Episodes

  • Abstract Essay, now in its sixth season, features Al Krockey, author of Straight Outta Skokie: The Krockey Chronicles: 1968—the first installment of an upcoming coming-of-age trilogy—as a special guest, sharing the inspiration behind his compelling story, the cultural landscape of 1968, and the experiences that shaped his journey as a writer.
    May 28 2026

    Al Krockey

    In 1968, Al Krockey was eighteen years old coming of age in the most culturally explosive era in American history.

    In 1968, Al Krockey was eighteen years old coming of age in the most culturally explosive era in American history.

    But the road to that moment began years earlier in Skokie, Illinois, where a block of co-op apartments and split-level houses felt like an entire universe.

    From hustling a buck—hawking souvenirs outside Wrigley Field, working odd jobs, and dealing a little weed—to chasing the music that defined a generation, Krockey lived fast and wide open. Nights at Chicago’s legendary Kinetic Playground, cross-country trips to wild pop festivals, and encounters with unforgettable characters turned 1968 into a year of freedom, risk, and discovery.


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    25 mins
  • Dr. Shenetta Malkia as my guest on Book 101 Review in its sixth season, featuring a compelling conversation on global real estate strategy, leadership, resilience, mental wellness, and the power of transforming adversity into long-term success.
    May 24 2026

    Dr. Shenetta Malkia

    Global Real Estate Strategist | CEO & Broker | Author of The Resilient Asset | Leadership, Resilience & Mental Wellness Advocate

    Hi, I’m Dr. Shenetta Malkia-Sapp, a global real estate strategist, author, speaker, and entrepreneur dedicated to helping leaders, investors, and organizations build resilient assets and sustainable legacies.

    With extensive experience in real estate brokerage, property management, asset management, and business development, I focus on transforming complex market challenges into strategic opportunities for growth, stability, and long-term wealth.

    As the CEO and Broker of Sable Edge Realty and Management, I work with property owners and investors to navigate evolving housing markets while building systems that create predictable performance and long-term impact.

    Beyond real estate, I’m also the founder of Malkia Relations and Empowerment Essence, where I focus on leadership development, mental wellness advocacy, and empowering individuals to build purpose-driven businesses and lives.


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    5 mins
  • Abstract Essay, now in its sixth season, features George Little as my guest a creative mind who designs, builds, and tinkers with ideas, projects, and innovations driven by curiosity, passion, and experimentation, sharing thought-provoking insights on creativity, invention, problem-solving, craftsmanship, and the fascinating intersection between passion projects, technology, and purposeful work.
    May 20 2026

    George Little

    I design, build, and tinker. Always for fun, sometimes for money.

    I'm George, a designer, tech entrepreneur, and outdoor enthusiast! I have an equal love for tinkering with AI as I do hiking with my dogs.

    Here's a little backstory on who I am and what makes me tick...

    Originally from the Philly area, I studied architecture at Syracuse and thinking I was going to be a black turtleneck wearing new york architect, moved to Brooklyn to work for one of the big name firms.

    After a few years, I realized this wasn't for me. It dawned on me that the part of my job I liked the most I was doing the least of: graphic design & technology. I found I was much better at pitching building designs, marketing the company's brand, and tinkering with technology to improve our efficiencies and workflows.

    So I pivoted my career to "graphic design" which lead me to an AI company where I learned about startups, remote-work, SaaS marketing, and building a business that serves the tech community.

    Years later, I now run my own remote-only consultancy that aims to work with startups and venture-backed companies to build/improve their brands and websites.

    I spend my workdays balanced between client work, marketing my own business, and tinkering on projects I find interesting... like VetResumes.com, Archive51.art, Stacked.camp, to name a few. More recently I've been trying to slash my AI company subscriptions by building my own system on the back of a bunch of used mac minis.

    Outside of work, I'm a big nature lover. I've hiked, camped, kayaked, trailered, overlanded, and backpacked all over this country (and a splash of Canada). My wife and I recently moved our family to Oregon to purse a long-time dream of running a PNW flower farm (which i will, of course, find a reason to apply technology).


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    23 mins
  • Abstract Essay, now in its sixth season, features Kelly Gagalis as a special guest, sharing expert insights on modern relationships, online dating safety, emotional awareness, and how individuals can navigate today’s digital dating world with greater confidence, clarity, and protection.
    May 14 2026

    Kelly Gagalis

    Online Dating Safety Expert and Dating Coach

    I have been a dating coach for over 15 years. A few years ago I realised that my clients don't have the same horror stories as other people I talk to do because I bake safety into their dating training.

    A year ago in the same 24 hour period I heard from two friends that their children had just experienced horrific sexual assault... gang rape on a young gay man naively picking up someone for a 1st date on tinder and the rape of my friend's daughter hosting a dinner on a second date while my friend was in the house.

    In both of these instances when I heard the circumstances I KNEW that these horrible assaults could have been prevented if these young people had only had the skills and tools I teach to date safely online.

    From there I created Swipe Safely, the first course aimed at increasing internet dating safety.

    It is now my mission to make people safer dating online, shifting them from prey behavior to confident deterrance.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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    24 mins
  • Abstract Essay, in its sixth season, features Mark Astor as my guest — an attorney dedicated to helping families navigate the complex intersection of legal challenges, mental health struggles, and addiction recovery. Through compassionate advocacy and real-world experience, this conversation explores the emotional, legal, and human realities faced by individuals and families searching for healing, justice, and hope.
    May 11 2026

    Mark Astor

    Attorney Saving Families at the Intersection of Law, Mental Health & Addiction

    I didn’t set out to build a law firm. I set out to save families.

