My friends & family are podcast famous; or should be! 4 podcasts I strongly recommend listening to, featuring folks I admire: Someone Else’s Blues, Knowledge Sponge, The Click-Down, and Rough Draught!
1. Someone Else’s Blues
(Apple Podcast Link)
Will Steffen’s Someone Else’s Blues is a 7-episode journey that brought me from belly laughs to tears. Will incorporates music from his twin brother, Sam Steffen, to tell Sam’s story of a cross-country bike adventure that ends in tragedy. While Sam shares his trauma through the form of music and detailed journal entries, Will shares his experiences through the art of gripping, delightful, storytelling! As Will says, Sam is “the best singer-songwriter you’ve never heard”. I happen to agree!
Sam’s earworm melodies and intelligent lyrics have a depth unparallel to music found on your Spotify playlists. The folk music sets the stage for Sam’s wedding and Will’s own cross-country cycling trip with the underlining messages of twinship, musicianship, and friendship. Between the expert-level podcast production and thoughtful interviews with friends, Someone Else’s Blues is a powerhouse of heartwarming storytelling! (My older brother Bob is one of the friends interviewed!) Definitely check this out, share, and write a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts!
2. Knowledge Sponge
(Patreon podcast link)
The comedic minds of Smadam Productions are still at it! College buddies Julia Mercer and Alec Valadez have a new podcast called Knowledge Sponge, a rant podcast with a clever “research-free guarantee”. The name of the podcast refers to Alec, who is a sponge of knowledge, full of informative tid-bits. Are these tid-bits true and factual? Maybe! Maybe not! Hence, the “research-free guarantee”. Haha! (Relax, it’s a comedy podcast after all!)
Each podcast loosely follows a topic in which Alec and Julia have many unhinged, hilarious, perspectives on. Previous episodes have explored: Film Criticism, Billionaires, Millennials vs Gen Z, Artist Life, Celebrities, and Men. I’ve learned new words, new reasons to laugh, and new reasons to be upset. To access this podcast, and other funny Smadam Productions content, a small $3 per month subscription is required at their Patreon! If you’re a cheap-o and want to listen to their old, free, podcasts, check out their previous Can We Start A Podcast parady series (Apple Podcast Link).
3. The Click-Down
(Apple Podcast Link)
The Click-Down is a podcast from Citrix Systems Inc that focuses on IT solutions using Citrix technologies. If you’ve been working remotely, you’ve likely interacted with a Virtual Desktop Interface (VDI) and/or a Single-Sign-On (SSO). (These acronyms are admittedly the extent of my knowledge! Ha!) So why do I recommend this podcast? Because the tech is relevant to today’s work environment AND because my cousin Brian Olsen is the featured IT expert in their debut episode!
Check out the Click-Down’s first episode where Brian walks through a merger and acquisition scenario employing tools from Citrix. If this topic doesn’t interest you, skip ahead to 18:30 of the speed-round questions and listen to my cousin’s answer to “What’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done on the job”. Hilarious! Enjoy!
4. Rough Draught
(Apple Podcast Link)
It wouldn’t be fair to share a list of recommended podcasts and not include my pal Carissa Schreiber’s Rough Draught book club podcast. Or, as Carissa eloquently introduces it, “your favorite, boozy, book club podcast”! Carissa and Kirsty highlight the plot, character choices, and personal responses to a book of choice, with the accompaniment of an adult beverage of choice. The cadence of releases is nearly weekly, and they’ve recently amassed a collection of +120 recordings! Admittedly, they’ve read more books than I’ve read in my entire life!
When I see a book title I’ve read or heard about, I quickly queue it up and listen to their colorful recaps. Go look through their expansive catalog and add a few books to your queue! Subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share!
Additional Links:
1. Someone Else’s Blues:
Will’s podcast featured on Sam Steffen’s blog: https://www.samsteffen.com/new-page-1
Sam Steffen’s music: https://samsteffen.bandcamp.com/
2. Knowledge Sponge:
Smadam Productions Website and Social Media accounts: https://www.smadamproductions.com/
DJ sets from Alec Valadez: https://www.twitch.tv/justalecvaladez
3. The Click-Down:
Citrix Podcast Website: https://www.citrix.com/lp/the-click-down/
4. Rough Draught:
Rough Draught Website: https://www.roughdraughtpod.com/
Steven Gruber's 