DiscoverWhat It's Like To Be...
What It's Like To Be...

What It's Like To Be...

Author: Dan Heath

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Curious what it would be like to walk in someone else’s (work) shoes? Join New York Times bestselling author Dan Heath as he explores the world of work, one profession at a time, and interviews people who love what they do. What does a couples therapist think when a friend asks for relationship advice? What happens if a welder fails to wear safety glasses? What can get a stadium beer vendor fired? If you’ve ever met someone whose work you were curious about, and you had 100 nosy questions but were too polite to ask … well, this is the show for you. 

35 Episodes
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Shearing Christmas trees into their classic shape, fighting back weeds and blackbirds, and planting 5,000 trees a year with Sheldon Corsi, a Christmas tree farmer near Cincinnati, Ohio. What does a tree baler sound like? And what makes Christmas tree farming distinctive within the world of agriculture?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: H...
A Marine Biologist

A Marine Biologist

2024-11-1933:252

Swimming with 20-foot manta rays, suffering through grant applications, and rushing to the whale freezer with Jessica Pate, a marine biologist based in Florida. How have drones changed her work? And what's wrong with being a "parachute scientist"?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. It’s a book intended to...
An Interior Designer

An Interior Designer

2024-11-0530:121

Perfecting the soft finishes, dealing with divorcing couples, and cultivating the perfect network of artisans with Julie Anne Burch, an interior designer. Why did she need a crane to move a piano? And how can interior designers create a "moment"?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. It’s a book intended to ...
An NBA Referee

An NBA Referee

2024-10-2224:371

Ignoring 10,000 booing fans, collaborating with the replay center, and striving for perfection with Billy Kennedy, an NBA referee. What happens when you get a call wrong? And what's the difference between the trail, slot, and lead officials?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. It’s a book intended to help ...
A London Cabbie

A London Cabbie

2024-10-0828:271

Outsmarting drunks, competing with ride-share apps, and discovering that some of your passengers were Spice Girls with Jamie Owens, a London cabbie. How much does it cost to buy a cab? And what's "The Knowledge"?You can find Jamie on YouTube at his channel "Jamie The Cabby".NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Work...
Overcoming "soft objections," hustling to line up meetings, and navigating the line between business and friendship with David Johnson, a third-generation life insurance salesman. What is the mistake that "ruins careers" for salespeople? And what is a "feed list"?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. It’s a...
A Camera Operator

A Camera Operator

2024-09-1030:57

Framing a scene to draw in the audience, dealing with screaming directors, and getting lost in an actor's performance with Pauline Edwards, a camera operator. What's it like filming a reality TV show? And what's a "swingle"?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. It’s a book intended to help you and your team...
Hauling 32,000 lbs of dead rats, strategically planning every turn and pit stop, and soaking up the highway sunrises and sunsets with Kathy and Gene Lednicky, team truck drivers. What's the chatter like on the CB radio? And what's a "lumper”?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. It’s a book intended to help...
A Summer Camp Director

A Summer Camp Director

2024-08-1332:25

Conjuring a world where kids can reinvent themselves, running a small town in the woods, and witnessing camp counselors falling in love with Eric Sasson, a summer camp director. What happens on the last night of camp? And why does the question "Do you have a minute?" spark anxiety?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s N...
Transforming school buses into ice cream trucks, watching kids grow up (one popsicle at a time), and struggling to keep the freezers running with Erin Bailey, an ice cream truck driver in New Jersey. What’s her best selling treat? And does she ever get sick of the ice cream truck song?Music credit:"The Entertainer" by Scott JoplinCourtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 LicenseNEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written...
An Ocean Lifeguard

An Ocean Lifeguard

2024-07-1634:251

Learning to read the ocean, performing CPR on a dolphin, and leading daring (and sometimes foolish) rescues with Ed Vodrazka, an ocean lifeguard in California. What are the signs that someone is in trouble in the water? And how do you stay vigilant after many hours in the tower?Ed is the author of a couple of books about ocean lifeguards, including Stories from Sea Level: The Heroic and Humorous Adventures of California’s Ocean Lifeguards.NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or c...
A Secret Service Agent

A Secret Service Agent

2024-07-0227:55

Scanning crowds for suspicious behavior, learning how to leap from moving vehicles, and investigating every threat to the president with Cindy Marble, a retired Secret Service agent. What's it like to witness history up close? And what is "left of boom"?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. It’s a book inte...
A Tennis Coach

A Tennis Coach

2024-06-1828:381

Scouting for signs of greatness, bolstering players after heartbreaking losses, and fighting the "yips" with Vesa Ponkka, a veteran tennis coach. Why are tennis matches played in silence? And what's a "lucky loser”?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. It’s a book intended to help you and your team get unst...
A PR Crisis Manager

A PR Crisis Manager

2024-06-0432:53

Taking late-night phone calls from panicked clients, dueling with company lawyers over what to disclose, and rushing to preempt unfavorable stories with Chris Thomas, a PR crisis manager. What was it like to manage the media frenzy surrounding the Elizabeth Smart case? And what's the worst possible answer to a journalist's question?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming...
A Creative Director

A Creative Director

2024-05-2126:50

Churning out creative possibilities on tight timelines, crafting bespoke stock images with help from AI, and pitching unique ideas to risk-averse clients with Jo Skillman, a creative director in Texas. Why do a lot of creative directors grind their teeth at night? And what is a "swoop and poop"?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to C...
A Dog Trainer

A Dog Trainer

2024-05-0730:04

Reading canine body language, boarding dogs to teach them manners, and training the dogs' owners with Keely Korbel, a dog trainer. Is it a good idea to clone your dog? And what is a "marker word"?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. It’s a book intended to help you and your team get unstuck, to overcome th...
An Archaeologist

An Archaeologist

2024-04-2330:532

Unearthing ancient wine cellars, finding the right places to dig, and tracing the arc of lost civilizations with Eric Cline, an archaeologist. What's the difference between a shard and a sherd? And what will archaeologists of the future make of us?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. It’s a book intended t...
An FBI Special Agent

An FBI Special Agent

2024-04-0929:001

Building cases against MS-13 gang members, flipping a suspect in an interrogation, and writing countless subpoenas for phone records with Dan Brunner, a retired FBI Special Agent. What's the significance of the "1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle"? And what does it take to get a fugitive on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January call...
A Cattle Rancher

A Cattle Rancher

2024-03-2629:33

Raising cattle in the high desert, hauling calves to auction, and protecting the herd from mountain lions with Chachi Hawkins, a cattle rancher in southwest Texas. How did she go from selling clothes to selling cattle? And does she ever get attached to particular calves?NEW BOOK ALERT!You may be aware that I’ve written or co-written five business books, including The Power of Moments and Made to Stick. I’ve got a sixth book coming out in January called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working....
We've got a special bonus episode for you this week! Our friends over at Choiceology, the podcast hosted by Katy Milkman, explores the lessons that can be gleaned from behavioral economics. They tell true stories with high-stakes, sharing what the latest research tells us about making better decisions. In this episode, called “The Superforecasters”, they examine President Barack Obama’s decision to move forward with the raid on what was thought to be Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan bac...
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Comments (15)

Jeri Bitney

This is my favorite interview to date. Dhe sounds kind, sensible, not full of herself, and just someone that anyone would want to work with.

Nov 6th
Reply (1)

yaara gerchman

LOVE this episode!!!

Oct 22nd
Reply

Leslie bailiff

I would love you to interview a number of different job in the educational system: admin. ,bus driver, maintaince person, campus monitor, English second language teacher, of course teacher and special education teacher. Please!

Sep 29th
Reply

Tammy Buchanan

4-month-old rescue lab now 11mos lab/hound 4ft inside leash trained on my fanny pack, appropriate kennel. 50ftleash frisbee. Oral great. you helped me figure out the only problem..nails. Dawned on me hivalu treats only excited. prongs work. From 1st day home must calm with professionally trained prong obey before walk, gets 3 tries to sit open door. Redirect, no disappointment. Chill play, pet. Again tomorrow. Now, prongs equal calm still nails, belly rub, run hills after. Thanks.

Aug 5th
Reply

Jeri Bitney

I really enjoyed this interview. Every so often there is an interviewee who sounds so self-congratulatory and a bit arrogant. This nice woman is anything but, and it was a pleasure to listen to.

Jul 30th
Reply

Stephen Pan

In 1995 or 1996, I fainted in the lazy river at Hurricane Harbor in Texas. Thank you to the lifeguard who pulled me out of the water unconscious that day and quite possibly saved my life.

Jul 16th
Reply

Don Crow

What a great concept! I'm looking forward to listening to them all.

Apr 19th
Reply

yaara gerchman

Awesome Podcast! 🌹

Feb 28th
Reply

Leslie bailiff

I love your show! could you interview a sign language interpreter and or a Braillist ( a person who translate English math, music into Braille for blind people/children?

Jan 3rd
Reply

Fariba Rafie

best wishes for you

Dec 30th
Reply (1)

Eltaf Hassani

what's it like to be a professor at university?

Dec 25th
Reply

Kate Benson

Great podcast. Very interesting to peek behind the curtain of a wide range of careers.

Dec 2nd
Reply

Tina Nina

I just found this podcast and it’s very interesting and entertaining at same time. I guestt it helps to know what a person in any given profession feels and thinks about you , his/her job and the perks and problems that comes with it. Keep up the good job!

Nov 10th
Reply