February 10, 2026

Andreas Farmakalidis

Hi, this is Andreas Farmakalidis — small business owner, music educator, and candidate for California State Assembly District 40. I’d love the opportunity to join your show to discuss local economic issues, education funding, business ai and what voters in the Valley are really concerned about right now. I bring both a business and community perspective, 

Arts, Business, Education, Entertainment, Kids & Family, Music, News, Politics & Government

La

Andreas Farmakalidis is a business leader, educator, musician, and community advocate based in California’s San Fernando Valley. Known for his work bridging education, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement, he has built a reputation as a practical problem-solver focused on economic opportunity, educational access, and strengthening local communities. He is currently a candidate for California State Assembly, where he is campaigning on restoring education funding, supporting small businesses, and promoting responsible economic growth.

Originally from Cyprus, Andreas brings an international perspective shaped by European policy experience alongside American business leadership. He holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from Harvard University and a Master’s degree in Education from Brandeis University. His academic background informs his policy approach, combining economic analysis, education reform, and community-centered governance.

Andreas is the co-founder of California MusicBox and MusicBox MusicShop. He is dedicated to making high-quality music education accessible and affordable. Under his leadership, these programs have served students of all ages — from early childhood enrichment to college-level training — with a focus on creativity, career readiness, and cultural appreciation. He has been actively involved in expanding these programs toward full accreditation while maintaining a mission centered on innovation and real-world opportunity.

Before entering education leadership full-time, Andreas was an award-winning touring musician, songwriter, and producer. His work has received national recognition, including honors from major songwriting competitions and industry organizations. This creative background continues to shape his educational philosophy, emphasizing discipline, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the arts. He also teaches college-level courses on music business, production, and emerging technology, including artificial intelligence applications in music.

Beyond education and business, Andreas is deeply involved in civic leadership throughout the  Valley. He serves as Chair of the North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, representing local businesses, entrepreneurs, and community stakeholders. In that role, he advocates for economic vitality, workforce development, and policies that support sustainable growth for small businesses. He is also active in Rotary community initiatives, nonprofit fundraising, and regional development efforts.
His civic engagement frequently intersects with education advocacy, particularly around expanding access to arts education, career technical education, and early childhood learning. Andreas has helped develop music curriculum programs for elementary schools and community organizations, emphasizing social-emotional learning, cultural awareness, and academic enrichment through the arts.

Family is central to Andreas’s life and public service motivation. He and his wife Alexis — a music professional and business partner — are raising their children in the Valley, which further drives his commitment to community safety, education quality, and economic stability for future generations. He often emphasizes that strong communities are built through family support, local business success, and accessible education. Lastly Andreas received a presidential award.

Today, Andreas continues to combine his roles as entrepreneur, educator, musician, and civic leader. Whether advocating for business owners, teaching students, or engaging voters on policy issues, his focus remains consistent: practical solutions, community collaboration, and long-term investment in education and economic opportunity.

February 6, 2026

Richard Kuhns

My journey began in a place of despair. I battled Morgellons‑like symptoms of relentless 24/7 itching and biting sensations that felt the bite was to the bone. I was desperate for relief.

That struggle became the catalyst for transformation. Instead of giving up, I turned my experience into a mission: to create powerful, science‑driven skin formulations that support the skin from the inside out. The result was a line of super charged skin care products that clean the skin from the inside out. Warts, rashes, and redness become history while also delivering everything people expect from premium skincare—hydration, radiance, and a smoother, more youthful appearance.

At the heart of these formulations is an ingredient once believed to be impossible: liquid bioform carbon. This breakthrough component became the foundation for products that not only nourish the skin but also help restore its natural balance and vitality.

What began as personal misery evolved into a purpose‑driven entrepreneurial journey—one focused on helping others reclaim confidence in their skin.

