Luke Mickelson is the founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a nonprofit dedicated to building and delivering beds to children who don’t have one. What started as a family project in an Idaho garage has grown into a global organization with nearly 400 chapters and more than 300,000 beds delivered to date.
In this episode, we discuss:
The moment Luke discovered that kids in his own town were sleeping on the floor—and why that was so shocking.
The Christmas project that helped Luke see poverty through the eyes of a six-year-old.
How TV personality Mike Rowe got involved—and helped spark a national movement.
What actually happens at a bed build—and why volunteers keep coming back.
The 150,000+ kids currently on their waiting list and the plan to reach them.
Chapters & Timed Links:
[04:12] The "Garage" Start: Why great American stories often begin in small, unheated spaces.
[08:45] The Discovery: Realizing "bedlessness" was a crisis in a town of only 4,000 people.
[12:30] The First Design: How Luke measured his daughter’s bed to build furniture for the first time.
[17:15] Haley’s Story: Seeing the impact of a bed through the eyes of a six-year-old.
[23:40] Avoiding "Mission Creep": Why saying "no" to teddy bears helped SHP scale to 400 chapters.
[31:20] The Mike Rowe Effect: How the Returning the Favor program launched 125 chapters in one year.
[40:05] More Than a Bed: The physical and emotional weight of a good night's sleep.
Bill Gurley is a venture capitalist known for early investments in Uber, Grubhub, Zillow and many others. Gurley joins us to discuss “Running Down a Dream,” his new book — which is full of career advice that is as surprising as it is useful.
In this episode, we discuss:
The Power of Mentorship: Why Bill feels a moral urge to share what he's learned with the world.
The "Safe" Path Trap: Why the jobs your parents think are safe might actually be the most dangerous in the age of AI.
The Peer Group Secret: Why sharing your best ideas with others actually makes you more successful than hoarding them.
Finding Your Obsession: Why Bill looks for "fascination" rather than just "passion."
She’s the mom of a child with a rare condition, and she wouldn’t take “no” for an answer from doctors. He walked 500 miles for his granddaughter, who has the same condition. Together, they’re helping a foundation develop a gene therapy treatment faster and cheaper than the big pharma giants.
Today, we speak with Nicole Johnson, founder of the FOXG1 Research Foundation, and Tom Horton, former CEO of American Airlines. Together, they are proving that a lean, parent-led organization can achieve breakthroughs usually reserved for billion-dollar pharmaceutical giants.
In this episode, we discuss:
The Startup Model for Science: How Nicole and Tom applied "lean startup" principles to fund a lab and launch a clinical trial.
500 Miles for a Cure: Tom Horton shares the lessons learned from his 500-mile walk carrying the names and prayers of children who cannot walk themselves.
Defying the Odds: An update on Josie, the beautiful 14-year-old who inspired the movement.
A Blueprint for Others: Why this breakthrough provides hope for thousands of other rare diseases left on the shelf.
Chapters & Timed Links:
[04:22] The Diagnosis: Nicole recounts the moment she was told "there's nothing you can do" and why she refused to believe it.
[10:15] Building the Lab: How the FOXG1 Research Foundation created a new model for gene therapy at a fraction of the usual cost.
[18:40] The 500-Mile Journey: Tom Horton discusses his walk and the "Gianna effect" that drives his fundraising.
[25:55] The Science of Hope: Why FOXG1 research holds the key to treating conditions like Autism and Alzheimer's.
[33:10] Staring Down the Impossible: Nicole’s advice for anyone told that their goal is unreachable.
My Sincere Thanks
Because of listeners like you, our show now ranks among the top 5% of most-downloaded podcasts by volume per month. Your support has helped take our little idea to celebrate generosity and good deeds, and turn it into one of the most listened-to podcasts available. Thank you for being part of a community that celebrates people who do good things for others.
Walter Martin spent decades making and playing music, most famously with the indie rock bands Jonathan Fire*Eater and The Walkmen. Recently, he’s started a new crazy good turn, helping people like you and me rediscover the joy of music through his Walter Martin Radio Hour show and Substack.
In this episode, we discuss:
How a single instrument (like the organ) can change how you hear a song.
Why Walter chooses positivity over rock criticism.
Moving past the "judgmental" years to love bands you once dismissed.
The "Crazy Good Turn" of human-to-human music discovery.
Chapters & Timed Links:
[05:07] The Austin Kleon Connection: How two creators found each other through "the magic of the internet."
[07:29] From NYC to Upstate: The origin of The Walter Martin Radio Hour.
[10:16] The Classical Club: Why Walter is diving deep into Strauss and Stravinsky.
[12:07] The Organ Episode: Learning to hear the difference between a Hammond and a Farfisa.
[21:43] Breaking the "Teenage Rules": How Walter learned to love the Grateful Dead and Neil Young.
[23:52] Walter’s Favorite new musician right now.
[28:57] Walter’s Songs: Discussing "The Rat" and the autobiographical beauty of "The Soldier."
[31:33] Who’s done a Crazy Good Turn for Walter?
Frank Blake sits down with Goodwill Industries CEO Steve Preston and truck driver Michael West to discuss the organization’s "second chance" mission. From running adult high schools in prisons to providing career paths for those overcoming addiction and incarceration, this is the story of how a 125-year-old mission is still changing lives today.
In this episode, we discuss:
The surprising scale of Goodwill: 650 job centers and 50 adult high schools.
Michael West’s personal journey from addiction and incarceration to homeownership.
Why Steve Preston left the C-suite and the Cabinet to lead a "difficult-to-hire" mission.
The "Edgar Helms" philosophy: Turning charity into a chance.
How employers can unlock a massive, untapped labor pool.
Chapters:
[01:38] The Personal Mission: Steve Preston on transitioning from HUD Secretary to Goodwill CEO.
[06:02] A Missionary in Boston: The 125-year history of Edgar Helms and the birth of Goodwill.
[12:22] From Processor to Driver: Michael West shares his path from community service to a career in trucking.
[16:55] A Goodwill Wedding: The community and family culture within the organization.
[21:33] The Untapped Labor Pool: Why employers should look "beyond the label" of past incarceration.
[26:52] The Future of Work: How AI and tech-skills training are reaching low-wage workers.
[31:33] The "Internet Trash" Problem: Steve addresses the common false narratives about the organization.
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