    Early in my career, I was a prosecutor inside the criminal justice system. I saw firsthand what happens when addiction and untreated mental illness collide with law enforcement: people don’t get better — they get processed, warehoused, and traumatized. Families are left powerless, confused, and grieving someone who is still alive.

    Years later, after leaving government service, I found myself sitting across from parents, spouses, and siblings who all said the same thing:

    “We don’t know what to do anymore.”

    Their loved one wasn’t asking for help. Treatment had failed. The system had failed. And “waiting” felt like a death sentence.

    So I co-founded a law firm with a singular mission: to give families lawful, compassionate tools to intervene when a loved one’s mind has been hijacked by addiction or severe mental illness.

    Since then, I’ve helped thousands of families navigate crises involving substance use, psychiatric instability, medical complexity, and resistance to care — using legal frameworks most people don’t even know exist. I’ve watched families move from chaos and despair to clarity and action. And I’ve seen lives saved not by handcuffs or hope alone, but by informed intervention.

    What makes my voice different is this:

    I live at the intersection of law, mental health, addiction, and family dynamics — and I’m not speaking in theory. I’m speaking from the trenches.

    On podcasts, I don’t offer platitudes. I explain:

    Why “waiting until they’re ready” can be deadly

    Why the system often reacts after irreversible harm

    Why families are not “controlling” — they are responding to cognitive impairment

    And why legal intervention, when done correctly, can be an act of love, not punishment

    Hosts book me because I bring clarity to uncomfortable conversations, challenge popular myths around addiction and recovery, and give audiences something rare: a framework for action when compassion alone isn’t enough.

    If your show tackles mental health, addiction, family trauma, personal growth, leadership, or hard truths — I won’t just fill time.

    I’ll give your audience something they’ll remember, wrestle with, and share.

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    29 mins
  • Abstract Essay, in its sixth season, features Ryan Matthews — 2x TEDx Speaker, former Army Combat K9 Handler, and trauma-to-transformation leadership expert — as a special guest. Through powerful storytelling and lived experience, Ryan shares profound insights on resilience, healing, leadership, and personal transformation, exploring how adversity, trauma, and life’s most difficult moments can become catalysts for growth, purpose, and authentic leadership. This compelling conversation dives into mindset, emotional strength, human potential, and the journey of turning pain into purpose while inspiring others to rise beyond their limitations.
    May 7 2026

    Ryan Matthews

    2x TEDx Speaker | Former Army Combat K9 Handler | Trauma-to-Transformation Leadership Expert

    I’m Ryan Matthews — former Army combat K9 handler, 2x TEDx speaker, published author, and founder of World of Dog Training. By age 30, I had survived combat PTSD, cancer, a serious car crash, and a heart attack. Those experiences forced me to rebuild from the inside out.

    Today, I help people and leaders turn trauma into transformation using practical frameworks rooted in resilience, communication, and relationship leadership — lessons drawn from real life, elite K9 work, and human-animal behavior. I’ve worked with 6,000+ dogs and their owners, celebrity clients, and high performers who needed calm, clarity, and control under pressure.

    I’m not here to offer motivation fluff. I bring honest stories, tactical tools, and immediately usable strategies your audience can apply to lead themselves, their relationships, and their teams more effectively.

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    27 mins
  • Abstract Essay, in its sixth season, features Candi Keffeler, acclaimed author of Never Too Far Gone, as a powerful and deeply inspiring guest. In this episode, she shares her journey of resilience, healing, and transformation—offering a message that no one is ever too far gone to reclaim their life. Through her work, Candi empowers women to move beyond survival mode and step into a life of hope, purpose, and renewed strength, making this conversation both heartfelt and profoundly impactful for listeners seeking encouragement and change.
    May 3 2026

    Candi Keffeler

    Author of Never Too Far Gone | Helping Women Rise from Survival to Hope

    ’m Candi Keffeler, author of Never Too Far Gone, and I share my story to help women who are exhausted from surviving remember that they’re not broken — they’re becoming.

    I’ve lived through abuse, medical trauma, overwhelming debt, and starting over from rock bottom. For years I looked strong on the outside while quietly falling apart inside. Writing Never Too Far Gone was part of my healing — and now I use my story to help other women, especially in midlife, find hope, resilience, and the courage to begin again.

    On your podcast, I love having real, honest conversations about survival burnout, rebuilding after trauma, and what it actually looks like to start over when life doesn’t go as planned. My heart is for women who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or “too far gone,” and I help them see that their next chapter is still possible.

    Listeners walk away feeling seen, understood, and encouraged with practical hope they can carry into their own healing journey.


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    25 mins
  • Abstract Essay, in its sixth season, features Margo McClimans Midwest-born and Zurich-based, a second-time founder of the 20+ year coaching firm Coaching Without Borders—as my guest.
    Apr 29 2026

    Margo Mcclimans

    Midwest-born, Zurich-based; second-time founder of a 20+ year coaching firm (Coaching Without Borders); lived in 6 countries, speak 4 languages, helping global executives and teams lead with courage.

    Margo McClimans is the founder of Coaching Without Borders (CWoB), a Zurich-based leadership coaching and team development company. For 20+ years, she has helped leaders and teams build courage and confidence. She and her team work with c-suite and managing directors and global leadership teams from Fortune 500 companies and high-growth start-ups. She has lived in 6 countries on 3 continents and speaks 4 languages. Born in the midwest, she now lives in Switzerland with her family of 6.



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    35 mins