Mentor Buffet

Kathrine Switzer is the 1974 champion of the New York Marathon and the first woman to finish the Boston Marathon. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, she shares the mentors she had at the beginning—her father who encouraged her to run a mile a day as a young girl, the coach at Syracuse who let her train with the men, the postman who trained with her day in and day out, and her idol the famous ballerina Margot Fonteyn. She and Alexi also talk about what it means to be a pioneer in running, and Kathrine mentors Alexi on the topics of entrepreneurship and motherhood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners’ advice questions about what to do when they learn deal-breaking information about their fiancé, and how to deal with the feeling that disaster could be looming around every corner. Alexi also offers advice for relating to an uncertain future. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ultramarathoner Max Jolliffe joins host Alexi Pappas to share about his evolution as a person and athlete over the past few years, including how he’s formed the habit of choosing positivity, and how he’s learned to prioritize progress over perfection. Max recounts his third place finish at the Kodiak 100 last week, which qualifies him for next year’s UTMB—the most prestigious trail race in the world. Max shares about the challenges in his upbringing and the challenges of abusing substances in, and presents running as the vehicle that transformed his life. He’s grateful to have found his thing and says when you find your thing it will bring you amazing gifts. Among those gifts are Max’s many mentors, who he catalogs: his sponsor in AA Ray Coder, his friend JP Olson who got him into more serious running, the veteran local trail runners Jesse Haynes and Sally McRae, Max’s wife Mackenzie, trail running legend Courtney Dauwalter, and all around legend Cam Hanes. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with…

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about getting in touch with your passion, how to make money if you don't want to work a 9-5, and how to choose which direction to go at a crossroads. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Richard Linklater, the great filmmaker who made Boyhood, Before Sunrise, Dazed and Confused, and so many other movies you love, joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to share about protecting how he spends his time, why the art life is important to him, and how he relates to actors. Both having backgrounds in sports, Rick and Alexi also compare and contrast sports to the Arts. Rick recounts his first interactions on the internet and explains why he doesn’t have any social media. His worldview is centerstage every step along the way. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…

Richard Linklater, the great filmmaker who made Boyhood, Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise, Slacker, and so many other movies you love, joins host Alexi Pappas to discuss what it has meant for him to listen to his passion and create his own path. Rick recounts community college professors he admired for living the Art life. He points to Henry David Thoreau as his greatest mentor for writing Walden, for demonstrating that the most important thing in life is to spend as much time doing exactly what you want. Another mentor figure Rick points to (“A ment—”) is Martin Shafer at Castle Rock who helped Rick get Before Sunrise made when the big movie studios wouldn’t offer him the same creative freedom. Rick also shares about admiring Frank Zappa. Alexi and Rick talk about the differences between sports and the arts, and Rick shares why he prefers the Art life. In this conversation with Alexi, Rick’s worldview comes through clearly—the world is trying to help you; the most important thing is to follow your sense…

Jenny Simpson, the World Champion and Olympic medalist track athlete, joins host Alexi Pappas to share about her experience with cardiac arrest, and the changes in her life that are coming as a result of never being able to run again. They talk about our relationship to the unexplainable, finding new teachers when we’ve outgrown old ones, and embracing the fact that we’re good at multiple things. Jenny shares about her relationship with her sister and the process of letting people show up for her. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amelia Meath of Slyvan Esso joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to share about her Aunt Carol who showed her how to be free, what it means to means to share creative and romantic partnership with the same person, and how to build a scene. They talk about how there’s no such thing as “the best,” meeting your icons, and what it means to be guided by intuition. Amelia also shares the feeling she’s after and what it means. She calls it disappearing. Sylvan Esso’s new album “Ow ∞” is out September 11. Buy “Ow Infinity” on Bandcamp: https://sylvanesso.bandcamp.com/album/ow. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order. Visit…

Allie Rowbottom, the author of Aesthetica, Jell-o Girls, and now Lovers XXX joins Alexi on Mentor Buffet to share about the mentorship she’s experienced from her husband, the writer Jon Lindsey, from her mom, who was constantly writing during Allie’s adolescence, and from her professors—who offered her reading lists that accelerated her toward her taste and style and set deadlines for her. One of her professors was the writer Maggie Nelson. Allie and Alexi also discuss rejection, the nature of the internet, and the benefits of getting in touch with the worst case scenario. Allie shares the books she reads to study her craft and also explores mentorship dynamics between the characters in both Aesthetica and Lovers XXX, explaining the importance of characters that steer the story in the direction of conflict and then learning or growth. It’s a lovely conversation between two writers. Order Allie's new book, Lovers XXX: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1641297301?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback If…

