Podcast
Past the Profile
Hosted by Liz Sweigart · EN
Past the Profile is a podcast about the people behind the titles. In each short episode, host Liz Sweigart asks thoughtful questions that cut through credentials and curated bios to reveal what really drives her guests — leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers. It’s candid. It’s insightful. And it’s a reminder that who we are is always more than what we do. New episodes weekly. Come for the perspective, stay for the human connection.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ema Bryant on Courage, Self-Compassion, and Making a Difference Through Care
Oct 700:44:57Tap to summarizeHost Liz Sweigart and Ema Bryant first connected through Liz’s writing on mental health—a message from Ema’s father turned into a friendship that has spanned continents, countless conversations, and a shared commitment to honesty about the hard parts of healing. In this deeply personal episode of Past the Profile, Ema—radiographer, healthcare professional, and self-described “work in progress”—opens up about her journey with depression and anxiety, the lessons learned in therapy, and how compassion and faith ground her work in patient care. She and Liz talk about the weight of invisible struggles, the courage it takes to keep showing up, and what it means to measure success by persistence, not perfection. Highlights How it began: the blog post that connected two people on opposite sides of the world through words that made them both feel less alone. Healing in healthcare: how Ema found purpose and empathy in radiography—and what her patients teach her daily. The “jerk brain” paradox: learning that mental health challenges don’t cancel gratitude or privilege. Self-care, real talk: ADHD, imposter syndrome, and redefining “the bare minimum” as a form of rest. Future self: the wisdom in taking life a week at a time—and remembering that just being here is a victory.
Transcribe →Maya Zuckerman on System Shifts, Bridging Worlds, and Regenerative Leadership
Sep 3000:39:21Tap to summarizeHost Liz Sweigart first met Maya Zuckerman through the Holochain / Holo project before teaming up again on Visvere. In this episode of Past the Profile, Maya traces her journey from product and operations manager to ecosystem architect. She and Liz explore why culture hacking beats disruption, how regenerative principles can be embedded into technology from the start, and what it means to move from extraction to reciprocity in both business and community. Highlights From film to futures → how early work in digital media opened a path to regenerative tech and organizational design. Collective storytelling → why the stories we share become the scaffolding for movements and markets. Regenerative lens → embedding reciprocity, diversity, and resilience into systems instead of treating them as afterthoughts. Scaling trust → tools and governance that let communities grow without losing cohesion. Bridging disciplines → what Maya has learned moving between entertainment, tech, and grassroots movements.
Transcribe →Hilary Turner on Finding Your People, Continuous Reinvention, and The Long Run
Sep 2300:48:25Tap to summarizeA three-chapter history connects host Liz Sweigart and Hilary Turner: dorm-mates at Rice University’s Wiess College, a wedding cameo years later, and—most meaningfully—a 2016 Facebook message that turned into miles and miles around the Rice loop. One Saturday run became a standing ritual, international half-marathons, and a friendship built on mutual encouragement and just the right amount of stubbornness. In this Past the Profile episode, Hilary—editor-turned-MBA-turned-librarian-in-training—traces her path from New York publishing (Wiley, Penguin) to UT Austin student services to tech marketing… and finally into the library and information world she now calls home (MSLS program, practicum with Georgetown’s business library, and a joyful plunge into the American Library Association community). She and Liz talk about making friends as adults, introvert–extrovert dynamics, the upside of social media serendipity, and why it’s okay to arrive by the scenic route. Highlights The running years: frozen water fountains, international races (Edinburgh, Dublin), and how “enforced bonding” turns miles into trust. Career throughlines: editing, research, and helping people—threads that made librarianship click in midlife. Finding your people: discovering community among librarians and information pros (and showing up as your full self). Making friends as adults: why it’s hard, why it’s worth it, and how a small “yes” can change everything. Joy cameos: Murder, She Wrote, The Golden Girls, and Orson the rescue “chi-poodle” who brings effervescence to every room.
