Journalist and toddler mom Fortesa Latifi joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a conversation about why we need more nuance in our conversations about mom influencers. In the first half of the show, we discuss how influential influencers truly are (and how much money is involved in the industry), how many mom influencers come from vulnerable backgrounds, and where Fortesa personally draws the line when it comes to the ethics of consuming content featuring kids. We also talk about her writing process for her new book, Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of a Childhood Online, exploring the research process, finding sources, challenging revisions, and more.

In the second half of the show, we explore Fortesa's own experiences with pregnancy (spoiler alert: not everyone experiences the ~pregnancy glow~. Sometimes pregnancy just sucks!) and motherhood so far. We bond over quitting therapy after becoming moms, the crushing weight of the mental load, and the joys of slowing down to experience the world through a toddler's eyes.

Links:

1. Fortesa's book, Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of a Childhood Online, is out on April 7th!
2. Fortesa's story on TV moms and their unorthodox screentime approach
3. For more of Fortesa's work, check out her website or follow her on Instagram or TikTok.
4. Emily's website & Instagram.

To support the show, leave us a one-time (or recurring!) tip. We'll send you a sticker to say thanks!

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Behind the Glass

Behind the Glass Gallery podcast is a monthly talk with the current month's BTG Roster. Artists are interviewed about their submissions and we dive deep into their process, inspiration and thought process centralized around their artwork in the Behind the Glass Gallery located in the heart of Downtown Rochester NY.

Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business

Check out Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/gettingrealwithbossy/

Content warning: This episode contains a mention of miscarriage that is described in some detail. Please take care when listening; if you'd like to avoid that part, it starts around 41:15 and ends by 42:10.

When Rachel Kramer Bussel took a break from law school, she started trying different things. She worked as an admin assistant, wrote erotica on the side, and started a cupcake blog that landed her on The Martha Stewart Show. Her one year leave of absence turned into leaving law forever, but that pivot led Rachel exactly where she was supposed to be. Now, she is a successful writer, editor, consultant, and teacher. We discuss her decision to move away from writing erotica later in life, her enthusiasm for Open Secrets Magazine and sharing other people's stories, and why she's launching a podcast about our attachments to our belongings called Finders and Keepers.

In the second half of the show, we talk about the latest chapter in Rachel's life: motherhood! In 2024, she and her partner adopted a baby. She shares what the adoption process looked like for them, how she felt meeting her daughter for the first time, the predatory Instagram ads targeted at moms, and lots more.

Links:

1. Open Secrets Live Personal Storytelling Summit - May 2, 2026 at Symphony Space in NYC
2. Open Secrets Magazine
3. Rachel's new podcast, Finders & Keepers
4. For more of Rachel and her work, check out her Instagram or website.
5. Emily's website & Instagram.

To support the show, leave us a one-time (or recurring!) tip. We'll send you a sticker to say thanks!

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business

Check out Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/gettingrealwithbossy/

Common Thread

Check out Common Thread on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/common-threads-hardcore/

Connections with Evan Dawson

Connections with Evan Dawson - Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

Connections

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Content warning: This episode contains a brief mention of suicidal ideation (it is not discussed in detail). Please take care while listening.

In this special crossover episode, Magnus Champlin of the Mind of Magnus podcast joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a fun, collaborative interview with photographer Adam Eaton! We discuss the healing power of creativity, Adam's gift for seeing the beauty in others and hearing their stories, and how vital community is. We also chat about getting to know Rochester, the importance of funding the arts, and Adam's new photography book, Black is Beautiful.

Links:

1. You can buy Black is Beautiful here.
2. Adam's website & Instagram.
3. Emily's website & Instagram.
4. Listen to the Mind of Magnus podcast.
5. Magnus's work & Instagram.

Enjoying the show? Support us by leaving a one-time tip! We'll send you a sticker to say thanks.

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Behind the Glass

Behind the Glass Gallery podcast is a monthly talk with the current month's BTG Roster. Artists are interviewed about their submissions and we dive deep into their process, inspiration and thought process centralized around their artwork in the Behind the Glass Gallery located in the heart of Downtown Rochester NY.

Common Thread

Check out Common Thread on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/common-threads-hardcore/

Tyler Lima-Roope, a content creator and advocate from LA, joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for the second episode in our Rare Disease Month mini series. In this conversation, we talk about what it's like living with a disability, when Tyler first knew he was different from other kids, meeting his wife online thanks to going live on TikTok, health anxiety, what he's lost as his SMA progresses, and the strange, bittersweet feeling of learning about how younger kids with SMA are getting treatment faster now.

We also dive into Tyler's career as a content creator, exploring how the wasteland of weirdness on TikTok Live during COVID inspired him to start creating content, the pressure of not squandering your platform even when you need a mental health break, making content you're proud of, giving people grace online, and how he wants to branch out from disability content to talk about other topics. It was a thoughtful, enlightening conversation—and a funny one too! Tyler's cat made an appearance for a portion of the recording session. We hope those moments bring a smile to your face 😻

Links:

1. Tyler's video that we discuss in the episode about playing musical chairs at a birthday party as a kid.
2. How to Prepare for Natural Disasters if You Have a Disability, New York Times article Tyler was featured in
3. Check out Tyler's TikTok, Instagram, and website.
4. To learn more and support the SMA community, check out Cure SMA!
5. Missed the first episode in the Rare Disease Month mini series? Catch our interview with child neurologist & dad Sam Mackenzie here.
6. Emily's Instagram & website.

