Boiling briskets for five hours, escorting obnoxious customers to the door, and preserving the ritual of saying "hello" with Steven Peljovich, who runs Michael's Deli in Boston. What makes a deli different from a sandwich shop? And, until recently, why did he resist taking orders online? Read The Boston Globe story that Steven mentioned about longtime customer Rita Manor. IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE: Check out what it's like to be a stadium beer vendor , a barman , or an ice cream truck driver . GO...
Jul 01, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Choreographing massages to Mozart, enforcing cancellation policies with beloved clients, and shutting down callers seeking "undraped sessions" with Allissa Haines , a massage therapist. What made her cry in her car after one particular house call? And what is "effleurage”? In this episode, Dan recommended The Work of Art by Adam Moss, a book about how artists make their work. Check it out here. IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE: Check out what it's like to be a couples therapist , a hair stylist , or a p...
Jun 17, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 47
Scaling three-story rope ladders up the sides of ships, memorizing every rock and current in a harbor, and narrowly avoiding catastrophic collisions with Captain Grant Livingstone, a retired harbor pilot. What do you do when your engine and anchors fail in heavy fog? And how do you dock a ship the size of the Empire State Building? Grant and his twin brother Captain George Livingstone co-authored the recent book Shiphandling, The Beautiful Game . IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE: Check out what it's lik...
Jun 03, 2025•38 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Comforting patients as they prepare to transition, navigating end-of-life regrets and frayed relationships, and providing support and advice for fearful families with Heather Meyerend, a retired hospice nurse. How does she know when the end is imminent? And what has the work taught her about the different ways we deal with death? Heather is a contributing author to the book Resilient Faith: Dare To Believe . She was also profiled in The New Yorker in 2016: "A Tender Hand in the Presence of Death...
May 20, 2025•39 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Calming scared cats with pheromone sprays, advising families how to balance their pet's well-being with budget realities, and diagnosing mysterious animal maladies with Dr. Hindatu Mohammed, a veterinarian in Austin, TX . What breed of dog, when having its nails clipped, responds as though it's being murdered? And how did an injured ant shape her career choice? IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE: Check out what it's like to be a dog trainer , a nurse , or a brain surgeon . GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Ema...
May 06, 2025•37 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Tracing mysterious errors to their source, jousting with product managers, and rolling out new features (without breaking the old ones) with Taylor Hughes, a software engineer. How did one failed software fix ruin Christmas for kids around the country? And what is "spaghetti code"? Taylor is currently a co-founder and the CTO at Hypernatural.ai . IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE: Check out what it's like to be a forensic accountant , a creative director , or a brain surgeon . Learn more about StoryCorps...
Apr 22, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 43
Mediating pickleball noise disputes, shepherding communities through thorny decisions, and practicing radical pragmatism with Martha Bennett , city manager of Lake Oswego, Oregon. What is it that makes public hearings so noxious? And what's the difference between "Big P" and "Little P" politics? IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE: Check out what it's like to be a high school principal , a PR crisis manager , or a turnaround consultant . GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO...
Apr 08, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Pouring pints for thirsty tourists, defusing situations with drunk patrons, and finding flow in the Friday night rush with Brian Wynne, a barman in Dublin. What caused one customer to throw a dog at Brian? And what is "craic"? If you'd like to reach out to Brian, email Dan at dan@whatitslike.com IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE: Check out what it's like to be an ice cream truck driver , a stand-up comedian , or a London cabbie . GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON...
Mar 25, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 41
Zapping parts of the brain to know where to cut, operating a mouth-controlled microscope that's worth more than a house, and carrying the weight of life-or-death decisions with Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa , a brain surgeon at the Mayo Clinic. How do you preserve a mathematician's expertise when removing tumors? And how did he go from picking tomatoes to performing brain surgery? Dr. Q wrote about his remarkable journey to the operating room in the book, Becoming Dr. Q: My Journey from Migrant ...
Mar 11, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Commanding a floating city of 5,000 sailors, intercepting Houthi missiles in the Red Sea, and stripping rank from sailors who cross the line with Captain Chris "Chowdah" Hill, commanding officer of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier. How do you stop a fighter jet in 2-seconds? And what are “midrats”? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or ph...
Feb 25, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 39
Singing cleanup songs, tiring out kids before naptime, and battling the "babysitter" stereotype with Brenda Hawkins, a daycare owner in Maryland. How has childcare changed over the years? And what is a "dope and drop"? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know and what does it mean? 2. ...
Feb 11, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 38
Fine-tuning the perfect accent for a character, recording for hours in a sound-insulated booth, and tracking down obscure pronunciations with Sean Pratt, an audiobook narrator. What is "punch and roll"? And what kind of voice do you need to be a great narrator? EXTRA We spoke with Sean about his work narrating the David Foster Wallace literary behemoth Infinite Jest . That part of the interview didn’t fit into this episode, but you can listen to it here ! GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at...
Jan 28, 2025•38 min•Season 1Ep. 37
We've got something a little different and special for you this week! The day this is dropping, January 21st, is the launch day for my new book, called RESET: How to Change What’s Not Working. We’re running an excerpt (a whole chapter!) from the audiobook on this podcast. You can buy the full audiobook, hardcover, or Kindle version here ! We’ll be back next week with a new episode of the show, talking with a professional audiobook narrator! GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitsli...
Jan 21, 2025•27 min
Cracking decades-old murder cases, delivering unthinkable news to victims' families, and tracking suspects across borders with John Lamberti , a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. Why are cold cases harder to solve these days? And what's a "415"? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your professio...
Jan 14, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Forecasting demand for 40,000 different products, arranging for model kits to traverse the globe from Chinese factories to mom-and-pop hobby shops, and enduring random customs inspections with Alan Bass, a hobby kit and toy distributor. Why can't shops place orders directly with factories and cut out distributors? And what is it like to discover your childhood toys were actually samples given out for market research purposes? The hobby kit and toy distributor business he runs is Stevens Internat...
Dec 31, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 35
Hurtling down an ice track at nearly 100mph, perfecting the practice of visualization, and shaving off hundredths of a second with Kaillie Humphries, an Olympic bobsledder. What's the most feared track in the world? And how do athletes practice when there's no ice in the summer? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your ...
Dec 17, 2024•38 min•Season 1Ep. 34
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? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase tha...
Dec 03, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 33
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"? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to k...
Nov 19, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 32
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"? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to kno...
Nov 05, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 31
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? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know and...
Oct 22, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 30
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" . GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your pr...
Oct 08, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 29
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"? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession woul...
Sep 24, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 28
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"? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know and what does it mea...
Sep 10, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 27
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”? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know an...
Aug 27, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 26
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? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from y...
Aug 13, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 25
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 Joplin Courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.co...
Jul 30, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 24
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 . GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitsl...
Jul 16, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 23
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"? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likel...
Jul 02, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Scouting for signs of greatness, bolstering players after heartbreaking losses, and fighting the "yips" with Vesa Pönkkä , a veteran tennis coach. Why are tennis matches played in silence? And what's a "lucky loser”? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions: 1. What’s a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know and what does it mean? 2. Wh...
Jun 18, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 21
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? GOT A COMMENT OR SUGGESTION? Email us at jobs@whatitslike.com WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW? Leave us a voicemail at (919) 213-0456. We’ll ask you to answer two questions:...
Jun 04, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 20
