Calvin Bagley spent his childhood dodging the school bus and adulthood building business empires. The founder of multiple eight-figure Medicare companies and a self-proclaimed “big fish in a very specific pond,” Calvin went from growing up in rural isolation with nine siblings and no formal schooling to becoming one of the most respected names in his industry.

His memoir Hiding from the School Bus doesn’t teach you how to scale a business—it shows you how to survive one hell of a childhood and still come out kind, successful and grateful.

In this episode, Calvin and I cover everything from family feuds to Kirkus raves to what it’s like when people you barely know suddenly know all your darkest secrets. He talks about writing 1,000 pages during a bout of shingles (because of course he did), taking his co-writer back to the “scene of the crime” to really feel the trauma and throwing a Vegas book launch complete with goats, carrot cake and cocktails named after his childhood pain.

It’s equal parts therapy session, comeback story and gratitude circle. Calvin somehow manages to turn abuse, neglect and educational deprivation into punchlines—and then pivots to heartfelt lessons on self-acceptance, fatherhood and what it means to finally stop running from your past.

Episode Highlights

• What happens when your mom doesn’t know you wrote a memoir
• How a shingles outbreak became a literary blessing (seriously)
• The Vegas book party that doubled as emotional closure
• How radical honesty can make your business stronger
• What happens when you tell your story and the world actually listens

Ethlie Ann Vare has lived through every incarnation of the media machine—from the era when editors and agents were true gatekeepers to today’s age of algorithms and the “wisdom of the crowd.” A journalist, TV writer and author, Vare built a career on talent, timing and serendipity. She went from covering rock shows in 1980s Los Angeles to penning biographies of Stevie Nicks and Ozzy Osbourne then spent 15 years writing for television shows like Renegade, Silk Stalkings, Andromeda and CSI.

In this episode, Vare reflects on how the publishing world she once knew—where publicists flew authors to The Today Show and books stayed in print for decades—has vanished, replaced by a firehose of content and a marketplace where visibility often trumps talent. She laments that authors are now the product, forced to become their own marketers and brands while readers drown in choice.

A savvy observer of both life and the publishing industry, Vare has proven that good work finds its way. Her New York Times–noted Mothers of Invention and later Love Addict: Sex, Romance and Other Dangerous Drugs (which began as a Tumblr called Affection Deficit Disorder) both emerged from two respective subjects she cared deeply about—women inventors and the psychology of love addiction. Now through her Substack of the same name ,she continues to write “for fun and for free,” offering hard-earned wisdom without worrying about the clicks or sales.

Episode Highlights:

• Ethlie recounts her early days in rock journalism where being “good and lucky” opened doors to Billboard, Rock Magazine and national TV appearances.
• The shift from gatekeepers to algorithms: how the fall of traditional publishing replaced discernment with popularity contests.
• Behind the making of her hit book Mothers of Invention and why its success led to a national lecture tour and lasting influence.
• Her perspective on today’s “firehose of content,” author branding and the exhaustion of self-promotion.
• The origin of Love Addict, her dive into sex and love addiction and how it evolved from personal exploration to public service.
• Reflections on age, authenticity and the strange liberation of being a “digital immigrant” in a youth-driven culture.

Key Takeaways:

• The creative industry has shifted from talent being discovered to visibility being demanded.
• Writing remains a calling worth pursuing—for love not for money.
• Democratization has come at a cost: fewer filters more noise.
• The real reward of authorship isn’t fame but connection and survival through reinvention.

Jamie Rose is proof that reinvention can be a superpower. After decades as a working actress, she did what most in Hollywood never dare: she pivoted.

First came writing. She landed a Penguin deal for her memoir Shut Up and Dance, diving headfirst into the brutal world of publishing. Then came coaching, where she transformed her 37 years of training with psychiatrist Phil Stutz (of The Tools and Jonah Hill’s Netflix doc Stutz) into a career helping others unlock their potential.

Now she’s tackling her boldest project yet: Facing Madame X: An Initiation into Feminine Power (out March 2026). Part memoir, part self-help, the book distills Stutz’s groundbreaking tools through Jamie’s uniquely female perspective, weaving hard-won lessons of resilience, humor and creativity.

Jamie had to figure out the system for herself. She rode the highs (landing a book deal with a major publisher) and the lows (refreshing Amazon rankings until she nearly lost her mind). She discovered that success wasn’t about fame or money alone—it was about emotional “f-you money,” joy in the process and leaving a legacy that makes people weep (in the best way).

Episode Highlights

• Jamie’s leap from Hollywood (Falcon Crest, The Tonight Show) to published author and coach
• The rollercoaster of her first book Shut Up and Dance—Penguin deal, PR mishaps, Amazon obsession
• Lessons from 37 years with mentor Phil Stutz, now shaping her new book Facing Madame X (2026)
• Redefining “f-you money” as emotional freedom, not just financial security
• Why reinvention, resilience, and joy matter more than chasing external validation

Key Takeaways

• Traditional publishing offers prestige but little control—authors must drive their own success
• Setbacks can spark reinvention and deeper purpose
• Mentorship and long-term practice transform both work and life
• Emotional wealth and detachment create true power
• Books are about legacy and impact, not just sales numbers