Transcribe →Claire Skillen on Climate-Aware Supply Chains, Human-Centered Processes, and Leading with Humility
Sep 1600:29:42Tap to summarizeA vulnerable LinkedIn post about mental health first connected host Liz Sweigart and Claire Skillen. One cold DM turned into a long phone call—and a friendship built on systems thinking, honest reflection, and a shared belief that people belong at the center of every process. In this Past the Profile episode, Claire—newly appointed President & CEO of Planet-Based Foods Global (PBFG)—traces a pivot from “food products” to food systems: vertical gardens and drying units (PBF Tech), direct-trade supply chains, and community-first operations aimed at climate adaptation and food security. She and Liz dig into leading publicly while learning out loud and the everyday practices that make reflection possible when the calendar won’t slow down. Highlights “Food alone isn’t enough” → why PBFG is becoming a holding company focused on resilient, human-centered systems. Safer spaces vs. safe spaces → normalizing mistakes, modeling vulnerability, and using trust to let ideas bloom. Bridging tasks to purpose → connecting a single tech profile or spreadsheet to water savings, farmer impact, and portfolio choices. Boundaries & energy audits → what to say no to and five-minute resets (breathwork, journaling, water). Measures of success → teams that speak up, align work to their own goals, and make space to integrate learnings.
Transcribe →Dritton Jemmalay on Family-First Leadership, Values-Driven Business, and Lifelong Learning
Sep 900:35:59Tap to summarizeHost Liz Sweigart and Dritton Jemmalay met more than a decade ago serving energy clients across time zones—she in Houston, he in Brisbane—before finally connecting in person at a Shanghai conference. The friendship has since spanned continents, careers, and now kids. In this episode of Past the Profile, Dritton—global tax and structuring consultant and founder of the independent professional services firm TP Benchmark—reflects on becoming a husband and father, relocating to London to support his surgeon wife’s fellowship, and choosing a family-first operating system at home and at work. He and Liz explore an “early midlife” wake-up, the books and mindset that shifted him from black-and-white to shades of grey, and how team sports taught him to take feedback, learn from losses, and keep going. Highlights Parenting as mirror — Modeling the behaviors you hope your kids will adopt. Values → culture — Building a remote team across NZ, US, UAE, Italy, and Australia where the culture flows from strongly aligned values. Mistakes as teachers — The family mantra: “Mistakes are OK… as long as we learn from them.” From hyper-rational to human — How self-study and reflection reframed work, empathy, and the inner critic. Sport → leadership — Thick skin, honest feedback, and winning as a team rather than 11 superstars. Life-season strategy — Treating tradeoffs as temporary, and why this season is about time with his daughters.
Transcribe →Torbjørn Fyrvik on Scaling Grassroots, Sustainable Activism, and Building Catalyst
Sep 200:37:11Tap to summarizeIntroduced by a mutual friend at the Oslo Freedom Forum, host Liz Sweigart and Torbjørn “T-Bear” Fyrvik bonded over the nuts and bolts of movement-building. What began as a hallway chat became an ongoing exchange about practical tools, generous mentorship, and the real human limits of doing hard things for a long time. In this episode of Past the Profile, Torbjørn—Norwegian activist now based in Berlin—traces a path from climate street actions to designing infrastructure for grassroots groups. He and Liz unpack why Catalyst is “more than a CRM,” how community and know-how compound across campaigns, and what sustainable activism looks like when you admit it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Highlights Catalyst, beyond “just a CRM” — events, onboarding, delegation, fundraising, plus a knowledge-sharing community for grassroots best practices. Proof in the numbers — moving supporter-to-activist conversion from ~2–3% toward ~10% inside member orgs. Origins of a worldview — witnessing stark inequality in Rio as a teen; teaching English in the favela; early “utopia” talks with friends. Roles, not archetypes — broadening “activist” to include builders, mentors, fundraisers, and caregivers—because movements need every role. The balance question — recognizing burnout signals; choosing rest, relationships, climbing, and long-run sustainability. What’s next for Catalyst — expanding beyond climate to other movements and growing the community offering alongside the tool.