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about navigating long-distance relationships with your friends and family, giving advice to somebody who doesn't accept advice easily, and dealing with being more intense or ambitious than your friends. She also offers wisdom on how to deal with being constantly busy, because she's constantly busy right now. Add a comfy pair of Merrells to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nils Arend, the founder of The Speed Project, shares the story of designing his life, step by step, from the beginning. He traces the foundation of his principles from his adolescence in Germany to decades later founding and then exiting his successful advertising agency. He talks about the importance of setting ambitious goals but then detaching yourself from the outcome, how he avoids settling, why he loves America, and his running origin story, which leads to the foundation of The Speed Project—a 300 mile journey through the desert from Los Angeles to Las Vegas that Nils first completed in 2013 with Blue Benadum. There’s so much wisdom in this conversation about dreaming big and designing your own life. Here’s Alexi’s conversation with Nils Arend. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase…

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about how to deal with being busy, how to be easier on yourself, and how to stay true to yourself in your creative expression. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam Skolnick, the lifelong writer behind the David Goggins memoir Can’t Hurt Me, countless publications in the New York Times, and the recent novel American Tiger, joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to discuss how to recognize a calling, how to mold a career around the lifestyle you want, and overcoming doubt. Adam shares about his mentors Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love who he met by circumstance on a trip to Bali, and David Goggins. Adam also shares about the journey leading to the publication of his new new book American Tiger, which demonstrates that there is wildness running through us and that the world is more mysterious than we can consciously know. Adam also shares a story about a time a fortune teller correctly predicted a great success in his life. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation…

Lisa Thompson, Alexi's marathon teammate who is blind, joins us on Mentor Buffet for a beautiful conversation about growing up with a visual impairment. And she shares wisdom every step of the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi is joined by her friend Lisa Thompson to answer listeners' advice questions about letting go of a situation you've outgrown, feeling like you live two distinct lives, and granting yourself permission when you're wired to always ask for it. Add a comfy pair of Merrells to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alessia de Gasperis, the artist formerly known as Kai who you may know from the hit songs “Never Be Like You” with Flume and “Revolution” with Diplo, joins host Alexi Pappas to share the story of the past ten years, making music and not making music, inside and outside of the institutions of the music industry. Alessia and Alexi talk about healing childhood wounds, training your nervous system, and what it means to practice gratitude. They also talk about what is the journey to freedom really, what it means to feel your feelings, and why Alessia loves pickleball. Alessia’s upcoming EP, titled “Won’t Always Be There,” expresses the themes of this conversation—the importance of gratitude, and how life is a constant state of renewal. Listen to Alessia’s music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/27d6mRgPBvGasBzQ9KFMGO?si=gQh9DkNBTLmx5tOnimvckg Follow Alessia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alessiadegasperis/?hl=en If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit…

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about how to know whether you should take somebody's advice, how to know when to quit, and what to do if you feel like you like your boyfriend way more than he likes you. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Documentary filmmaker Erin Lee Carr, the director of Mommy Dead and Dearest about Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Britney vs. Spears on Netflix, as well as 13 other documentary films, joins host Alexi Pappas to share about a number of film world icons who have been mentors to her: Janet Pierson, Andrew Rossi, and Sheila Nevins. Erin, who was born two months prematurely to parents who struggled with drug addiction, also shares about her important relationship with her late father David Carr, the longtime New York Times writer and author of The Night of The Gun, a book Erin revisits every year. Many guests on Mentor Buffet corroborate that belief is the strongest form of mentorship, and more than anything else, David believed in his daughter. Erin also shares practical advice about how to send a successful cold email, what it means to come correct to a meeting or a pitch, and some basics about financial literacy. You can watch Erin’s latest project, Murdaugh: Death in the Family, starring Patricia Arquette, on Hulu.…

Nayeema Raza is the host of the podcast “Smart Girl, Dumb Questions” and she joins Mentor Buffet host Alexi Pappas to share about the influence her upbringing has had on her values. Her father worked for the World Bank and their family moved around constantly. Nayeema learned how to communicate, even across language barriers. She shares how her upbringing has given her her openness, her flexibility, her curiosity, how she values experiences over achievement, how she rejects routine, and how boundaries don’t come naturally. Nayeema shares what it means to live with urgency, why it’s unproductive to take things personally, and why she’s allergic to certainty. She also shares what she’s learned getting fired, what she’s learned through breakups, and what she’s learned from guests on her show. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet to claim $10 off…

