a great thing even better!

How to Taste Chocolate

Welcome to Chocolate Fascination! This podcast is all about fine chocolate. This introduction covers what is fine chocolate, how it is made, and how it differs from mass market chocolate – the likes of which most of us grew up with (even in Europe). Future episodes will discuss every aspect of chocolate from the people behind it, the methods of agriculture and production, the science of tasting, and the cultural element. Especially, we will dive into the stories of the people who bring this magical food to life!

Welcome to Chocolate Fascination! This podcast is all about fine chocolate. This introduction covers what is fine chocolate, how it is made, and how it differs from mass market chocolate – the likes of which most of us grew up with (even in Europe). Future episodes will discuss every aspect of chocolate from the people behind it, the methods of agriculture and production, the science of tasting, and the cultural element. Especially, we will dive into the stories of the people who bring this magical food to life!

Intro to Chocolate Fascination

Very knowledgeable. Gets me excited to eat more chocolate.

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate

Great first episode. So happy to have another podcast about craft chocolate

Awesome podcast

Chocolate Fascination

The best podcast episodes on romantic relationships. Episodes talk about the 5 love languages, intimacy, and the taboo topics of sexual desires and infidelity. This topic is a deep dive into the science and complexities that face us in our relationships with others. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

OwlTail

[Contains mature themes] He reached out because a year after the discovery of his affair, they aren’t fighting anymore, but they certainly haven’t moved on. Esther guides them towards a more honest conversation, and a revelation about their communication.

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[Contains mature themes] He reached out because a year after the discovery of his affair, they aren’t fighting anymore, but they certainly haven’t moved on. Esther guides them towards a more honest conversation, and a revelation about their communication.

I've Had Better

 Welcome!  My guest today is Dr. John Gottman, one of the world's leading experts on how to have an amazing relationship.  He and his wife Julie currently operate The Gottman Institute in Seattle, offering numerous resources and training.  Join us for a deep dive into their work!  Dr. Gottman’s findings are largely based on the conclusions he has made over many years of research and observations of couples. He and his team have how to be a master (and avoid being a disaster) at relationship.  Dr. Gottman discusses the following topics:   “The Sound Relationship House” - what is the foundation for a relationship that lasts?  Learn the importance of having high expectations in relationship, and also uncover ways in which what you'd *think* would be good for your relationship is actually counterproductive.  Dr. Gottman identifies Styles of Confronting Conflict:  Volatile, Validating, and Conflict-Avoiding. All of these conflict styles can lead to successful relationships. Learn what to do if you and your partner are mismatched in your conflict style.  Dr. Gottman discusses “bids” we make with our partner as an attempt to connect. Are you a "yes" to your partner's bids? Are they a yes to yours?  “Bids” that fail are often the beginnings of conflict. How do things change if you start paying attention and responding to your partner's bids in a positive way?  Mindfulness is the key to noticing these bids and avoiding conflict.  “Small Things Often” - a reminder to turn toward these bids in the small moments of life.  Dr. Gottman's concept of startup is a way of thinking about what you bring to your interactions with your partner. Do you start in a place that's already positive, and thinking highly of your partner? Or do you start in a place where you are suspecting the worst of your partner?  Build up your emotional bank account with small compliments (deposits).  According to John, there are three phases of any relationship:  Falling in Love (initial), Building Trust (middle), and Cherishing Your Partner (long-term intimacy). What phase are you in? The key to success is using strategies that are appropriate for where you are in your relationship.  The key to more sex is having the freedom to say "no" without being punished for it. If refusing sex can actually have a positive payoff, then it will actually lead to a couple having a more satisfying (and frequent) sex life.  Do you ever wonder how to make a good relationship GREAT? Focus on cherishing your partner.  What if YOU are the only partner who wants to make changes?  Can you make a difference?  Absolutely. Learn how shifts in your approach can have a profound affect on your relationship.  The key to success in a relationship isn't that nothing bad ever happens. It's how well you as a couple learn how to repair after those things occur. John discusses how you can learn to repair, and the positive effects that has on long-term relationships.  Do you know how to decide if you’re in a bad relationship?  When you're with your partner, are you at your best? Or are you veering off towards your worst? Gottman offers this simple guideline for how to know whether to stay or go. Also what to think about BEFORE you decide that you're on the wrong path.   Join us for these topics and more.  Dr. Gottman has practical information that can improve your relationship TODAY!   Links and Resources:  What Makes Love Last: How to Build Trust and Avoid Betrayal by Dr. John Gottman  The Gottman Institute, Seattle   www.gottman.com    www.neilsattin.com/gottman    (visit to download a .pdf of this episode guide along with John Gottman's "Dreams in Conflict" exercise to help couples who seem to have irreconcilable differences. You can also text “PASSION” to 33444 for instructions on how to download the guide. If you download the guide within the first week of this show's airing, you will also qualify for a chance to win a free signed copy of Dr. Gottman’s book "What Makes Love Last".) The Relationship Alive Community on Facebook Amazing intro/outro music provided courtesy of: The Railsplitters - Check them Out! 

