Round Table Chats

Today's guest at the Round Table is Rashid White. Rashid was an internationally renowned slam poet and champion. He currently bridges the worlds of technology and creative arts as a Tech Maven. We explore his life story and how he became who he is.

In today's episode at the Round Table, my guest is Ron Kertzner. Ron is the President of ChoicePoint Consulting and has spent the past 30 years in the field of leadership development, executive coaching, and facilitation.

In today's special episode of the Round Table Chats, I interview my mother, Dominique Paul Fratkin, and we explore her remarkable life journey from being City Architect and Engineer of Marseille, France to raising a family in Boulder, Colorado.

In today's special episode, we explore the life story of my father, Dr. Jake Paul Fratkin. Dr. Fratkin is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine with over thirty-five years in clinical practice, the 1999 Acupuncturist of the Year (AAAOM), and the 2006 Teacher of the Year (AAAOM). He specializes in internal disorders, infections and pediatrics. His practice combines traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Japanese meridian balance acupuncture and evidence-based Functional Medicine. We specialize in internal disorders, respiratory ailments, gastrointestinal disorders, pediatrics, fatigue and infections. You can learn more at drjakefratkin.com He is also a prolific photographer. You can access his remarkable photos for free at https://www.jakefratkinphotographs.com/

Today my guest is Zeke Sky. Zeke is a gifted musician who’s album, “Animals of Gods & War” was released this year on iTunes and Spotify, which has been listened to by people around the world! I was blown away by his song, “Of God and War”, and highly recommend giving his music a listen. https://zekeskyband.com/ Zeke is an orthogonal thinker with a deep background in philosophy which made for a truly insightful, refreshing, and original conversation on many important topics. This is quite a long episode, but this was necessary. If you carefully meditate on the ideas we explore, the way you see the world may expand in surprising directions. A quick disclaimer: If you’re in favor of de-platforming controversial speakers and believe free speech should have certain restrictions, you may have a negative emotional reaction to the first hour of our conversation. You have been warned. For my listeners who are interested in hearing a truly novel perspective and a new take on trump, totalitarianism, postmodernism, and the potential differences between men and women... this, is the conversation for you. Topics discussed include: gratitude for living in the 21st century, failing to adapt to technology, unpacking cyber bullying, analyzing the Patriarchy, Truth being interdisciplinary and hard to access, breaking down why Jordan Peterson is so popular, acknowledging the incredible progress we’ve made while being cognizant of the work that still needs to be done, why Hitler was appealing to his followers, dissecting Trump, my concern of liberals not learning from the 2016 election, the need to have difficult conversations, the damage from de-platforming, the “Voldemort effect”, why Trump operates the way he does, Hillary Clinton’s crucial error in the 2016 election, the degradation of decorum in public discourse, the rise of tribalism, getting to the root about the fundamental differences between men and women, why I love being in a class with 90% women, breaking down “mansplaining”, guys being able to “shut down their brain”, why so many men are attracted to sports, football being a way of life and a religion globally, who is Zeke Sky, selling a record that’s heard around the world, listening to his beautiful album, Zeke’s artistic process, his attraction to the woods, Nature giving you the opportunity to “meditate with your eyes open”, finding strength in solitude, how urban environments contribute to mental illness, being present with your friends, the story behind why I was recently told by an UvA student that I’m “capable of doing great evil”, deconstructing postmodernism, the death of the author, “art isn’t real”, investigating Sam Harris’ desire to quantify morality, how science and ethics are intertwined, the Effective Altruism utilitarian philosophy, the importance of cultivating diversity of thought, the influence of Peter Singer on altruism and vegetarians, living in the age of being able to learn anything, the relationship between money and happiness, there being no limit to human greed, jumping off the hedonic treadmill, the danger of investing too much of your self worth on a single identity, how to slow your brain down, being one with the universe, cultivating flow, and Zeke Sky’s piece of wisdom for you the listeners! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_sGn6PdmIo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RaRQ9jPk4E

In today's very special and insightful episode, I interview my Finnish kindred spirit, Juho Laaksonen. Juho and I met over Facebook after he wrote a review for this podcast and recommended I speak to a best selling science author from Finland. We instantly had chemistry and after talking about a plethora of fascinating topics I realized he would be a perfect guest for the Round Table. And he did not disappoint. Topics discussed include: Education Reform, Climate Change, Feminism, how to effortlessly guide more girls into STEM fields, cultivating your child’s curiosity, teaching science, the true sources of happiness, who needs the most help, teaching electricity to his daughters, Neil Degrasse Tyson’s video on teaching science to kids being a parenting guide, emphasizing openness, a shout-out to Juho’s wife’s sacrifice, life before and after having children, when he discovered his passion for science, learning from failure, his child’s desire for a laboratory, parenting vs genetics, exploring the differences between boys and girls, Einstein’s quote on genius, the boredom problem, philosophy being the love of knowledge, Hans Rosling, misunderstanding data, the inspiring progress of humankind, our mutual admiration of Sam Harris, how to change fear into action, Mike Buckler’s story, disappointing progress in Malawi from foreign aid, communicating with the extreme poor and asking what they need, what is Effective Altruism, why empowering women is the cure for poverty, the inspiring progress for women in Bangladesh, who is highly neglected from aid, the power of micro-loans for empowerment, the disappointing lack of nuance in the #MeToo movement, Juho being scared as a feminist, the ramifications of #MeToo in Finland, the three levels of need, the appeal of Round Table Chats, jumping on opportunities, being open to the world, online chess friendships, shrinking the world, the value of taking risks, and “always be yourself, unless you can be Batman... then be Batman."