Alexi answers listeners’ advice questions about how to deal with feeling like everybody around you is less ambitious than you, how to navigate a flirtatious friendship, and the best way to proceed into romantic situations with a complicated sexual health condition. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Greene is a longtime journalist who for many years was the host of NPR’s Morning Edition. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, he joins host Alexi Pappas for a conversation about their moms, who both struggled with depression and passed away when they were young. How do you know what to do when you’re a kid? How does my relationship to my mother affect my current relationships? What is the nature of love? David, whose journalism has taken him to active warzones and has allowed him to spend time with world leaders, shares advice he got early in his career that he still holds onto. Alexi and David also talk about not fitting in. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet to claim $10 off their first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Creative icon Marta Pozzan joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about femininity, what it means to be your true self, and why creation is her orientation toward the world. Marta and Alexi discuss their childhoods, and what it feels like for them to be alone. Marta shares a story about an influential early mentor of hers working at a magazine in Italy. Marta also shares her style icons and about the roles she gravitates toward as an actress. She explains why she sees the truth as a responsibility, why she’s not afraid of the work, and why she doesn’t stress about knowing exactly what comes next. Marta’s new movie Perfumania (Fior Di Latte), which she produced and starred in, is now screening all over the world: https://www.instagram.com/perfumaniamovie/ Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet to claim $10 off their first order. Visit…

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about being busy, comparing yourself to others, and trying new things. She also offers tips on how to avoid your emails going to the junk folder, how to quit shoplifting, and how to tell your friend bring her dog everywhere is not the vibe. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kristen Faulkner, the two-time Olympic champion cyclist, joins host and fellow Olympian Alexi Pappas to discuss the decision of leaving her thriving career in venture capital in favor of her Olympic dream. Kristen is somebody who can change: She grew up in Alaska and then moved to New York City, she rowed for Harvard and then took up cycling, she left her prestigious job in favor of something with no security. More than winning, she values the satisfaction of evolving as a person in order to achieve her goals. This episode of Mentor Buffet is especially suited for you if you’re hesitant to embark on a new journey—whether that’s career, fitness, or anything else, because Kristen cherishes the beginning. Kristen also recounts her Olympic experience. She originally wasn’t slated to race. And then she won gold. This episode is full of advice and inspiration. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you…

Dan LaMorte, comedian and ultramarathoner, joins host Alexi Pappas to discuss mentorship (and the lack of mentorship) in the comedy world. He encourages us to sit in the presence of suffering without trying to numb it. All experiences are good, even painful ones. He shares what it’s been like going through his divorce, talks about his love for running, and shares how important his family’s been in his life. Alexi and Dan talk about respecting their audiences and what artistic integrity means to them. They recount running the half marathon at the LA marathon together. Dan names Ram Dass and Mitch Hedberg as mentor figures. He even cracks a joke or two. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Visit GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50 If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use…

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about confidence, cohabitating with the in-laws, and how to break a bad habit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jacqueline Novak is a comedian and writer and actor. Her show “Get On Your Knees” was a smash hit and in 2024 it became a Netflix comedy special. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, Jacqueline and Alexi discuss mentorship in the abstract. They offer hypotheses about what their purposes might be. They discuss their systems of motivation. Jacqueline shares how she got into comedy and what makes a project worthwhile to her. Jacqueline asks Alexi about long distance running. Jacqueline expresses her gratitude for having creative agony. It’s a beautiful conversation, unlike any other episodes of Mentor Buffet. Jacqueline is on tour now through May performing comedy. You can find a show coming to your city on jokesnovak.com. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram, www.instagram.com/mentorbuffet For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. If recovery is something you know you should be taking…

Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to discuss her transition into the ultramarathon. She shares about the process of getting in touch with what she actually wants, and how she’s come to break her old pattern of doing what she thinks other people expect of her—both in her running career and in her relationships. She talks about why she’s attracted to the infinite unknown of the trails, and explains how she came to realize that no single moment of success would ever fix her problems. The girls also discuss what it means to be a good friend and talk about how they’ve been there for each other the past few years. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Your body (and…