Relationship Alive!

Welcome!  My guest today is Dr. John Gottman, one of the world's leading experts on how to have an amazing relationship.  He and his wife Julie currently operate The Gottman Institute in Seattle, offering numerous resources and training.  Join us for a deep dive into their work! Dr. Gottman’s findings are largely based on the conclusions he has made over many years of research and observations of couples. He and his team have how to be a master (and avoid being a disaster) at relationship. Dr. Gottman discusses the following topics: <ul> <li> “The Sound Relationship House” - what is the foundation for a relationship that lasts?</li> <li> Learn the importance of having high expectations in relationship, and also uncover ways in which what you'd *think* would be good for your relationship is actually counterproductive.</li> <li> Dr. Gottman identifies Styles of Confronting Conflict:  Volatile, Validating, and Conflict-Avoiding. All of these conflict styles can lead to successful relationships. Learn what to do if you and your partner are mismatched in your conflict style.</li> <li> Dr. Gottman discusses “bids” we make with our partner as an attempt to connect. Are you a "yes" to your partner's bids? Are they a yes to yours?</li> <li> “Bids” that fail are often the beginnings of conflict. How do things change if you start paying attention and responding to your partner's bids in a positive way?</li> <li> Mindfulness is the key to noticing these bids and avoiding conflict.</li> <li> “Small Things Often” - a reminder to turn toward these bids in the small moments of life.</li> <li> Dr. Gottman's concept of startup is a way of thinking about what you bring to your interactions with your partner. Do you start in a place that's already positive, and thinking highly of your partner? Or do you start in a place where you are suspecting the worst of your partner?</li> <li> Build up your emotional bank account with small compliments (deposits).</li> <li> According to John, there are three phases of any relationship:  Falling in Love (initial), Building Trust (middle), and Cherishing Your Partner (long-term intimacy). What phase are you in? The key to success is using strategies that are appropriate for where you are in your relationship.</li> <li> The key to more sex is having the freedom to say "no" without being punished for it. If refusing sex can actually have a positive payoff, then it will actually lead to a couple having a more satisfying (and frequent) sex life.</li> <li> Do you ever wonder how to make a good relationship GREAT? Focus on cherishing your partner.</li> <li> What if YOU are the only partner who wants to make changes?  Can you make a difference?  Absolutely. Learn how shifts in your approach can have a profound affect on your relationship.</li> <li> The key to success in a relationship isn't that nothing bad ever happens. It's how well you as a couple learn how to repair after those things occur. John discusses how you can learn to repair, and the positive effects that has on long-term relationships.</li> <li> Do you know how to decide if you’re in a bad relationship?  When you're with your partner, are you at your best? Or are you veering off towards your worst? Gottman offers this simple guideline for how to know whether to stay or go. Also what to think about BEFORE you decide that you're on the wrong path.</li> </ul> Join us for these topics and more.  Dr. Gottman has practical information that can improve your relationship TODAY!  Links and Resources: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/What-Makes-Love-Last-Betrayal/dp/1451608489/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">What Makes Love Last: How to Build Trust and Avoid Betrayal</a> by Dr. John Gottman The Gottman Institute, Seattle <a href="http://www.gottman.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> www.gottman.com</a> <a href="http://www.neilsattin.com/gottman" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.neilsattin.com/gottman</a>    (visit to download a .pdf of this episode guide along with John Gottman's "Dreams in Conflict" exercise to help couples who seem to have irreconcilable differences. You can also text “PASSION” to 33444 for instructions on how to download the guide. If you download the guide within the first week of this show's airing, you will also qualify for a chance to win a free signed copy of Dr. Gottman’s book "What Makes Love Last".) The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/RelationshipAliveCommunity/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Relationship Alive Community</a> on Facebook Amazing intro/outro music provided courtesy of: <a href="http://www.therailsplitters.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Railsplitters - Check them Out! </a>

01: John Gottman - How to Be a Master of Relationship

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The best podcast episodes on Startups. For anyone working in a startup, or anyone interested in the incredible stories behind how people built companies like Instagram, and Facebook. Offering both practical advice and insights, as well as the stories for how many of the biggest startups got to where they are today. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Mel Liu

