Big Questions with Cal Fussman

The singer reveals the journey that produced the hit song I Took A Pill in Ibiza.   TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: When Mike gained fame but lost his way, and how he came home to himself when he got a second shot.  Mike's grounding relationship with his mother, and the grief process he’s gone through following the loss of his father.  How Jake Owen, Hank Williams, and Merle Haggard inspired the artist’s most recent hit song, “I Took A Pill in Ibiza”.   

Cal has lost 20 pounds after meeting Spartan CEO Joe De Sena, running obstacle races and changing the way he eats. But he still has to deal with his feelings for ice cream. Food therapist Dr. Lara Pence comes to the rescue...   TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: Decode your emotional responses to tempting foods. Separate irresistible cravings from conscious choices. Employ mindfulness and boundaries to stop from overeating. Understand why a healthy relationship with yourself is more effective than the billion-dollar diet industry.

Cal opens the party to a lot of new listeners with takeaways from Kobe Bryant, Soul Cycle CEO Melanie Whelan, memory expert Jim Kwik, marketing guru Seth Godin, media titan Nely Galan, broadcaster Larry King and many others. The champagne is on ice . . .  

The singer of the hit Fight Song teaches Cal the power of persistence. This episode is all about the 15-year struggle it took Rachel to break through with that song.   TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: The incredible determination that it took for Rachel to get from living room concerts to Hillary Clinton's campaign stage. The ups and downs and years of revisions that it took for her to wind up at a hit song. Even after achieving fame, the value and sense of home she finds in living room concerts and connecting intimately with fans.  

Cal learns what it’s like to be Warren Buffett on the inside and a piñata on the outside. Nely is a Cuban immigrant who became an entrepreneur as a teenager after overhearing her mother and father wonder how they were going to pay the bills to put her through Catholic school. Now, she shares the principles of her tremendous success through her book, Self Made, and by building a movement to lift Latinas called Adelante. The principles of Nely’s success – like: Turn pain into profit – are universal.   Takeaways from this episode: Why the Latinx market is the biggest, most powerful consumer base in the U.S. The tenacity that took Nely from near-poverty to powerful executives, though not without ups and downs along the way. Nely's goal to empower Hispanic women and men to own their power and numbers in the U.S.  

The Buried Life star once again finds the best within himself.   Takeaways from this episode: How helping others is really helping yourself. How doing something that inspires you - even if the initial ambition is small - can be the catalyst to your next great adventure. The patience, persistence, and ultimately throwing in the towel that got Ben to meet President Obama.  

The suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert a year ago led to a benefit concert that is the definition of overcoming obstacles. Scooter Braun - her manager as well as Justin Bieber's, Carly Rae Jepsen's, and many more - opens up about the process it took for them to grapple with the tragedy.

The celebrity memory coach hones Cal’s mind.   Takeaways from this episode: Turning what might be seen as a weakness into your greatest challenge and ultimately a strength. Tips for memorization.  

The World According to the CEO of Tanto Capital Partners.

It’s a landmark day as Cal guides the silver-medal winning figure skater to new ground.