Enjoying the show? Support us by leaving a one-time tip! We'll send you a sticker to say thanks.

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Connections with Evan Dawson

Connections with Evan Dawson - Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

Connections

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

The first in our two-part series for Rare Disease Month, child neurologist Sam Mackenzie, M.D., Ph.D. joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a conversation about his career path, research interests, spinal muscular atrophy, gene therapy, and his hopes for a better healthcare system.

In the second half of the show, Sam shares his experiences as the dad of three kids, how he feels like a 75-year-old at heart, POOPCUPs, the struggles of finding parent friends you vibe with, and the importance of letting your children be their own people.

Notes:

1. Sam mentions that SMA is not that rare compared to some ultra-rare diseases. For reference, SMA affects about one in 15,000 births in the United States. Ultra-rare diseases affect about 1 in 50,000 people.
2. After recording, we double checked the data on the new gene therapy for adults with SMA. Sam confirmed the following: based on patient-reported outcomes data, roughly 50% improved, 25% were stable, and 25% worsened over a one-year timeframe.
3. When we talk about Assassin's Creed, Emily mentions that one of the games was used for some 3D mapping application that she couldn't recall. Turns out Ubisoft used detailed digital scans of Notre Dame to depict it in Assassin's Creed: Unity, and those were later used to rebuild Notre Dame after the devastating fire in 2019.

Links:

1. Sam's podcast: Immature Brains: A Child Neurology Podcast
2. Feeling inspired to give to support research this Rare Disease Month? The TANGO2 Research Foundation is a great option!
3. For more on how you can support the SMA community, check out Cure SMA.
4. Follow Emily on Instagram
5. Emily's website

Enjoying the show? Support us by leaving a one-time tip! We'll send you a sticker to say thanks.

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Behind the Glass

Behind the Glass Gallery podcast is a monthly talk with the current month's BTG Roster. Artists are interviewed about their submissions and we dive deep into their process, inspiration and thought process centralized around their artwork in the Behind the Glass Gallery located in the heart of Downtown Rochester NY.

Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business

Check out Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/gettingrealwithbossy/

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

In today's mini episode, host Emily Hessney Lynch is joined by her producer, Chris Lindstrom, who is also the host of Food About Town and co-founder of Lunchador, for a casual chat about how things are going with the podcast, our favorite episodes so far, the 2016 trend and how different things were back then, and how we've become more ourselves over the past 10 years. We also discuss how we've ended up in a post-facts society, the importance of being curious and leaving room for nuance, why we love having real, in-person conversations, and more.

Links:

1. Emily has availability for new clients, so if you need social media, digital strategy, or writing support, head to her website.
2. Emily's Instagram (flip through her 2016 photo dump to see the Ivanka Trump dress mentioned in the episode!).
3. Chris's Instagram.
4. Food About Town Instagram.

We are a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Content warning: This episode contains mentions of suicide attempts (they are not discussed in a detailed or graphic way, but they are mentioned briefly). Please take care while listening.

Author, educator, mental health advocate, and mom Leanne Toshiko Simpson joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a thoughtful and funny conversation about her chaos whirlwind life. Leanne talks about living with bipolar disorder, how having a kid can help you hate mornings less, the ways we're conditioned to shrink ourselves and not be "too much," the power of mad friendship, writing funny in her novel Never Been Better, and how if you can't laugh about your struggles, they're probably crushing you.

In the second half of the show, Emily and Leanne discuss their experiences with motherhood, including the rigid gender expectations surrounding how much a mom should do in the first year of their child's life, how important it is to have a partner who doesn't suck at sharing childcare responsibilities, and why it's actually a good thing to have diverse interests aside from just your kid.

Links:

1. Leanne's book, Never Been Better
2. Follow Leanne on Instagram
3. Leanne's website
4. Follow Emily on Instagram
5. Emily's website
6. "The Repressive, Authoritarian Soul of 'Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends'" by Jia Tolentino

We are a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Common Thread

Check out Common Thread on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/common-threads-hardcore/

Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business

Check out Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/gettingrealwithbossy/

Content warning: this episode contains discussions of depression and suicidal ideation. Please take care when listening. The Trans Lifeline and 988 Lifeline are available if you need someone to talk to.

Chloe Corcoran joins host Emily Hessney Lynch to talk about the it's a lot-ness (and the hope and joy!) that's part of coming out, transitioning, and navigating daily life as a trans woman. We talk about her earliest memories of knowing she's a girl, how her competitive streak and sense of humor have carried her through her transition and hard times, and how living as her authentic self made her want to live.

In the second half of the episode, we explore how you really need to just trust trans people, the importance of mutual aid and how far $20 can go, pervasive loneliness, and awesome trans musicians.

Links:

1. To book Chloe as a speaker or find more of her work, check out her website.
2. Follow Chloe on Instagram.
3. Emily's website.
4. Emily's Instagram.
5. Want to support organizations helping trans folks? Check out: the Trans Wellness Center in LA, Rochester LGBTQ+ Together in Rochester, the Transgender Law Center, and find more awesome organizations in all 50 states here.
6. She's Not There by Jennifer Finney Boylan

Mentioned in this episode:

Common Thread

Check out Common Thread on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/common-threads-hardcore/

Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business

Check out Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/gettingrealwithbossy/

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com