Life's Essential Ingredients

Jeff Christian and Mike Sestich
  • 4.9 (27)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Monthly

Life’s Essential Ingredients is spinoff of C4 Leaders, a California based non-profit who uses PIZZA to guide all people in RISING TOGETHER. The show is hosted by two best friends who were college roommates at the University of San Francisco – (Jeff with a Mike).  Just launched Season 6 with the show currently listened to in 145 countries and 1603 cities.The educational and entertaining show takes a deep, yet humorous look at life’s essential ingredients. The hosts engage in interesting conversation with some of the world’s best leaders, authors, athletes, musicians, chefs, architects, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, comedians, CEOs, coaches, professors, teachers, and many, many, more industries and professions. The goal of the show is to have the guest highlight their life’s essential ingredients and for the listener to add an ingredient or two to their life recipe.The hosts create space for the guest to be the star of the show and provide an incredible platform to highlight their life, their business, their passion, and most importantly, their gift they share with the world.  Our listeners are diverse and 9% are 18-24, 18% 25-29, 13% 30-34, 18% 35-44, 18% 45-54, and 55+ 24%.  

  1. Sep 17

    Adding Self-Belief and Self-Worth to Your Life Recipe with Amy Lenius!

    Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #33 Amy Lenius is coming from Ontario, Canada (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Amy via her website nextleveluniverse.com/group/coaching Amy helps people define success from the inside out, so the life they’re building feels fulfilling. Amy’s work is rooted in self worth, self belief, and consistency.  Over the past 9 years, Amy has spoken on stages in the health, healing, and personal development space and has been featured on over 200 podcasts having real conversations about what it actually takes to grow.  Amy helps people rebuild their internal foundation through identity, habits, health, relationships, and the patterns that shape how they show up every day. Amy specializes in working with women who are ready to reconnect with themselves and create a life that reflects who they truly are. This often means slowing down enough to get honest, learning how to trust themselves again, and choosing what feels aligned instead of what feels expected.  Amy, thanks for sharing your many gifts and talents with people all over the world and thanks for focusing many of your efforts on women, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.”      Muhammed Ali Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? Best part of homeschooling What do you love about being a parent Biggest challenge of raising your boys Fishing is my peace.  Growth how do you do it?  Fulfillment define it…Pillars of fulfillment…quality of life, pouring into potential, building out my contribution…using all three to expand your fulfillment… Core beliefs (past, things we believe about our selves, could be accurate or not)from the past and developing core values in the space in which you live, core aspirations…align all three with where you want to go… The gift of self-awareness…doing it with accuracy  Success…define it and how to you achieve it… Discovering your identity Happiness…define it Contribution…what are you doing to contribute to your family, team, community, society… Building capacity to be Belief…steps toward being consistent in knowing you can do it… Self-worth… Self Efficacy – having the capability, trust, confidence.. to handle any challenge that comes at them… Legacy

  2. Sep 9

    Creating an Endless Ripple Effect with Marriage Coach Kameran Al-Areqi!

    Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #32 Kameran Al-Areqi is coming from Wichita, Kansas (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Kameran via her website recognizingpotential.com Kameran is a Gottman certified marriage coach, the host of The Married and Connected Podcast, and the founder of the Recognizing Potential Coaching Program. Kameran is known for her authenticity, straightforward nature and her ability to help couples with even the most complex of circumstances.  Kameran believes that lasting love begins within. Over the years, she learned that unhealthy patterns, unhealed wounds, and unresolved trauma don’t just affect you — they seep into your relationship and form who your children will become as well. Unresolved issues create cycles of disconnection, frustration, and loneliness, which is why her coaching is deeply rooted in healing the individual, so that two people can come together stronger, safer, and more connected than ever. Kameran, thanks for helping couples all over the world, thanks for continuing to coach yourself to be the best you can be and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “May I fall as rain to increase the harvests that must feed living beings…and in ages of dire famine, may I myself serve as food and drink.”                                     Shantideva Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? Podcast – Married and Connected 93% success rate Suffering…what does that mean… Average couple waits 6 years to get help Attachment Styles Stages of relationships… Gottman’s Sound Relationship House Model Ingredients that are missing from most marriages – commitment, trust and friendship… Comparisons.. Goal of Marriage is to grow together… Partner should not be the one to make you happy… Legacy

  3. Sep 3

    Relationship Guru is Creating Space for Partners to be Seen with author Rebecca Mullen!

    Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #31 Rebecca Mullen is coming from Grand Junction, Colorado (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Rebecca via her website rebeccamullencoaching.com Rebecca Mullen is the author of 6 Steps to Better Marriage Communication and host of the podcast Habits for Your Happily Ever After. Her work focuses on the small, repeatable habits that transform how couples communicate—especially in moments of tension, misalignment, or emotional overwhelm.  Rebecca helps couples move from reactive patterns to intentional connection using simple tools they can apply immediately. Rebecca brings a mix of practical frameworks, relatable stories, and real-life application, so listeners don’t just feel inspired—they leave with something they can do differently that day.  Rebecca, thanks for sharing your beautiful spirit with the world, thanks for having the courage to share your heart, and thanks for guiding couples to a happily ever after…welcome to the show! TOTD – “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”  Carl Jung Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: Here is the link to a PDF I have that gives listeners access to 6 of my podcast episodes about the 6 steps for better marriage communication.  What was life like growing up? Where did you meet your husband… Podcast Host of Habits for Your Happily Ever After: Relationship Communication Advice Ted Talk…great….love the tug of war with your daughter and son…reading stories, creating a template of tolerance…coming together…why is that so important to you… Classes – The money conversation, No More Loneliness…Marriage 101, Six Steps to Better Communication, Habits for Happily Ever After… Blog since 2020…loved complimentary colors…did your daughter end up going to Lewis and Clark? Happiness…what is it…fulfillment… Investing in YOU…Bliss Basket… Book - 6 steps to better Marriage Communication – Overcome Fear, Get Clear, Ask Cleanly, Beware Conditions, Affirm Lovingly, Build Boundaries Newsletter… Boundary happens in the corrective behavior…following through regardless of how the other person will respond… Conflict Resolution Clean Ask vs. Dirty Ask…step 3 (builds on step 1 and 2) is negative…ie. You don’t ever take the trash out…blame, shame…the dirty asker has not overcome their fear… Clean Ask – 3 steps…name the fear, state the desire, ask in a way that your partner can answer in yes or no…give agency to your partner… 4 Step Apology that rebuilds trust 2 name the behavior, 3 talk about how you think your partner feels, 4 I have a plan for how I am going to do better… Communication Clarity…one of the most challenging parts of marriage… Hidden Fear Sabotaging Your Relationship… Forgiveness  Hello and Goodbye Growing separately but together Look for the good in each other Make the invisible visible… Pain is when we feel attached to what we thought we had and realize it isn’t there…?  Making the best out of a difficult situation…finding the good… Legacy

  4. Sep 2

    Polar Opposite Careers that Made a Positive Impact on Many Lives with Author Eric Robinson!

    Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #30 Eric Robinson is coming from Lambertville, Michigan (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Eric via his website preachertobreacher.com Eric’s new book – Irreverend comes out this fall.   Eric was called to do God’s work and worked for 12 years in that space as a preacher.   Unfortunately or fortunately, Eric knew there were other plans for him.   So on Easter of 2002 Eric preached his final sermon. The next Sunday he was in Quantico to attend the FBI Academy. Eric has taken the ingredients of two polar opposite callings and has turned them into his life’s masterpiece. For nearly a quarter century, Eric used the practices and principles he learned in ministry to connect with victims and witnesses, and even to break through to criminals. Whether confronting terrorists, rescuing teen sex workers, or developing informants, the skills from his earlier life were put to use in his law enforcement career.   Eric’s career in the FBI was diverse and he used his unique skillset to guide many criminals, colleagues, and communities on a journey of compassion, commitment, and patience. Eric thanks for all you have done with your career, thanks for taking the time to put your life on paper, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”                                                    Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? Worked in Chicago…pizza? What got you into your preacher role? What are your life’s essential ingredients? Married for 33 years – balance Just retired after 24 years with the FBI – best part of retirement… After action…the power of reflection Communication skills that are universal Values that are universal Not interrupting silence – using compounding questioning… Congrats on your book – IRREVEREND…interesting title, (not worthy of respect) how did you come up with it? Fitness testing, being fit… The power of connection National Security…what concerns do you have moving forward and what hopes do you have… Nutrition and discipline Firearms instructor…what skills does it take to have confidence in that space… Marathon Running… Most interesting story… Fuel for people who want to hurt people… Characteristics of successful people Team Building, trust building,  Lessons learned… Post Traumatic Stress… Forgiveness Mindset Leaving work at work Legacy

  5. Aug 28

    Strategy 101 - Develop A Heart That Cares with Dr. Sharalyn Payne!

    Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #29 Dr. Sharalyn Payne is coming from Dallas, Texas (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Dr. Sharalyn via her website drsharalyn.com or smpistrategies.com Dr. Sharalyn Payne is an award-winning speaker, strategist, executive coach, and management consultant. As the founder of SMP International Management Consulting, LLC. Dr. Sharalyn works with companies and governments to build high-performing teams, navigate through change, and develop the next generation of leaders.  Guiding clients through sensitive organizational challenges, Dr. Sharalyn shares her unique perspectives and insights not only on how revolutionizing the workplace can lead to innovation, but also on the techniques needed to create destination organizations. Using lessons learned, provocative questions, and real stories, Dr. Sharalyn positions companies for greater success and bigger wins. Dr. Sharalyn, congrats on an amazing career, congrats on authoring two books Unstuck, Unleashed, Unstoppable and Ignite, congrats on continuing to challenge yourself to be your best, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “I never competed against athletes.  I competed against perfection.”  Carl Lewis Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What does the M stand for in SMP?  Marie… Lantana – represents resilience, rigor, and adaptability because it thrives in harsh heat and poor soil…cultural symbolism… endurance, transformation, and positivity… is under your name on your website…then I did a little more digging and found out it is a part of Texas and most likely where you live… What there a moment in time (past, present, or future) for you that shaped who you are today? What was life like growing up? Two Books – UnStuck, UnLeashed, UnStoppable.   IGNITE…Congrats Podcast – The Game Changer with Dr. Sharalyn You were a track and cross country runner…any insights from that experience and how it has shaped your life… Accountability… Mindset on POSSIBILITY! Leadership, what is it, what frameworks do you like to work with, what are some activities you do in your offsites? Culture, what is it, how do you assess it, how to you transform it, and how do you help engage in it… Strategic action planning…what does that look like…maybe go over a case screnario… Employee engagement Assessment tools for personal and professional development.. Wellness and well being…insights? Your company values: leave people organizations better than you found them, love who you are and what you do, we grow, we lead, we optimize, we believe everything is possible… The Future of Work? Transformation Modules from your website…key insights or takeaways from past participants… HOGAM assessments – what are they? Return on Power Newsletter – takeaways… Culture Camp on another podcast… Exemplary Leadership…what does that look like

  6. Aug 27

    Creating Clarity Through Curiosity with Brainshift Coach Hanna Curman!

    Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #28 Hanna Curman is coming from West Coast of Sweden (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Hanna via her website hannacurman.se Hanna is an international speaker, Founder of BrainShift (the new transformation logic), certified in brain-based coaching, and author on leadership and mental health. Hanna helps executives lead transformation from the nervous system up—because culture lives in biology. Hanna knows firsthand that reactive patterns affected not only her own health - but also her daughter’s will to live.  Today Hanna brings a clear message into the AI era: if we don’t balance speed with humanity, we lose prefrontal capacity—judgment, empathy, ethics—and the relationships that make leadership real.  Hanna thanks for sharing your gifts with humanity, thanks for coaching people all over the world, thanks for continuing to transform yourself and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients.   Welcome to the show! TOTD – “The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask. There can't be any large-scale revolution until there's a personal revolution, on an individual level. It's got to happen inside first.”  Jim Morrison Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: Listening to you on another podcast and they asked you what meal would you want to share…PIZZA…I love it…the intention of sharing… Website has some great articles on decision making under pressure, transformational leadership and sustainable change… What was life like growing up? Swedish decent… What is self-discovery and what steps do you suggest one take to gaining that vital piece of their life? Trying to fit in (story of Volvo) and losing that part of yourself… and then years later…gaining your true self… What is leadership? Define leader Define culture Are we in survival mode?  Why? Coaching…share a success story… You spoke about true intentions and truly living life with those intentions…what would that world look like? Understanding my core values…one is trustworthiness…another is transparency… The Clarity Chain…what is it and how can it help people when decision pressure is high? Legacy

  7. Aug 26

    Being Your Best to "Meet the Moment" with Bruce Babashan!

    Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #27 Bruce Babashan is coming from Washington D.C. (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Bruce via his website brucebabashan.com As the creator of Meet The Moment™, Bruce challenges one of the most common assumptions in leadership—that organizations succeed simply by developing exceptional leaders. His work argues that while leadership development is essential, it is only part of the equation. The organizations that consistently perform at the highest level also prepare for the reality that every leader is human.  Drawing on experience in executive leadership, organizational assessment, and high-stakes decision environments, Bruce helps audiences understand why judgment, communication, and decision-making can change as complexity, uncertainty, and pressure increase—and why organizations should anticipate those moments rather than simply react to them.  Instead of asking how leaders can become tougher or more resilient, Bruce introduces a practical framework for building leadership support systems that help preserve sound decisions, clear communication, and organizational performance when the stakes are highest.  Bruce, thanks for sharing your many gifts and talents with people all over the world, thanks for continuing to grow as a leader, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “As to methods, there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The person who grasps principles can successfully select their own methods. The person who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble."  Harrington Emerson (efficiency engineer) Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? How did you get involved with boxing? Mohammad Ali story… The Good Fight nonprofit… Poise in the Noise First Code… Making Decision in the heat of the moment Training fighters for almost 30 years…making decisions in 60 seconds (time in between rounds)…when things were on the line…Game 7 mentality…crunch time… See coaches on the sideline…making mistakes…mismanaging the clock… A skill to be developed: Step 1 - awareness…Step 2 – control (regulate emotions) need to ooze confidence ..Step 3 – Clarity – process in which you choose to make decisions…principles in how you make decisions… especially in the crucial moments.  Step 4 – how do you communicate your decisions What makes a great coach? Getting reps of being in the moment…in the fire… Phenomenology is a 20th-century philosophical movement and qualitative research method that investigates the nature of conscious, subjective lived experience. Managing Stress Building Confidence Communicating with purpose and precision Getting out of the way

  8. Aug 8

    Lydia Chale is "Scooping" Good Vibes Only!!!

    Send us Fan Mail C4 Leaders – the ONLY nonprofit to utilize the pizza making process to create space for our companions to be seen, heard, and loved.   We work with businesses, sports teams, hospitals, churches…anyone looking to RISE TOGETHER.  We also write children’s books and use the most amazing handmade, hand-tossed, sourdough pizza to bring out the best in each other.   Please check out c4leaders.org to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #26 Lydia Chale via her email address lydiachale@gmail.com My wife recently had a birthday and I ordered her favorite ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins.  I did it online but unfortunately entered the wrong time to pick it up.   So I had to call and leave a message to change the pick up time.  I was pleasantly surprised when I received a voice mail stating the cake is ready and I can pick it up any time I want.   I entered the store the next day and spoke to the staff at Baskin Robbins and immediately Lydia noticed my voice and stated she would be right with me.  I was taken back by her attention to detail and that she remembered and appreciated my voice… So we decided it would be fun to join each other on this podcast…so here we are.   A little about our guest : Lydia was born in North Carolina and moved to Davis when she was 12.  Unfortunately, things didn’t work out so well and Lydia decided at the age of 16 to drop out of school and moved out on her own.  That drastic change in her life lead her to needing to find a job… Lydia found work at Baskin Robbins and has been doing incredible work ever since.  She became the manager at 18 and at 23 she is a Franchise Manager.  Lydia has used that opportunity as a spring board into creating potential future opportunities down the road.   She earned her GED and is currently taking college courses for business and philosophy. Lydia loves her 4 cats and spends most of her free time trying to study and learn.  Lydia thanks for sharing your amazing customer service with people, thanks for continuing to better yourself with knowledge and education, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “We don’t develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.” ―Barbara De Angelis Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? What are your essential ingredients What do you love about music… Cats People… Legacy

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4.9
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

Life’s Essential Ingredients is spinoff of C4 Leaders, a California based non-profit who uses PIZZA to guide all people in RISING TOGETHER. The show is hosted by two best friends who were college roommates at the University of San Francisco – (Jeff with a Mike).  Just launched Season 6 with the show currently listened to in 145 countries and 1603 cities.The educational and entertaining show takes a deep, yet humorous look at life’s essential ingredients. The hosts engage in interesting conversation with some of the world’s best leaders, authors, athletes, musicians, chefs, architects, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, comedians, CEOs, coaches, professors, teachers, and many, many, more industries and professions. The goal of the show is to have the guest highlight their life’s essential ingredients and for the listener to add an ingredient or two to their life recipe.The hosts create space for the guest to be the star of the show and provide an incredible platform to highlight their life, their business, their passion, and most importantly, their gift they share with the world.  Our listeners are diverse and 9% are 18-24, 18% 25-29, 13% 30-34, 18% 35-44, 18% 45-54, and 55+ 24%.  

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Christian and Mike Sestich
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    210
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Life's Essential Ingredients
  • Show Website
    Life's Essential Ingredients