Under the Influence with Jo Piazza

Five years ago, I was a new mom recording a podcast in my closet, wedged between a toddler and a baby who wouldn’t sleep. For the past few months I had been exhausted, leaking milk, hating my husband and endlessly scrolling Instagram, wondering why my messy, chaotic life didn’t look like the linen-clad perfection of the moms in my feed. So I decided to start reporting on the world of mom influencers. That reporting turned into a revelation. Those “perfect mothers” weren’t just moms, they were marketers. They weren’t just sharing their lives, they were selling them. That was the start of this podcast. At the time, mom influencing was still dismissed as fluff. Now it’s a multi-billion dollar industry shaping how we shop, vote, and even think about gender roles. But the mission of Under the Influence has never changed. It has always been to pull back the curtain on the industries and ideologies that tell women who we should be, and to ask what’s really being sold when we scroll. So in celebration of our five-year anniversary, we’re rerunning the very first episode, A More Perfect Mother, the blueprint for everything we’ve built together. Join our newsletter community here. ORDER EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Kate Strickler started Naptime Kitchen in 2015, it was just a way to share the meals she cooked while her baby slept. Now it’s a thriving brand, a sold-out book tour, and a must-follow for anyone who wants real-life motherhood content that’s actually doable. We talk about the evolution of Instagram, reframing how we talk about work with our kids, and the small, practical changes—like showering in the dark—that can change your day. Plus, why “attainable over aspirational” might be your new life motto. Follow @naptimekitchen for everyday cooking inspiration, practical advice, and Kate’s musings on motherhood. Order the book I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen here. Join our newsletter community here. ORDER EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My friend Kristen is a woman in her fifties who has never lost anyone close to her. So her decision to embark on the journey of becoming a death doula could at first seem like a strange one, but when you get to know her it makes perfect sense. Join Kristen as she tackles the universal experience of death with humor, honesty, and sincere introspection. Through personal stories, interviews, and her journey to becoming a death doula she explores how we mourn and how to prepare for life's final chapter. This podcast is for anyone curious about life, loss, and finding laughter along the way. Binge all the episodes of Death Virgin here. Join our newsletter community here. ORDER EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We live in a culture of more. More toys. More shoes. More jumpsuits buried in the back of the closet. But what happens when you try to break free from the endless cycle of buying, decluttering, and buying again? This week’s episode takes you inside a self-proclaimed “low-buy summer,” a real-world experiment in owning less and living with more intention. The first half features Diane Boden of Minimalist Moms on how to reset your relationship with stuff—practical hacks like closet tricks, tiny habits, and the emotional archaeology of letting go. In the second half, we tackle the chaos of kids’ closets with Jackalo founder Marianna Sacks, exploring how fast fashion took over children’s clothing and how parents can push back with sustainability, hand-me-downs, and circular fashion that actually works. Listen to the Minimalist Moms podcast here. Learn more about Jackalo here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The patriarchy is getting a rebrand. From tradwives to “soft girl” culture, conservative influencers are using the language of feminism to sell women a polished version of submission. In this episode, Dr. Nicole Mason, the policy expert who coined the term “she-cession,” explains how this messaging is pulling women out of power and why the left still doesn’t have a strong counter-narrative. The conversation digs into the unfinished business of feminism, why equality feels so hard to sustain, and how younger women are being seduced by curated fantasies of homemaking and “letting men lead.” Nicole also shares insights from her groundbreaking U.S. Women’s Power and Influence Index and breaks down what is really behind the stubborn wage gap. This is a conversation about power, work, motherhood, and the cultural battle over women’s choices and how we can finally stop carrying it all alone. Subscribe to Dr. Mason's newsletter here. Learn more about Future Forward Women here. Follow Dr. Mason on Instagram here. Join our newsletter community here. ORDER EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I am bringing back one of my favorite episodes of Too Much Money, the show I created with Doree Shafrir of Forever 35 about the ridiculous sh*t that billionaire do with their billions. This one is a delight. What’s the gift that keeps on giving and giving and giving? Immortality of course, and it is the eternal brass ring that so many billionaires are trying to get their grubby hands on. Join us as we tell the tale of centi-millionaire Bryan Johnson’s efforts to reverse his biological age. This real life Benjamin Button takes more than a hundred supplements a day, only eats in the morning and gets injections of his teenage son’s blood. But at what cost? Is living forever worth it when you strip life of all its joys? Binge all the episodes of Too Much Money here. Find Forever 35 here. Join our newsletter community here. ORDER EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sleep is not a luxury, a reward, or a wellness trend. It's a biological necessity. In this episode, writer and sleep coach Lindsay Scola shares her journey from high-functioning burnout to a late-in-life narcolepsy diagnosis, and why she's helping others rethink their relationship with rest. The conversation explores why traditional sleep advice often fails, how the sleep industry profits from our exhaustion, and what actually helps—from sound sleep masks to mocktails to restoring cast iron skillets on YouTube. This is a no-shame, no-snake-oil guide to making sleep work for your real life. Learn more about Rest Assured and all of Lindsay's sleep work here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sometimes the only thing that gets you through real life is diving headfirst into someone else’s dumpster fire. This week we’re talking about the celebrity memoirs that make you so happy you're not famous! From Ione Skye’s steamy Gen X nostalgia to Mariah Carey’s perfectly chaotic brilliance, we unpack the stories that stick with us, the confessions we wish more people would make, and why every woman needs at least one ride-or-die friend to stop her from marrying a man named Sticky Ricky. Joining us is celeb memoir guru Chelsea Devantez, author of her own memoir, I Shouldn't be Telling You This, and the creator of the wonderful podcast Glamorous Trash. Buy Chelsea's book I Shouldn't Be Telling You This here. Binge Glamorous Trash here. Join our newsletter community here. Pre-order EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rain on your wedding day is supposed to mean good luck, but for Allison and John, it meant they were about to have the worst year of their lives. From John experiencing a life-changing set-back in his career, to Allison losing her beloved mother to a rare neurological disease, their time as newlyweds was anything but peaceful. But in the inaugural episode of the podcast, John and Allison dissect how this rough patch ultimately strengthened their commitment to an institution that many feel is no longer necessary. If you would like to submit a “Marriage Moment’ or suggest a future episode topic, email us at ⁠startermarriagepodcast@gmail.com⁠. Learn more about the possibilities of modern marriage with a copy of ⁠I DO (I THINK): Conversations About Modern Marriage⁠. Purchase Allison’s new romcom novel ⁠Save The Date.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Jonathan Zelken, a board-certified plastic surgeon, dives into the fascinating intersection of AI, social media, and beauty perceptions. They explore how filtered images skew our understanding of beauty and drive trends in plastic surgery. Dr. Zelken shares insights on why celebrities are opening up about their surgical enhancements, the psychology behind cosmetic fillers, and how social media is shaping new beauty standards. Expect revelations about what’s possible in surgery versus the fantasies created online.