On this episode of the Knowledge Project Podcast, I chat with Patrick Collison, co-founder and CEO of the leading online payment processing company, Stripe. If you’ve purchased anything online recently, there’s a good chance that Stripe facilitated the transaction. What is now an organization with over a thousand employees and handling tens of billions of dollars of online purchases every year, began as a small side experiment while Patrick and his brother John were going to college.   During our conversation, Patrick shares the details of their unlikely journey and some of the hard-earned wisdom he picked up along the way. I hope you have something handy to write with because the nuggets per minute in this episode are off the charts. Patrick was so open and generous with his responses that I’m really excited for you to hear what he has to say. Here are just a few of the things we cover:  The biggest (and most valuable) mistakes Patrick made in the early days of Stripe and how they helped him get better The characteristics that Patrick looks for in a new hire to fit and contribute to the Stripe company culture What compelled he and his brother to move forward with the early concept of Stripe, even though on paper it was doomed to fail from the start The gaps Patrick saw in the market that dozens of other processing companies were missing — and how he capitalized on them The lessons Patrick learned from scaling Stripe from two employees (he and his brother) to nearly 1,000 today How he evaluates the upsides and potential dangers of speculative positions within the company How his Irish upbringing influenced his ability to argue and disagree without taking offense (and how we can all be a little more “Irish”) The power of finding the right peer group in your social and professional circles and how impactful and influential it can be in determining where you end up. The 4 ways Patrick has modified his decision making process over the last 5 years and how it’s helped him develop as a person and as a business leader (this part alone is worth the listen) Patrick’s unique approach to books and how he chooses what he’s going to spend his time reading  ...life in Silicon Valley, Baumol’s cost disease, and so, so much more. Patrick truly is one of the warmest, humblest and down to earth people I’ve had the pleasure to speak with and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation together. I hope you will too! GO PREMIUM: Support the podcast, get ad-free episodes, transcripts, and so much more: https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-premium/

The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish

On this episode of the Knowledge Project Podcast, I chat with Patrick Collison, co-founder and CEO of the leading online payment processing company, <a href="https://stripe.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stripe.</a> If you’ve purchased anything online recently, there’s a good chance that Stripe facilitated the transaction. What is now an organization with over a thousand employees and handling tens of billions of dollars of online purchases every year, began as a small side experiment while Patrick and his brother John were going to college.   During our conversation, Patrick shares the details of their unlikely journey and some of the hard-earned wisdom he picked up along the way. I hope you have something handy to write with because the nuggets per minute in this episode are off the charts. Patrick was so open and generous with his responses that I’m really excited for you to hear what he has to say. Here are just a few of the things we cover: <ul> <li>The biggest (and most valuable) mistakes Patrick made in the early days of Stripe and how they helped him get better</li> <li>The characteristics that Patrick looks for in a new hire to fit and contribute to the Stripe company culture</li> <li>What compelled he and his brother to move forward with the early concept of Stripe, even though on paper it was doomed to fail from the start</li> <li>The gaps Patrick saw in the market that dozens of other processing companies were missing — and how he capitalized on them</li> <li>The lessons Patrick learned from scaling Stripe from two employees (he and his brother) to nearly 1,000 today</li> <li>How he evaluates the upsides and potential dangers of speculative positions within the company</li> <li>How his Irish upbringing influenced his ability to argue and disagree without taking offense (and how we can all be a little more “Irish”)</li> <li>The power of finding the right peer group in your social and professional circles and how impactful and influential it can be in determining where you end up.</li> <li>The 4 ways Patrick has modified his decision making process over the last 5 years and how it’s helped him develop as a person and as a business leader (this part alone is worth the listen)</li> <li>Patrick’s unique approach to books and how he chooses what he’s going to spend his time reading</li> </ul> ...life in Silicon Valley, Baumol’s cost disease, and so, so much more. Patrick truly is one of the warmest, humblest and down to earth people I’ve had the pleasure to speak with and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation together. I hope you will too! GO PREMIUM: Support the podcast, get ad-free episodes, transcripts, and so much more: https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-premium/

#32 Patrick Collison: Earning Your Stripes

If you want your company to truly scale, you first have to do things that don't scale. Handcraft the core experience. Get your hands dirty. Serve your customers one-by-one. And don't stop until you know exactly what they want. That's what Brian Chesky did. As CEO of Airbnb, Brian’s early work was more akin to a traveling salesman. He takes us back to his lean years – when he went door-to-door, meeting Airbnb hosts in person – and shares the imaginative route to crafting what he calls an "11-star experience.”Read Paul Graham: "In order to scale, you have to do things that don't scale."Read a transcript of this interview at: https://mastersofscale.com/brian-chesky-handcrafted/Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dlirtX

Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffman

If you want your company to truly scale, you first have to do things that don't scale. Handcraft the core experience. Get your hands dirty. Serve your customers one-by-one. And don't stop until you know exactly what they want. That's what Brian Chesky did. As CEO of Airbnb, Brian’s early work was more akin to a traveling salesman. He takes us back to his lean years – when he went door-to-door, meeting Airbnb hosts in person – and shares the imaginative route to crafting what he calls an "11-star experience.”Read Paul Graham: "In order to scale, you have to do <a href="http://paulgraham.com/ds.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">things that don't scale</a>."Read a transcript of this interview at: <a href="https://mastersofscale.com/brian-chesky-handcrafted/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://mastersofscale.com/brian-chesky-handcrafted/</a>Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter at <a href="http://eepurl.com/dlirtX" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://eepurl.com/dlirtX</a>

Chocolate Fascination

Weekly hand curated podcast episodes for learning