Today my guest is Nate Andorsky. Nate is an entrepreneur blending behavioral economics, data, and technology to help change makers inspire and move people to action. He is the co-founder and CEO of Creative Science (https://creativescience.co/team/), a company that leverages behavioral economic theories to understand the emotional, social, and cognitive factors that drive us to action and use this to create compelling websites and digital strategies. Nate hired me as a Behavioral Econ Specialist after I graduated from GW and it was a dream job. For anyone listening that has entrepreneurial desires or needs advice going into the daunting job market, this is the episode for you! Some of the many topics discussed in this pragmatic-focused episode are: Nate's entrepreneurial origins, leveraging eBay and Craig's list, learning through doing, advice on finding internships, the value of side projects, the "nothing to lose" mentality, hard lessons from launching a dorm room cleaning company, qualities of an entrepreneur, being a chef vs. being a cook, Steve Job's words of wisdom, training a resilient mindset, the history of Creative Science, testing behavioral economic theories, the golden age of human connectivity, persuasion, the identifiable victim effect, the pseudo-set effect, the elephant in the brain, sapiens, behave, how to do stand-up, Dave Chappelle's wisdom, Nate's extraordinary inventing grandfather, nature vs. nurture, forming limitless connections, optimizing your time, Israel, and Nate's most memorable words of advice. If you enjoyed today's episode please subscribe to the iTunes podcast (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/r...) and share it with your local community! Also feel free to message me on facebook or Linkedin (Thomas Fratkin) to give me feedback! I would love to get to know better who is listening and benefiting from this platform.

In today's episode of the Round Table Chats podcast, I have the privilege of interviewing Matt Scott. Matt is the founder of 180 Degrees of Impact, which is a project that celebrates 180 people dramatically changing our world through their work. He is also a Manager in Storytelling and Engagement at SecondMuse. You can find out more about Matt Scott and 180 degrees of impact at https://www.lets.care/ Topics discussed include: gratitude for love, airplane conversations, feeling like a fish out of water, raising sexual assault awareness, when statistics fall short, digital storytelling, virtual reality, the power of choice, serendipity, the origin of 180 degrees of impact, showcasing positivity, alleviating grief through human connection, memorable interviews, looking past a person's credentials, making lemonade from lemons, and the day that changed Matt's life.

In today's episode of the Round Table Chats podcast, I interview my friend John Delgado. John has lived a truly unique life and is currently studying social innovation and entrepreneurship at Ubiquity University. Topics discussed include: developing healthy cycles, keeping an innovation journal, John's morning routine, applying martial arts to daily life, the challenge and symbiosis of Tai chi, conflict resolution, social entrepreneurship, sustainability, the ability of rewriting one's story, the difference a teacher can make, empowerment through poetry, what drew John to Ubiquity University, and calling Boulder Home.

In today's episode of the Round Table Chats podcast, I interview Dexter Sumner. Dexter is a social science researcher and a Hardware IT systems coordinator at World Resource Institute. He has several years' experience working with humanitarian international law and energy. Some of the many topics covered include: 5 rhythm dancing, mental inertia, the international criminal court, the surprising long-run ramifications from the Great War, the inception of human rights, the future of warfare, Star Trek, "Sleepwalkers", the passage of time, the healing power of yoga, taking a relaxed approach to learning, practicing piano, "Longitude", jellyfish, Dutch culture, and Dexter's most memorable words of advice he ever received. Below is a link to Dexter's short film on Armistice Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRBJn...

In today's episode of the Round Table Chats, I have the pleasure of interviewing Mike Buckler. Mike is an attorney advisor for the U.S International Trade Commission and is the CEO & General Counsel of Village X Org. Some of the many topics we discuss include: development, "Why Nations Fail", Peace Corps, village dynamics, the vital importance of communication, seeing villages as ecosystems, offering holistic solutions, the value of statistics, what do villages want?, Why do they want it?, What is the impact per dollar spent?, and Mike's advice for young people who want to do good in the world. You can learn more about the good Village X is doing at: https://www.villagex.org/ You can also see video coverage of the villages that have benefited from Village X at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGR2...