My name is Richard Kuhns, and I would welcome the opportunity to share a story that blends personal transformation, scientific curiosity, and the creation of a skincare line that grew out of one of the most challenging chapters of my life. My work sits at the intersection of lived experience and hands‑on innovation, and I believe your audience would find both the journey and the discoveries compelling.

My background is in chemical engineering, and for many years I lived a very different life than the one I lead today. Everything changed when I began searching for answers to a set of persistent and deeply distressing skin issues that affected my quality of life in profound ways. Traditional approaches did not bring the relief I hoped for, and I found myself pushed into a position where I had to rely on my own resourcefulness, research, and willingness to experiment. That period became the catalyst for everything that followed.

During that search, I encountered a unique liquid carbon material I named, Nature’s Gift. I did not create this ingredient, but I immediately recognized its potential. Nothing I had tested behaved quite like it. Its ability to support deep cleansing and help the skin feel renewed sparked a new direction for me. I began formulating products around it, testing combinations, refining textures, and exploring how this ingredient could be incorporated into a complete skincare system. What started as a personal project gradually evolved into something much larger.

The result is my Beauty Forever skincare line, a salon grade collection built around this liquid carbon foundation. Over time, I saw how these formulations supported the skin’s ability to feel cleaner, clearer, and more balanced. Users often reported that their skin looked healthier, that stubborn issues improved in appearance, and that they felt more confident with less makeup. These observations encouraged me to continue refining the formulas and expanding the line. The products are designed to work from the surface inward, helping dissolve buildup, cleanse deeply, and support the skin’s natural clarity. After years of real world use, I have come to believe that these are some of the most effective products ever formulated.

My journey also led me to write a book titled How to Get Your Life Back from Morgellons. The book reflects my personal experience and the strategies that helped me navigate an extremely difficult period. It has received more than 260 four and five star reviews on Amazon, and many readers have shared that it offered them comfort, direction, or simply the feeling that they were not alone. While I am not a medical professional, I speak from lived experience and from the perspective of someone who had to find his own way forward when answers were hard to come by.

As a guest, I can offer your audience a conversation that is both informative and deeply human. I can discuss why modern science claims liquid carbon cannot exist, how this remarkable material does exist, and how it powers my super charged skincare line, along with the personal journey that shaped my work. I can also speak to the emotional and psychological side of facing a condition that is poorly understood, and how that experience can fuel innovation and resilience.

My goal is not only to share the story of these products, but also to offer hope to people who feel overlooked or unheard. Your platform reaches individuals who are searching for solutions, inspiration, or simply a new perspective. I would be honored to contribute to that.

If this resonates with you, I would be thrilled to connect and explore the possibility of joining you as a guest.

Beauty, Alternative Health, Emotional Health and Freedom, Personal Development, Religion, Science, Motivational, Technology

USA

Richard Kuhns is a chemical engineer turned high‑performance wellness innovator whose career spans engineering, human behavior, authorship, and breakthrough consumer products. He began in chemical engineering before shifting into hypnosis and stress management, where he spent nearly two decades helping thousands of people stop smoking, manage weight, overcome fears, build self esteem, and reduce stress through biofeedback and mind‑body techniques.

Richard’s engineering mindset shaped his unconventional approach to emotional resilience and personal transformation. He has authored several books that challenge traditional thinking and offer practical, experience‑driven insights, including works on self esteem, weight management, anxiety, spirituality, and misunderstood health conditions. His writing reflects a rare blend of analytical thinking and real‑world problem solving.

His personal journey through complex skin challenges pushed him to explore solutions far outside conventional boundaries. This led to the development of a radical dietary protocol and, eventually, to the creation of a proprietary carbon‑based ingredient that became the foundation of his most groundbreaking work.

Richard is also known for his engaging TikTok series Zen for the Day and Relationship Killers, where he blends humor, clarity, and practical wisdom. Beyond wellness, he is the inventor and manufacturer of Waterloov, a patented gutter guard system recognized for its performance and durability.

Today, Richard is best known as the creator of the super charged Beauty Forever skin care line — a high‑energy, next‑level system designed to do everything top skin care products promise while taking a bold leap ahead of them. Built around his proprietary carbon‑based ingredient, Beauty Forever supports deep cleansing from the surface inward, helping the skin shed buildup, impurities, and debris so it can look clearer, smoother, and more refined. Users often share that their skin appears brighter, more balanced, and less dependent on makeup, with stubborn surface concerns improving in appearance over time. Beauty Forever represents Richard’s signature approach: engineering precision, fearless innovation, and a commitment to creating products that push far beyond the expected.

Richard Kuhns brings a dynamic mix of science, lived experience, and practical innovation — making him a compelling guest for conversations about transformation, resilience, breakthrough ideas, and the future of high‑performance skin care.

February 3, 2026

Gray Weller

The Baking Brigade™ is a brand-new children’s book series that invites young readers into a magical, joyful world where baking, imagination, and friendship come alive.

At the heart of the story is Edie, an orphan girl who comes to live above a bakery with her long-lost grandparents and her best friend, an irrepressible toy hamster named Douglas. One day, Edie is given a pair of Magical Red Slippers. The moment she slips them on, the kitchen bursts into life and the utensils become The Baking Brigade, a mischievous, loving crew who guide her through adventure, laughter, and discovery. Edie learns to trust her baking instincts and soon finds that life, like baking a delectable cake, always needs one essential ingredient - Love.

Full of warmth, humour, and wonder, The Baking Brigade uses baking as a playful metaphor for life, where things don’t always go to plan, but with curiosity, kindness, and a little courage, something beautiful can always be made.

A Children’s Book Series Baked for Ages 5–10

The Baking Brigade™ is the first in a series of richly illustrated books for children aged 5–10. Each story includes a unique detachable baking recipe card, inviting children to step out of the pages and into their own kitchens, taking the 2D world of reading into the shared 3D world of doing and away from screens.

Children will fall in love with the world’s quirky characters, gentle magic, and laugh-out-loud moments. Adults will love how naturally the stories open up space for conversation, creativity, and togetherness.

Through teamwork, friendship, resilience, and self-belief, young readers absorb meaningful life lessons as part of the fun. Children will “eat up” the subtle life lessons and wholesome morals “baked into” each story. Importantly, it explores the concept that baking is therapy, accessible by all.

The detachable recipe cards transform the stories into shared experiences, encouraging children to bake alongside parents, grandparents, and carers, who embrace the books as they spark action, transforming children from imaginative readers to active doers. Children will clamour to recreate the books’ magical universe in their own kitchens.

A lively audiobook edition brings the world to life through voice, music, and storytelling, perfect for bedtime listening or long car journeys.

More Than a Book, It’s A Lifestyle

The Baking Brigade is a growing story universe. Alongside the publishing programme, an animated musical adaptation is in development, expanding the world into song, movement, and visual storytelling.

At its heart, the project celebrates simple, joyful rituals:

Reading together Baking together Talking together Laughing / failing / learning together

In a world increasingly shaped by screens, The Baking Brigade invites families back into shared, imaginative, real-life experiences, where stories don’t just stay on the page, but in kitchens, conversations, and most importantly flour encrusted faces.

Key themes include:

Imagination and magic in everyday life Friendship and teamwork Family and intergenerational connection Creativity through baking Storytelling as joy and comfort

The Baking Brigade™ publishes January 15, 2026.

Review copies, interviews, images, and press materials available.

Literature, Visual Arts, K-12, Entertainment, Games & Hobbies, Kids & Family, Emotional Health and Freedom, Mental Health, Personal Development

Gray Weller is the CEO of Cariad House and was inspired to write this book to get children off screens and into real life doing real things like baking and interacting with family with love and passion for doing things.

February 2, 2026

Marc J Defant PhD

I’m Marc J. Defant, a professor of geology and geochemistry at the University of South Florida, with a research career that spans volcanology, Earth history, and—more recently—evolutionary psychology and the public misuse of science. I’ve published peer-reviewed work in both the physical sciences and psychology, examining topics such as patriarchy, social constructionism, the gender pay gap, and the methodological weaknesses underlying much of contemporary feminist scholarship.