Pat Regan is a TV writer for the hit shows Hacks and Overcompensating. He co-hosts the podcast Seek Treatment with Cat Cohen. He's writing a book right now. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, he joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about the very beginning: dreaming of writing for TV, not talking for his entire freshman year of high school, making the boys on the track team laugh for the first time—and then later, how he got into comedy, what it was like moving to LA in his mid-30s, and what it's been like working as a writer in Hollywood. The conversation is about what it means to find your voice and chase your dreams even when you don't know if you're necessarily moving toward them. Pat's a lit crazy genius and he'll make you laugh. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Your body (and goals!) will thank you! Terms and conditions apply. For a limited time, we’re partnering with…

Alexi answers listeners' questions about how to combat disillusionment, how to deal with crumbling New Year's Resolutions, and how to choose whose advice to trust. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Social media star Victoria Paris joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to discuss her internet origin story and how her relationship to social media has changed over time. Victoria shares about how positive her relationship with her girlfriend Nico has been the past few years and how she’s grown as a person because of it. Victoria also talks about why Bethany Frankel is an icon to her. She shares killer advice she got from her friend Noah Miller. And she explains why that white man is not your mentor. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Visit www.gobrewing.com/alexi for 15% off your next order. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rainn Wilson joins host Alexi Pappas for the second time on Mentor Buffet, this time to discuss spiritual tools for modern living. Rainn shares his path to spirituality in his 20s living in New York in the 90s. Rainn says the question, “What are we really paying attention to?” is really to ask “What are we really worshipping?” They discuss screentime, the billboards in Calabasas, and why young people are in a hope deficit. Rainn also introduces The Soulboom Workbook, his new book that’s out now, that offers a program for getting in touch with your spirituality. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram at https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS shoes, joins host Alexi Pappas to share advice he’s learned on the path of creating purpose-driven business and along his healing journey. Blake shares advice he’s learned from his dad, from Sarah Blakely the founder of Spanx, from his therapist Dr. Dan, and others. Blake shares what it means to be ENOUGH and shares his new bracelet with Alexi. Blake and Alexi both share stories from the lows of their Depressions and talk about how they climbed out. Blake also urges listeners to try talking to themselves in the future. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners’ questions about how to parent a crazy kid, how to get what you want, and how to move on after chasing a dream and coming up short. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cam Hanes is a world-class bowhunter. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, he joins host Alexi Pappas to express his gratitude for his grandmother who created a safe-haven for him in his younger years, and his late friend Roy who is his number-1 hunting partner, the man who really believed in Cam, and the guy he could tell anything to. Cam shares why it’s important to him to have a close relationship to pain, why he likes to live on the edge, and what it really means to be reliable to others. Cam and Alexi also recount the Oregon hunting trip they went on together last month. This is a beautiful unfiltered conversation between two friends you’ll be glad you listened to. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Visit www.gobrewing.com/alexi for 15% off your next order. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram at https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet Cam’s new book “Undeniable: How To Reach…

Cooper Raiff, the writer, director, and lead actor of Shit House, Cha Cha Real Smooth, and now Hal and Harper, which is now streaming on Mubi, joins host Alexi Pappas to discuss what it means to make true art, how he develops relationships with his characters, and what a good mentor looks like. He shares about his relationship with his mentor Jay Duplass, who he met because he emailed him a short film he made during his spring break freshman year of college. Cooper also talks about what it means to get rid of fear. He shares about his ideal creative process. And he says he trusts in the universe. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram at http://instagram.com/mentorbuffet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The amazing Gabby Reece joins Alexi on Mentor Buffet and shares so much wisdom it'll knock your socks off. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram at https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about dealing with anxiety and getting out of a toxic relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan Holiday, the writer who has popularized stoicism among millions of readers today, joins host Alexi Pappas for the second consecutive episode of Mentor Buffet to share about the very beginning—from sandbagging on the high school cross country team, to being promised a job that didn’t exist at a talent agency, to dropping out of college not certain about where his path was leading him. One thing’s been true: Ryan has kept it moving forward. Ryan recounts the earliest days of his writing career, discusses discipline, and talks about why he rarely writes about himself in his books. Ryan also shares about his relationship with Rich Roll and talks about what he’s learned from being a parent. Ryan’s new book Wisdom Takes Work is out now. Ryan talks about the book on the other episode of Mentor Buffet, titled RYAN HOLIDAY: Wisdom Takes Work. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on…