In today's episode at the Round Table, I interview Cara Cruickshank, and learn about the remarkable story of how Cafe de la Culture: the Venue for Visionaries came to be, the origins of The Courageous Vulnerability #MeToo Tour, and Cara's unique life that is filled with creativity and diversity. Cara Cruickshank is a Brazilian/American living in France. As a woman living in 3 cultures, she has a first-hand, intersectional view on cross-cultural themes relevant to modern women. She began her professional career in theatre at age 10 on Broadway in the musical Les Misérables, along with multiple performances at The United Nations General Assembly. She has independently produced, directed and choreographed over 60 independent productions in the U.S. and abroad (including Turkey, France and Brazil), often focused on women's' empowerment. Her performances have been consistently celebrity and media acclaimed. Cara founded Café de la Culture in 2011 to promote diversity, arts and community conversations. She recently showcased her international, original production The Alchemy of Imperfection, a poetic piece on intersectional feminism, in Paris, France with standing ovations, encores and media acclaim. Since then, she has paired this ensemble performance with a Conference Panel on the topic: “Courageous Vulnerability: How Can Men Support Women to Speak Up and Be Seen?” in honor of #MeToo and #TimesUP. Each event is locally cast and curated with artists, activists, academics and experts from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. It launched with sold-out performances in Los Angeles and Boulder, Colorado and has most recently been presented in Denver, San Francisco and Portland with rave audience reviews. Cara is now booking performances nationally in the U.S. for the coming seasons. Some of the many topics discussed include: Cara's identity, the power of dance, women empowerment, literary salons, the Alchemy of Imperfection, French culture, being a foreigner, dealing with sexual harassment, helping vs. hurting, cultivating artistic expression with children, and bringing people together with art, food, and music. You can find out more about Cafe de la Culture by clicking on this link: https://www.cafedelaculture.com/ or by visiting the Cafe de la Culture youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/storydanz

In today's remarkable episode, I had the honor of interviewing retired Army Colonel and CEO, Rob Campbell. Rob, after serving for our country for 27 years, has become a public speaker, author, and founder of Investing in People Consulting and Coaching LLC. Some of the many topics we discuss include: service, humility, how to write a book, whether or not leaders are born or made, what living in a free country entails, being self-aware, putting your ego in a box, helping others, body posture, having a job vs. a lifestyle, cultivating a work-life balance, what being a mentor actually means, the power of Simon Sinek's words, harnessing creativity in your daily life, and Rob's authentic transition from providing decades of service in the military to operating in modern American society. You can find out more about his leadership practice at his website: https://www.robcampbellleadership.com/ and can read more of his life story and gain valuable insight on how to be a more effective leader in his book, "It's Personal, Not Personnel: Leadership Lessons in the Battlefield and the Boardroom". (https://www.amazon.com/Its-Personal-N...)

In today's episode at the Round Table, I have the pleasure of interviewing a friend I have known for about 20 years of my existence: Chris Robinson. Chris and I grew up together in the same neighborhood in Boulder, Colorado and attended the same elementary, middle, and high school together. Chris recently graduated from CU Boulder and is doing exciting work in tech marketing for 'brick and mortar' small businesses. Some of the many topics we cover include: the deep Robinson family history, the entrepreneurial spirit, relationships, economics, the paradox of choice, the shortcomings of public education, Capitalism 2.0, staying in your lane, the cost of wanting more, the lure of California, the future of business, Uber, and Shinichi Suzuki.

In today's episode of Round Table Chats, I interview my friend and colleague, Brendan Eappen. Brendan graduated from Harvard studying psychology and global health, and is now doing many exciting projects to make the world a better place. Some of the many subjects we discuss in this short and sweet episode are: curiosity, teaching enthusiasm, gratitude journaling, how to talk to strangers, mental illness, the homeless, how to make a difference, the power of community, David Foster Wallace, Effective Altruism, fixed vs. growth mindset, and changing the world! Below are some links to some awesome things Brendan mentions in the episode for those interested in learning more: Effective Altruism: https://www.effectivealtruism.org/ https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_singe... David Foster Wallace Speech, "This is Water": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CrOL... Strong Mind: https://www.strongmind.com/ Carol Dweck's Fixed Vs. Growth Mindset: https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck... GiveWell: https://www.givewell.org/ Finally, you can find out more about the incredible things Brendan is doing at his Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanea...

This was by far the most insightful, mind-blowing, and fascinating conversation I have ever had, and I feel blessed to have recorded it. Preston Bryant is an extraordinary human who grew up in Zimbabwe, moved to South Africa to become a professional rugby player, had a life-changing moment when he tried meditation for the first time, and now is an eloquent poet/writer who studies eastern philosophy in the United States. Next, he will be moving to Thailand to teach english and continue his journey towards self-realization. Some of the many topics we cover in this special episode include: the art of being still, meditation, focus, image, attention, living below your means, gratitude, yoga, Bob Marley, Sam Harris, the brain, the rise of the feminine, lions, dancing, and unconditional love. If you enjoyed what you heard, please share it to your local community and friends.

Welcome to the very first episode of my podcast, Round Table Chats! This week's episode is a real treat. I interview my dear friend Trent who has had a remarkable journey from his humble roots in Illinois to his current thriving existence in Colorado. Some of the topics we discuss include: death, questioning the world, critical thinking, the beauty of evolution, science, speaking to people you disagree with, the importance of travel, discovering yourself, the history of spiders, and Trent's most memorable piece of advice he ever received. If you enjoyed listening to today's episode please share it with others you think will also enjoy it!