Curious what it would be like to walk in someone else’s (work) shoes? Join New York Times bestselling author Dan Heath as he explores the world of work, one profession at a time, and interviews people who love what they do. What does a couples therapist think when a friend asks for relationship advice? What happens if a welder fails to wear safety glasses? What can get a stadium beer vendor fired? If you’ve ever met someone whose work you were curious about, and you had 100 nosy questions but were too polite to ask … well, this is the show for you.
Host Dan Heath is the co-author of four New York Times bestselling books on making ideas stick, inspiring change, being more decisive, and crafting memorable experiences. A curious and natural storyteller, Dan takes us along in his candid conversations with people who provide a peek at their careers and what they've learned along the way. You can reach him at dan@whatitslike.com
Matt Purdy is the producer for What It's Like To Be... Before working in podcasting, he was a public radio producer at Marketplace, WGBH in Boston, and WYPR in Baltimore, where he was part of a team that won a 2014 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award. He also won a Third Coast Audio Festival ShortDoc Award for a piece about his own cross-continental bicycle trip. Before that, he taught English in Bulgaria with the Peace Corps. You can reach him at matt@whatitslike.com
Alan Bass is a hobby kit and toy distributor at Stevens International. You can find him online at megahobby.com.
Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa is a brain surgeon, and chair of the Department of Neurologic Surgery at the Mayo Clinic's campus in Jacksonville, Florida.
Allissa Haines is a massage therapist in Massachusetts.
Billy Kennedy has been an NBA referee for more than 25 years.
Brenda Hawkins runs a home daycare, God's Gift Christian Child Care, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
Grant Livingstone is a retired harbor pilot. He worked at the port of Long Beach in California for 34 years.
Captain Chris "Chowdah" Hill is interim commanding officer of the USS Harry S. Truman.
Chachi Hawkins is a cattle rancher in southwest Texas.
Chris Ekimoff is a forensic accountant.
Chris Grace is a standup comedian and actor. He appeared in the NBC sitcom Superstore.
Chris Thomas is president of Intrepid, a public relations firm in Utah. He's also the author of "Unexpected," a memoir about his time working with the Elizabeth Smart family.
Christina Whitlock is a piano teacher in Muncie, Indiana. Her studio currently offers individual and group instruction, in-person and online.
Cindy Marble was a Secret Service agent for nearly 27 years. She retired in 2016.
Dan Brunner is a retired FBI Special Agent.
David Johnson is a life insurance salesman at Johnson Financial Group.
Donna Andrews is a mystery novelist. She was born in Yorktown, Virginia, the setting of Murder with Peacocks and Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos, and now lives and works in Reston, Virginia. When not writing fiction, Andrews is a self-confessed nerd, rarely found away from her computer, unless she's messing in the garden.
Ed Vodrazka is an ocean lifeguard. He's written several books about ocean lifeguards, including Stories from Sea Level: The Heroic and Humorous Adventures of California's Ocean Lifeguards.
Eric Cline is professor at George Washington University and director of the GW Capitol Archaeological Institute.
Eric Sasson runs Camp Akeela in Vermont with his wife Debbie.
Erin Bailey owns and operates three ice cream trucks in her hometown of Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey.
Gene Lednicky is a long-haul truck driver.
Heather Meyerend is a retired hospice nurse.
Dr. Hindatu Mohammed is a veterinarian and owner of Allandale Veterinary Clinic in Austin, Texas.
Howard Hart was a beer vendor at baseball games, football games, and concerts for many decades.
Jamie Owens is a London cabbie. You can find him on YouTube at his channel "Jamie The Cabby".
Jeff Vogelsang is a turnaround consultant and managing partner at Promontory Point Partners.
Jessica Pate is a Lead Scientist and Project Manager at Marine Megafauna Foundation. She studies manta rays in Florida.
Jo Skillman is a creative director, based in Houston, Texas.
John Lamberti is a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. He also works as a story advisor for crime dramas and thrillers.
Julie Anne Birch is an interior designer based in New York City.
Kaillie Humphries is an Olympic bobsledder who has won three gold medals.
Kathy Lednicky is a long-haul truck driver.
Keely Korbel is a dog trainer and owner of Ruff Rules in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Lacey Swope is a TV meteorologist for News 9 in Oklahoma City.
Larry Jefferson is a professional Santa Claus. He was the first black Santa hired at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN, in 2016.
Laura Heck has been a marriage and couples therapist for more than 14 years.
Marcus Belin is the principal of Huntley High School in Huntley, Illinois.
Martha Bennett is City Manager of Lake Oswego, Oregon.
Matt "Lucky" Reed is a specialty combo welder.
Mike Panella is a criminal defense attorney in Orlando, Florida.
Ona Diaz-Santin is a hair stylist and owner of 5 Salon & Spa in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Pauline Edwards is a camera operator.
Sean Pratt is an audiobook narrator. He also coaches aspiring audiobook narrators.
Sheldon Corsi owns Corsi Tree Farm near Cincinnati, Ohio.
Taylor Hughes is co-founder and CTO at the startup Hypernatural AI.
Vesa Pönkkä is a tennis coach and President of the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland.