Podcast Summary: Help Wanted

Episode: How To Be Kind Even When You’re Stressed

Date: April 9, 2026
Hosts: Jason Feifer (Entrepreneur magazine Editor in Chief), Nicole Lapin (Money Expert)
Theme: Practical advice on maintaining kindness and graciousness in the workplace—even during times of high stress.

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the power of kindness at work, especially under stress. Jason Feifer shares personal anecdotes and wisdom gathered from notable figures—Kevin Smith and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson—revealing a simple but transformative approach for consistently showing up as your best, kindest self, no matter the circumstances.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Regret of Ungracious Moments

Jason Feifer opens with a candid confession about a moment he regrets—a brusque response to a fan at a conference who asked for a book exchange.

• He admits his words were “pompous and cruel and self important” (04:44), and the regret pushed him to seek tools for consistently better interactions.

“Somewhere that guy thinks I’m an ass. And you know what? With good reason. Because I was an ass.”
— Jason Feifer (05:02)

2. The Trickle Down Effect of Kindness

Jason recounts personal encounters and stories from entertainment figures to unpack how small, gracious gestures create a lasting impact.

• Kevin Smith’s Childhood Memory: As a child, Smith witnessed TV host Peter Marshall’s simple kindness, which set a lifelong example.
  • Smith vowed to be as gracious if he ever became famous (06:10).
• Jason’s Experience with Kevin Smith: In college, Feifer spent a year’s student budget to bring Smith to campus. Smith exceeded expectations—taking photos, chatting, answering questions for hours (07:07). Jason resolved to be as kind as Smith if he ever gained influence.

3. The Power of Perspective Taking

Jason shares a story from his interview with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and partner Danny Garcia:

• Dwayne’s Moment of Weakness: In 1998, during a tough career transition, Johnson was curt with fans who asked for an autograph, leaving them embarrassed (08:51).
• Learning from the Fans' Perspective: Reflecting on this, The Rock and Garcia mentally reenacted the incident from the fans’ viewpoint. This empathy changed how Johnson interacted, prompting him to always consider the other’s experience.

“I had an opportunity to make them feel so good. And instead they walked away apologetic and feeling awful. ... The reality is I’m a lucky son of a bitch that someone would care enough to come up and ask for my autograph.”
— Dwayne Johnson quote relayed by Jason Feifer (09:39)

4. The Simple Solution to Kindness

Jason synthesizes the lessons into a practical takeaway:

• Our lack of graciousness stems from being trapped in our own stress and perspective.
• Steadying Yourself: The world demands we be reliably kind; adopting others' perspectives creates this steadiness.
• Pause and ask: “What would make this person’s day? What would be meaningful for them?” (10:34)

5. Full Circle: Telling Kevin Smith

Jason shares how he got to thank Kevin Smith for inspiring his personal code of graciousness, revealing Smith felt a similar responsibility once he gained fame.

“You want to provide the dream for people… he realized that with just a few simple words, he could.”
— Jason Feifer recounting Kevin Smith’s reflection (11:29)

• You don’t need to be famous to give someone a meaningful, memorable act of kindness—everyone has a sphere of influence (colleagues, customers, friends, family).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Regret:
  “We all surprise ourselves with selfishness or the wrong words. … Out of your mouth have popped things you were shocked you said.”
  — Jason Feifer (05:11)

• On Empathy:
  “View our interactions from someone else’s point of view. What do they need from us? What would make their day? What small gesture can be meaningful and perhaps even create a lifelong memory?”
  — Jason Feifer (10:30)

• On Everyone’s Power:
  “You don’t need to be famous like Kevin or Dwayne. Many people look to you for something… want to deliver what they need and then some.”
  — Jason Feifer (11:52)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 04:42 — Jason’s heartfelt story of regret and self-reflection
• 06:10 — Kevin Smith’s lesson in inherited kindness
• 07:07 — Jason’s fan moment with Kevin Smith in college
• 08:51 — Dwayne Johnson’s autograph story and revelation
• 09:36 — The transformative takeaway: perspective taking
• 10:30 — #1 trick for being kind under stress
• 11:29 — Jason’s conversation with Kevin Smith about responsibility and kindness
• 11:52 — Final insight: You don’t need fame to make a difference

Key Takeaways

• Regret can be a powerful motivator for growth and change.
• Kindness is a learned and practiced skill, grounded in empathy and perspective taking.
• You have influence; use it to make others feel valued and seen.
• Small gestures, done consistently, create lasting positive memories and relationships—at work and beyond.

For more on this theme, listen to Jason’s other show, Problem Solvers, or reach out to helpwanted@moneynewsnetwork.com with your work questions.

(This summary skips initial ads and show credits, focusing on the content-rich discussion.)