Ryan Holiday, the writer who has popularized the ideas of stoicism among millions of people, joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about his mentors from history. From the Roman Empire, Ryan calls on Marcus Aurelius, Hadrian, and Antoninus, but he also calls on legendary basketball coach Gregg Popovich, the writer Joan Didion, Florence Nightingale the mother of modern nursing, and Michel de Montaigne, the french philosopher. Ryan believes our greatest mentors can be found in books. He also shares about why he was first attracted to stoicism, what it means to him now, and how it could help us all. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. You can find Alexi's favorite Merrell shoes and gear at merrell.com/alexi. Mentor Buffet has teamed up with Square. Go to square.com/go/mentorbuffet to learn more about how your business can grow with Square. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…

Alexi is back with another episode of Help Me Please, where she answers listeners' advice questions—about receiving criticism, finding or creating your dream job, and when to break off a marriage. Alexi also shares an update on her running. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zack Bornstein, the writer and director and comedian, joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about the beginning of his creative career in Hollywood and the lessons he’s since learned along the way. Zack emphasizes that creative output holds all the answers. Make more work and your voice will reveal itself. Zack also shares about mentors of his, including the writers and directors Jonathan Groff and Bill Lawrence. Check out http://merrell.com/alexi for Alexi’s collection of Merrell products. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nicole McLaughlin, the prolific upcycler and fashion designer, joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to discuss her creative process, the importance of spending time alone, and how she worked up the courage to make a big leap and change her whole life—from working a mostly predictable corporate job at Reebok, to launching her own business and career, completely on her own terms. This conversation is about creating something that didn’t exist before. If you love Mentor Buffet, we’d love to hear from you. Please fill out the audience survery: http://voicingchange.media/mentorbuffet Shop Alexi’s Merrell collection: http://merrell.com/alexi Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/mentorbuffet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listener advice questions about helping people who don’t want to be helped, how to make a big change, and how to fix the problems that football can cause within a marriage. Alexi also shares an update on her running. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi sits down with a real life mentor: filmmaker and cross country kid Jay Duplass. Jay shares about what he does to protect his creativity, dispels myths about making money as a filmmaker, and shares what he admires about indie filmmaking icon Richard Linklater. Jay also tells the story of how he unexpectedly began his acting career and shares an on-set ritual that puts entire film crews at ease. And finally, Jay is a mentor to many young filmmakers—like Cooper Raiff, the director of Shit House and Cha Cha Real Smooth—and he shares what that’s looked like. Among other things—Alexi and Jay vibe like crazy. Tune in for a great hour long conversation between two friends. If you love Mentor Buffet, we'd love to hear from you. Please fill out our Audience Survey: ⁠⁠http://voicingchange.media/mentorbuffet⁠⁠ If you love the show, follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/mentorbuffet Check out Alexi's Merrell collection: http://www.merrell.com/alexi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…

The photographer Sinna Nasseri joins host Alexi Pappas after shooting their Outside Magazine cover together. They reflect on the shoot and talk about believing in potential, following a feeling with curiosity, and believing The Universe is good. Sinna also shares about how he changed his life—abandoning his career as a lawyer to pursue photography. They discuss the differences between observing and concluding, what's real and what's not, and how to change your default settings. Check out Alexi's Merrell collection: www.merrell.com/alexi If you love Mentor Buffet, we'd love to hear from you. Please fill out our Audience Survey: http://voicingchange.com/mentorbuffet Check out what we're doing with Square at: www.Square.com/go/mentorbuffet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi takes a break from her routine at training camp in Mammoth to give some advice to Bella Chao. Alexi and Bella are 10 years apart in age and both ran for Dartmouth College. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Victoria Garrick Browne is a USC volleyball player turned mental health advocate turned social media icon who has been recognized by Forbes 30 under 30 for her work. She has chosen to broadcast her mental health online. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, Victoria sits down with Alexi to share her story and about a mentor who really helped her when she was struggling. The girls discuss what it means to be real, how to decide what to share and what not to share, and if everything is a simulation and what that means. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keira D'Amato took 10 years off running and then broke the American Records in both the half marathon and marathon. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, she talks about what led to her decision to go for it again, talks how she changed her relationship to running this time around, and what it feels like to make a big change. Keira talks about how she learned to prioritize herself and shares stories about her coaches Scott Roscoe and Matthew Centrowitz Sr. She reads a text from Joan Benoit Samuelson the night before the Olympic Trials Marathon. And she talks about her new book, Don’t Call It A Comeback, which is out in the world and ready for you to read. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The filmmaker Bao Nguyen joins Alexi to talk about various mentors throughout his life, all of who have influenced how he sees his art—from an important middle school teacher to a Sundance-winning director. Shoutouts to Miss Tripp, Miss Grossman, Jeff Chang, Tony Bui, and Tran Anh Hung. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices