2 Trick Pony

Ep17: Historical 2-Trick Pony: Ben Franklin with Dr. Rick Bell

This week, we host a special episode to commemorate America's 250th. In this episode, we speak with Professor Richard Bell, a historian of the American Revolutionary period at the University of Maryland. We look at the life and times of a historical two-trick pony: America's founding father and polymath Benjamin Franklin. Our conversation takes us through Franklin's life, all the while reflecting on what his life and contradictions can teach us today.

Ep16: How Writing Cultivated Community with Amy Betters-Midtvedt

This week, we speak with educator, writer, and public speaker Amy Betters-Midtvedt. The author of the popular parenting book, You'll Make It (and They Will Too): Everything No One Talks About When You're Parenting Teens, Amy shares valuable insights into how our personal experiences can lead us to wisdom that other people may want (or sometimes, need) to hear. 

Ep15: How Entrepreneurship Created Alignment with Dr. Brielle Harbin

In this episode, Dr. Brielle Harbin shares her journey from tenured professor to entrepreneur and education consultant—and how building a “second trick” outside traditional academia reshaped her confidence, creativity, and relationship to work. Brielle reflects on the moment she realized her strengths extended beyond formal academic roles, the practical steps she took to explore community-building and leadership work, and how redefining success helped her design a more sustainable professional life.

Ep14: How Cooking Opened Doors with Ilaria Ricci

This week features a special reunion with chef Ilaria Ricci, owner of Fancy Food Florence. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and with over twenty years of experience as a professional chef, sommelier, and culinary instructor, Ilaria speaks with us from her home in Florence, Italy about how life’s unexpected turns led her to pivot from corporate law to her culinary career.

Ep13: How Wildlife Photography Builds Curiosity with Drew Martin

This week, we speak with Drew Martin, a nature educator and guide in the Florida Keys with experience in marine biology and exhibit design. An avid wildlife photographer, Drew tells us how he’s incorporated his hobby into his day-to-day life and work.

Ep12: How Flower Farming Brought Growth with Dr. Alanna Messner-Scholl

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and who better to bring onto the show than our own wedding florist Alanna Messner-Scholl? In this fun reunion, we talk with Alanna about her career pivot from PhD-trained clinical psychologist to running her own florist business, Waverly Flower Co, with a focus on sustainable business practices in the wedding industry. Alanna shares her story about finding confidence as a flower farmer, and how becoming a mom gave her the motivation to explore new directions.

Ep11: How Weightlifting Builds Courage with Dr. Kristin Harlow

In this conversation, we speak with Dr. Kristin Harlow, a former academic and policy evaluator-turned-weightlifting trainer. We learn from Kristin about her lifelong love for athletics and how she’s building a community for women in strength-training, as well as how she mustered up the courage to leap out of academic research and start her own garage gym.

Ep10: How Letting Go Leads to Authenticity with April Lee

In this episode, we have a wide-ranging conversation about a personal search for meaning. A former government employee, April Lee speaks with us about how she left her job to explore creative crafts, reconnect with herself, and gain the confidence to build her own data visualization consultancy.

Ep9: How Building Instruments Pushes Boundaries with John C.L. Jansen

New Year’s is a great time to consider a new hobby! We start the year off with professional musician, composer, and instrument maker John C.L. Jansen. We hear about the craft of building unusual instruments like daxophones and custom guitars, and how Jansen incorporates his built instruments into his music compositions. Jansen is also a classical guitarist and university music educator based in Washington, D.C. 

Ep8: How the Culinary Arts Build Resilience with Masid Cader

This week’s interview is for those who prefer to go big or go home. We talk with hobbyist chef Masid Cader about his experience fast-tracking his interest in gourmet cooking, including training with a Michelin-starred restaurant during the weekends, all while working full-time in investment banking.