Firestarters with Shannon Watts

Shannon Watts
  • 4.8 (24)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS

Firestarters is a podcast filled with inspiring interviews of women living audacious lives and encouraging others to do the same. shannonwatts.substack.com shannonwatts.substack.com

  1. FEB 9

    Dr. Maria Sophocles on sexual health in midlife and beyond

    Dr. Maria Sophocles is a board-certified OB/GYN and a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner. She is a nationally recognized thought leader in menopause and female sexual function, and a frequent panelist and speaker for women’s health advocacy, investment, and policy. She is also the author of The Bedroom Gap: Rewrite the Rules and Roles of Sex in Mid Life (available on February 10th), which offers a roadmap for midlife women, couples, clinicians and anyone wanting to understand – and change – how we age, sexually speaking. In this conversation, we discussed why sex ed in schools needs to be revamped, how menopause can impact your sex life (and how to talk to your partner and doctor about it!), how resources like hormone replacement therapy and vaginal estrogen can help women in menopause, and we dispelled myths about sex and aging. Connect with Maria: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | TED Talk In case you missed it, read my essay on why women in midlife are having the best sex of their lives. For women ready to stop living on autopilot and playing it small, Fired Up will show you how to shatter your self imposed limitations and unleash your potential so you can finally start living the life you’ve always wanted. Click to order. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

    29 min

  2. JAN 26

    Jennifer Wallace on why "mattering" is the key to a meaningful life

    Jennifer Wallace is an award-winning journalist and bestselling author who explores the power of mattering in everyday life. Her first book, Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic — And What We Can Do About It, was a New York Times Bestseller, an Amazon Best Book of the Year, and a Next Big Idea selection. Her forthcoming book Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose, will be published on January 27th. Jennifer is also the founder of The Mattering Institute, whose mission is to create cultures of mattering in workplaces and communities. In this conversation, we discussed how people in today’s society no longer feel valued, why mattering is an essential human need, the distinction between belonging and mattering, and tips on how to help people (and ourselves!) feel like they matter. Connect with Jennifer: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn For women ready to stop living on autopilot and playing it small, Fired Up will show you how to shatter your self imposed limitations and unleash your potential so you can finally start living the life you’ve always wanted. Click to order. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

    26 min

  3. JAN 20

    Mikala Jamison on navigating wellness culture

    Mikala Jamison is an award-winning journalist, the creator of the bestselling Body Type newsletter, and a health and culture writer for outlets like The Atlantic and The Washington Post. She has worked as a certified group fitness instructor and trained as a competitive powerlifter, and also created the body-image focused live storytelling show, The Body Show. In this conversation, we discussed her experience with a binge eating disorder, the power of strength training, and how to get help for the people in your life who are struggling with body image. Connect with Mikala: Substack | Instagram For women ready to stop living on autopilot and playing it small, Fired Up will show you how to shatter your self imposed limitations and unleash your potential so you can finally start living the life you’ve always wanted. Click to order. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

    32 min

  4. 11/26/2025

    How to have meaningful conversations online

    Malynda Hale is a multi-hyphenate content creator, award-winning actress, and singer based in Los Angeles who uses her voice and platform to drive meaningful conversations around activism, justice, and human rights through digital media and storytelling. During our conversation, Malynda and I discuss her spiritual journey, how activism and faith can go hand in hand, and how she handles the blowback she gets for attempting nuance online. Malynda also tells us about The New Evangelicals, her new nonprofit focused on confronting Christian nationalism and redefining Christian activism. Connect with Malynda: Website | Instagram | Substack For women ready to stop living on autopilot and playing it small, Fired Up will show you how to shatter your self imposed limitations and unleash your potential so you can finally start living the life you’ve always wanted. Click to order. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

    28 min

  5. 11/19/2025

    The barriers making women feel like they don't belong in the workplace

    We’ve been talking about imposter syndrome, specifically in the workplace, this week. I was grateful to talk with Dr. Amy Diehl and Leanne Dzubinski, the co-authors of “Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work.” Together, they share with us the six gender bias barriers and how they are affecting women every single day across all industries, as well as how these systems, built for and by men, are holding women back. After watching the replay, be sure to check out the other pieces in this series: * Why women feel like imposters in spaces that value masculine traits * Five women who are the first in their male-dominated fields Join us on Friday to round out this series and share your experiences with imposter syndrome in the workplace. For women ready to stop living on autopilot and playing it small, Fired Up will show you how to shatter your self imposed limitations and unleash your potential so you can finally start living the life you’ve always wanted. Click to order. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

    33 min

  6. 11/11/2025

    How to dismantle male supremacy with Soraya Chemaly

    Soraya Chemaly is an award-winning writer, activist, and director known for her influential work on feminism, gender justice, and women’s rights. She is the author of the critically acclaimed book Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger (2018), which explores how women are socialized to suppress anger and the transformative potential of channeling that emotion constructively. Her work in examining issues ranging from gender-based violence and online harassment to media representation and institutional sexism has resulted in her latest book, “All We Want Is Everything: How We Dismantle Male Supremacy,” an unflinching analysis of how naming male supremacy—in everything from private relationships to global politics—is essential to resisting the forces threatening democracy. Connect with Soraya: Website | Substack | Instagram | Buy the Book For women ready to stop living on autopilot and playing it small, Fired Up will show you how to shatter your self imposed limitations and unleash your potential so you can finally start living the life you’ve always wanted. Click to order. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

    37 min

  7. 11/04/2025

    Democratic Whip Katherine Clark on the dire consequences of the government shutdown

    Katherine Clark, the highest-ranking woman in Congress, has made supporting American families a cornerstone of her congressional career. From championing policies like universal childcare to supporting paid family leave to providing affordable healthcare, Democratic Whip Clark is dedicated to creating policy that will ease the financial burdens and daily challenges facing people across the country. In this conversation, we talk about the suffering caused by the six-week Republican government shutdown, including a pause in SNAP payments, increased insurance premiums, and shuttered child care facilities. We also discuss the status of the shutdown, and what every-day Americans can do to make Republicans come to the negotiating table. Connect with Whip Clark: Website | Instagram For women ready to stop living on autopilot and playing it small, Fired Up will show you how to shatter your self imposed limitations and unleash your potential so you can finally start living the life you’ve always wanted. Click to order. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

    28 min

  8. 11/03/2025

    Lorissa Rinehart says we should look to America’s first Congresswoman for answers to modern-day problems

    In her new biography, Lorissa Rinehart delivers the first-ever detailed account of the life of Jeannette Rankin, the first American woman to serve in Congress. “Winning the Earthquake: How Jeannette Rankin Defied All Odds to Become the First Woman in Congress” shows how Rankin’s determination, moral conviction, and savvy ultimately resulted in a cultural and political seismic shift in the US. Connect with Lorissa: Buy the Book | Substack | Website | Instagram For women ready to stop living on autopilot and playing it small, Fired Up will show you how to shatter your self imposed limitations and unleash your potential so you can finally start living the life you’ve always wanted. Click to order. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe

    27 min
See All (66)

4.8
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

Firestarters is a podcast filled with inspiring interviews of women living audacious lives and encouraging others to do the same. shannonwatts.substack.com shannonwatts.substack.com

Information

You Might Also Like