My research has also focused on how Earth’s continents formed and more recently, evidence for an impact at the Younger-Dryas Boundary approximately 13,800 years ago. I identified and named a rock type -- adakite -- that provides a rare modern analog for the granitic continental crust that formed over 2.5 billion years ago. That work has been funded by organizations including the National Science Foundation, National Geographic, the American Chemical Society, and the National Academy of Sciences, and published in journals such as Nature. I’ve served as Editor of Geology and Associate Editor of the Journal of Geophysical Research, and I’ve been invited to speak at institutions including MIT, Columbia, UCLA, Woods Hole, and others worldwide.

In recent years, I’ve shifted much of my public work toward science communication—especially how scientific concepts are distorted in modern cultural and political debates. I’m the author of Voyage of Discovery: From the Big Bang to the Ice Age, a popular-science book that traces the origins of the universe, Earth, and human civilization. I’ve written for Skeptic, Free Inquiry, Aporia, and Popular Science, and I’ve appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience, the Dinesh D’Souza Podcast, and several other shows.

Potential conversation topics could include:

How evolutionary biology is misused -- or ignored -- in contemporary debates about gender and social policy

What volcanology and deep time tell us about how continents form

Why some modern academic fields struggle with replication, rigor, and ideological capture

Why we may be alone in the galaxy (a topic of my TEDx talk)

What it was like conducting scientific fieldwork in places like the Kamchatka Peninsula during the late Soviet era

The history of the universe, earth, and life.

If this sounds like a fit for your audience, I’d be happy to come on and adapt the discussion to the themes you’re most interested in exploring.

Thanks for your time, and I appreciate the work you do.

Best regards,
Marc J. Defant
Professor of Geology & Geochemistry
University of South Florida

Earth & Space, Education, Philosophy, Psychology, Science, Biology & Chemistry, Climate Change, Sex, Society and Culture

United States

Marc J. Defant is a professor of geology and geochemistry at the University of South Florida whose work spans the physical sciences and evolutionary psychology. In recent years, he has published several peer-reviewed articles in psychology journals examining the patriarchy, social constructionism, the gender pay gap, and the methodological weaknesses underlying much of contemporary feminist scholarship. Before turning his attention to the misuse and misunderstanding of science in society, Defant built a distinguished research career in volcanology – focusing especially on the origin of the continental crust. I am currently also working on evidence that suggests there were several impacts at the Younger-Dryas Boundary approximately 13,800 years ago.

A major contribution of his geological research is the discovery and definition of a rock type he named adakite, produced in certain modern volcanic arcs. Adakite provides a rare contemporary analog to the granitic continental crust formed more than 2.5 billion years ago, offering insights into how Earth’s early continents were generated.

Defant has received funding from the National Science Foundation, National Geographic, the American Chemical Society, and the National Academy of Sciences, and has published in leading scientific journals including Nature. His popular-science book Voyage of Discovery: From the Big Bang to the Ice Age complements numerous articles he has written for Skeptic, Free Inquiry, Aporia, and Popular Science. He has also appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience, the Dinesh D’Souza Podcast, along with several other podcasts.

He has served as Editor of Geology and Associate Editor of the Journal of Geophysical Research and has been an invited speaker at institutions such as MIT, Columbia University, Université de Bretagne (Brest, France), UCLA, the University of Georgia, the University of Tennessee, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The Chinese government invited him as a keynote speaker at a symposium on continental crust formation.

As one of the first American scientists permitted to work in the remote and militarily sensitive Kamchatka Peninsula during the late Soviet era, Defant conducted pioneering research through a joint grant between the Soviet Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation. His fieldwork has also taken him to Costa Rica, Greece, Indonesia, the Lesser Antilles, Panama, and the Philippines. He has delivered a TEDx talk titled Why We Are Alone in the Galaxy.