Transcribe →Steven Lewis on Authentic Interviews, Honest Conversations, and Creating "Heroes"
Aug 2600:43:19Tap to summarizeA vulnerable LinkedIn post about mental health first connected host Liz Sweigart and Steven Lewis. One unexpected DM turned into hours of conversation—and a friendship that’s thrived across years and screens (they still haven’t met in person). In this episode of Past the Profile, Steven—former corporate general counsel, filmmaker, and creator of the interview series Heroes Have Heroes—traces how a tough season and two life-line podcasts inspired a new kind of filmed conversation: beautifully shot, psychologically safe, and centered on the people who shaped us. He and Liz unpack what it takes to earn genuine openness on camera, why “my words, my story” beats glossy mythmaking, and how Series (i.e., Season, for the Americans) One’s response lit the path to what’s next. Highlights Origin of Heroes—designing a filmed format where guests speak candidly about formative people and moments, then read letters to their heroes. Safety by design—from researcher prep to on-set care, how the team creates space for authenticity (and why the host sometimes cries off-mic). No one-note episodes—each conversation has a distinct tone; the common thread is honesty over image. Evolving “hero”—from parents and coaches to institutions and influences; support systems matter as much as inspiration. What’s next—partnering with streamers/broadcasters for long-form, brand partners for short-form, and a guest wishlist that spans major musicians to film stars.
Transcribe →Mary Camacho on Privacy-First Wearables, Stakeholder Governance, and Listening to the Market
Aug 2100:56:26Tap to summarizeA chain of introductions brought host Liz Sweigart and Mary Camacho together at DWeb Camp, where a quick hello became hours of “problem-solving joy.” In this episode of Past the Profile, Mary, a longtime decentralized-tech operator, host of the Terms of Service podcast, and now founder of Cirdia, traces how a Fitbit on her wrist and a privacy gut-check turned into a company: privacy-first wellness wearables built for real people (starting with women 45+) who refuse to be “sold out” by their devices. She and Liz dive into why Cirdia incorporated as a public benefit corporation, how governance (not just privacy) is the hard problem, and what rapid market testing taught them about notifications, form factors, and dignity by design. Highlights From crypto debates to Cirdia: why health/wellness data should remain sovereign to the person—shared only by explicit choice. Governance matters: PBC incorporation now; a future community/employee ownership path to avoid the “sell to a platform” trap. Research first: 1,200+ survey responses in 30 days; women 45+ want devices that look good, don’t nag, and don’t leak data. Meaningful notifications: the mother/daughter/aging-parent reality—get the right signals on your wrist without living on your phone. Context that changed the stakes: menstrual-app lawsuits, DNA data on the auction block, and why “privacy is normal.” What’s next: Cirdia’s angel round and a waitlist ahead of the February launch. Other stuff mentioned in this episode: Rabble's Revolution.Social inaugural podcast episode with Jack Dorsey My dissertation (and the Tl;dr version) Holochain Visvere
Transcribe →A Tuesday Note on Consistency, Permission, and 360-degree Grace
Aug 1900:03:46Tap to summarizeThis short episode explains that Liz delayed the usual Tuesday release of Past The Profile to give guest Mary Camacho time to launch the investor website for her new venture, Cirdia. In her brief commentary, Liz reflects on artificial deadlines, the pressure of expectations, and choosing self-compassion and flexibility over rigid consistency. Check back on Thursday for the full interview--it's chock full of insight, humor, and warmth.
Transcribe →Ellen Bird on Embracing “Youness,” Human-First Job Hunts, and Making Work Suck Less
Aug 1200:50:15Tap to summarizeHost Liz Sweigart had known Ellen Bird for exactly 24 hours when they pressed “record.” Their catalyst? A mutual mentor—Dr. John Reed—who sensed instant resonance between Liz’s organizational-psych lens and Ellen’s gift for spotting people’s unique “Youness.” In this episode of Past the Profile, Ellen—the founder of Eunice, a “people-success” consultancy—replays her zig-zag path from emerging-media strategist to Google recruiting leader to coach who helps job-seekers and teams make work suck less. Together they explore why human-first, market-second positioning beats keyword chasing, how COVID “microwaved” some workplace changes and “pressure-cooked” others, and why the tiny word you may be the greatest asset in any career pivot. Highlights Youness = superpower — helping clients unearth the vibe everyone else already feels and translate it into strategic stories. Human-first, market-second — positioning yourself before scanning demand so agency stays in your hands. AI as tool, not threat — how transparent prompts can draft résumés once you’ve clarified your north-star narrative. Job-hunt triad — clear positioning → human-plus-computer-friendly content → sustainable search systems.
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