In addition to academic research, Defant has consulted internationally on gold and diamond geology for De Beers, Placer Dome, Falconbridge, Anglo American, Aurcana Gold, Diamond Fields, and other mining companies in West Africa and Russia.

January 28, 2026

Darryn Van Den Berg

We are not just experiencing a technology revolution — we are facing a workforce design crisis. AI is transforming roles faster than organizations can adapt, while aging populations, disengaged employees, and outdated training models are exposing deep cracks in how we develop skills.

In this powerful keynote, [Your Name] explores the collision between AI, demographic shifts, and the global skills system — and why traditional approaches to learning and development are no longer enough. Drawing on expertise in gamification, behavior change, tech adoption, and workforce strategy, this session reveals why the real challenge isn’t a skills gap, but a skills system failure.

Audiences will discover how leading organizations are moving beyond courses and compliance to build adaptive, multi-generational, AI-ready workforces. This keynote challenges leaders to rethink how learning happens, who it’s for, and how to design systems that help people evolve as fast as the world of work.

News, Careers, Management, Courses & Training, Education Technology, Other Games

South Africa

Darryn is a future-of-work adventuer seeker, exploring specialist ways to maximise AI, skills transformation, and workforce strategy. He helps organizations redesign learning and people systems to build adaptable, multi-generational, AI-ready (seekers of new ways comfortable with change) workforces. 

Known for linking technology, behaviour change, and the Silver Economy, he continously challenges leaders to move beyond training and rethink how skills are developed in a rapidly changing world.

January 25, 2026

Jim Ferry

Have you noticed that everyone assumes OpenAI will win the AI search wars without ever asking how AI search actually makes money??

Jim Ferry has a contrarian take: Google wins, and the reason has everything to do with ads, distribution, and human behavior, not model quality.

Jim is a Partner at Volition Capital, a $1B+ growth equity firm behind companies like Chewy, Swoogo, and RealSelf. He rose from analyst to Partner in under a decade and leads investments across marketplaces, ad tech, logistics tech, and digital insurance.

He’s a strong fit for conversations around:

Why Google ultimately beats OpenAI The future of CTV, digital video, mobile in-app, and open web What it really means to be an “AI-first” startup (and when it’s just a label) Why being a growth equity investor and board member is part psychologist Growth equity trends and where capital is flowing in 2026

Business, Technology

Jim joined the team at Volition in 2014 and is responsible for evaluating and executing new investment opportunities on the Internet & Consumer team and assisting with current portfolio operations. He focuses on consolidation platforms, mobile, supply chain & logistics, ad tech, marketplaces, and other high-volume internet transactional businesses.

January 25, 2026

Frank Spring

Frank’s behavioral frameworks have guided political leaders, corporate teams, and social movements to be grounded in data, psychology, and neuroscience. His primary storybuilding work has been with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Congresswoman Katie Porter, and former Austin Mayor Steve Adler.

Today, as founding partner at Altum Insight and managing partner of Undaunted Ventures, he's currently finalizing a new study focused on rural voters in Nebraska, and one finding stood out immediately: a deep, under-discussed fear of AI. Not the sensational, sci-fi version but real concerns about accountability, trust, and who’s responsible as AI starts affecting daily life.

What’s striking is the political opening this creates:

For Republicans, it presents an opportunity to lead on accountability. For Democrats, it’s a chance to talk about smart, practical policies that actually close the trust gap with rural voters instead of talking past them.

Frank can also unpack the following:

Why logic doesn’t change minds but stories do. What behavioral data tells us about belief systems. How audiences decide who to believe and why. How artificial intelligence amplifies or manipulates human bias. Applying campaign psychology to leadership, marketing, and social impact.

Philosophy, Politics & Government, Psychology

Frank A. Spring is a founding partner with Altum Insight, a public sentiment research firm dedicated to understanding the deep narratives that drive people's attitudes, values, and behaviors. He also serves as Managing Partner and cofounder of Undaunted Ventures, operating as the in-house mad scientist for both organizations.

With more than fifteen years of senior leadership across progressive campaigns and candidates on both sides of the Atlantic, Frank spent over a decade developing the unique science-based methodology that Altum and Undaunted employ to decode and construct political narratives that resonate.

His expertise bridges neuroscience, behavioral psychology, and narrative design—helping campaigns, institutions, and progressive movements understand not just what voters think, but why they think it and how to change hearts and minds authentically.

A native New Mexican, Frank lives with his family in the Land of Enchantment, where he maintains his daily green chile ritual and continues to push the boundaries of political communications strategy.

January 25, 2026

Eva Posner

As the 2026 election cycle heats up, a quiet question is emerging: what are voters already telling us?

I'd love to introduce Eva Posner, CEO & Founder of Evinco Strategies, who has spent her career building campaigns that break toxic systems instead of reinforcing them. She’s helped first-time candidates flip races, managed million-dollar campaigns, and called out the burnout culture that’s quietly eroding the political world from the inside out.

Eva brings sharp insight into:

What early 2026 races are already revealing about voter trust, turnout, and fatigue Why traditional campaign strategies are losing their grip and what’s quietly replacing them How local and down-ballot races are shaping the real 2026 battleground What candidates don’t realize until it’s too late

Here's her media kit for more info: https://mediakit.heartcastmedia.com/eva-posner

News, Politics & Government

A political Renaissance woman, Eva has filled roles in field, fundraising, management, operations, and communications in dozens of Democratic campaigns and political organizations across California and the South. She’s overseen million-dollar races with national attention, grassroots school board races with no staff, and everything in between.

Eva opened Evinco Strategies in 2016 to focus on electing candidates who increase representation in government — specializing in first-time candidates from diverse backgrounds who face barriers in traditional campaigns, as well as issue campaigns that tackle systemic injustice.

Eva is passionate about social and criminal justice, local and state-level campaigns, diverse representation in politics, and training the next generation of political operatives. Prior to her work in politics, Eva worked as a journalist, with a focus on government and human trafficking. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee.

January 25, 2026

Peter Imburg

Peter Imburg, Founder & CEO of Elfster. What started as a holiday mix-up at a family lunch has since grown into the world’s largest online Secret Santa and gift exchange platform trusted by over 40 million users in 50+ countries.

What makes Peter’s story compelling isn’t just the scale of Elfster, but the way he built it by growing a lasting business without the backing of venture or angel investors. His journey shows entrepreneurs that there’s another way to scale a company while staying true to personal values and identity rather than chasing outside capital.

Peter can bring valuable insights to your audience, including:

The Spark Behind Elfster – How a family gift exchange mishap inspired a global platform. Bootstrapping at Scale – Lessons from growing a company to 40M+ users without outside funding. Sustainable Entrepreneurship – Why founders don’t need to sacrifice values for growth. The Future of Gift-Giving – How tech can bring more meaning (and less stress) to traditions. Redefining Success – Why creating joy and connection is a business model that lasts.

Here's his media kit for more info: https://www.heartcastmedia.com/peter-imburg/

Business, Entertainment, Self Help, Society and Culture, Technology

What makes Peter Imburg's story compelling isn't just the scale of Elfster—it's the way he built it. With over 40 million users worldwide, Elfster stands as one of the most widely used Secret Santa and gift-exchange platforms globally, yet it was built entirely without venture capital or angel investors.

Peter's journey demonstrates that there's another path to scaling a company—one that prioritizes staying true to personal values and identity over chasing outside capital. His approach to sustainable entrepreneurship offers a refreshing counter-narrative in today's startup landscape, proving that mission-aligned growth and massive scale aren't mutually exclusive.

For entrepreneurs tired of the traditional VC playbook, Peter's story provides both inspiration and a practical roadmap for building lasting businesses on their own terms.