The Connection Code with Rachel and Jeana

Jeana Anderson Cohen and Rachel Gillman Rischall
  • 5.0 (37)
  • Careers

The Connection Code is a show about the relationships that make your life and work just a little bit better.

  1. 1d ago

    How Curiosity, Confidence & Connection Build a Career with Lilliana Vazquez

    What happens when your dream job ends? For fashion expert, media personality, and entrepreneur Lilliana Vazquez, it became the beginning of something even bigger. In this conversation, Rachel sits down with Lilliana to explore the connections that have shaped her remarkable career—from cold-calling a television station and becoming the first Latina host of E! News to reinventing herself as one of today's most trusted style creators. But this episode isn't really about fashion. It's about curiosity. Persistence. Learning to stop chasing external validation. And building authentic relationships instead of transactional networks. Together, they discuss: Why curiosity is one of the most underrated career skills.How meaningful networking starts with genuine conversation—not titles.What it took to rebuild her identity after leaving legacy television.Why women should stop apologizing for being ambitious and persistent.The mindset shift from scarcity to abundance.Why your greatest advantage is becoming more of yourself—not more like everyone else.Plus, Rachel and Jeana reflect on carrying each other through different seasons of work, share their latest Show & Tell picks—from Mahjong to All the Cool Girls Get Fired—and explore why the best connections often begin with simply asking better questions. Whether you're navigating a career transition, growing your confidence, or simply trying to build deeper relationships, this conversation is full of practical wisdom and refreshing honesty.

    1h 3m

  2. Jun 24

    Mosheh Oinounou (Mo News) Revisited: Trust, Fatherhood, and Looking Up From the Phone

    Rachel and Jeana welcome back their very first reconnection guest: Mo News founder and journalist Mosh Oinounou. Since his first appearance on The Connection Code, Mosh's world has grown in every direction. Mo News has expanded, he's preparing to welcome his second child, and he's spending more time thinking about what it means to stay connected—not just to the headlines, but to the people and moments that matter most. Together, they explore the surprising relationship between trust and connection, why Americans are trusting institutions less than ever before, and how loneliness, isolation, and declining civic engagement may all be part of the same story. Mosh shares what fatherhood has taught him about leadership, the challenge of balancing entrepreneurship with presence, and why a conversation between his two-year-old daughter and a 96-year-old stranger became one of his favorite moments of the year. Plus: Why millennials struggle to unplug from workThe pressure of building a business in a 24/7 news cycleHow admitting mistakes can actually build trustThe rise of parasocial relationships and creator-led mediaWhat Mosh knows about himself today that he didn't know a year agoThis conversation is about news, but it's also about family, friendship, self-awareness, and the moments we're tempted to miss when we're staring at our phones. Links: Mo NewsMo News InstagramBooks: Nowhere for Very LongYesteryearOne Golden SummerMad MabelRevealing

    1h 8m

  3. Jun 17

    The Friendship Questions We've Never Asked Each Other

    This week, it's just Rachel and Jeana. No guest. No expert. Just two friends asking each other the friendship and connection questions they've always wanted to explore. Why do some friendships feel effortless while others require more work? How do you handle jealousy when a friend gets something you want? What do you do when judgment sneaks into a relationship? And how many friendships do we actually need to feel connected? Along the way, Rachel and Jeana discuss: Why maintaining your network is a life skill no one teachesThe surprising difference between jealousy and judgmentHow to stop comparing your path to someone else'sWhy not every friendship needs to be a best friendshipThe categories of friends we all need (fun friends, deep-talk friends, emergency friends, and more)How to identify your "people"Why taking the call matters more than you thinkThe role friendship plays in building a meaningful lifePlus: Jeana shares a major milestone for Petite Acres, and Rachel reflects on the overwhelming response to Lily's episode about autism and friendship. Whether you're thinking about your closest relationships or wondering who you should text back right now, this conversation is an invitation to take stock of the people who matter most. Links and resources: Travel + Leisure feature on Petite AcresPetite Acres: Petite AcresListen to our episode with Laura Sanchez GreenbergListen to our episode with Lily Engelbret on autism and friendship

    41 min

  4. Jun 3

    Why is adult friendship so hard? (And how do we make our relationships better?)

    Friendship isn't hard because you're doing it wrong. It's hard because adulthood changes everything. This week, Rachel and Jeana unpack why friendships drift, why they break, and what actually keeps them alive. Together, they explore the realities of friendship drift, life stage changes, geographic distance, busy schedules, and the small misunderstandings that can quietly erode even meaningful relationships. They share personal stories about friendships that changed over time, the challenges of conflict and communication, and the surprising role that proximity plays in who stays in our lives. But this isn't just a conversation about why friendships struggle. It's also about what helps them survive. From recurring rituals and honest conversations to flexibility, generosity, and simply continuing to show up, Rachel and Jeana unpack the habits that keep friendships strong through changing seasons. If you've ever wondered why it's harder to make plans, harder to stay close, or why someone who once felt like family slowly drifted away, this episode is for you. Because friendship isn't effortless, but it is worth the effort.

    49 min

  5. May 27

    A firsthand look at connection and autism featuring Lily Engelbret

    This episode of The Connection Code is one of our most personal and eye-opening yet. Rachel and Jeana sit down with Rachel’s 12-year-old niece, Lily Engelbret, to talk about what it’s been like to learn she’s autistic. Lily shares how that has shaped the way she experiences friendship, school, masking, and connection. With incredible honesty, humor, and wisdom beyond her years, Lily shares what autism means to her, why she prefers saying “I’m autistic” over “I have autism,” and how masking can make school feel exhausting. She also opens up about sensory overload, friendship, special interests (including SNL and Marcelo Hernandez), and the ways autism can feel both challenging and like a superpower. The conversation explores: what masking actually feels likewhy autism can look different in every personthe emotional toll of trying to “fit in”how adults can better support autistic kidswhy asking “What would help right now?” matters more than “What’s wrong?”how connection changes when someone truly understands your experienceIt’s a moving, funny, deeply human conversation about being understood ... and creating space for people to show up as themselves.

    34 min
  6. Why Sara Haines of The View is the Internet’s Best Friend (with friendship tips)

    May 20

    Why Sara Haines of The View is the Internet’s Best Friend (with friendship tips)

    Sara Haines spends her days connecting with millions of viewers on The View, but in this episode of The Connection Code, she joins us for a much more personal conversation about friendship, vulnerability, homesickness, motherhood, and the people who make us feel truly seen. We talk about: why curiosity matters more than networkingthe emotional power of female friendshipswhat Sara has learned from interviewing people for a livingthe “I don’t know who needs to hear this” Instagram videos that made Rachel feel like Sara is the internet’s therapisthow becoming a parent changes the way you understand your own parentswhy Sara believes the people beside you matter just as much as the people above youand the surprisingly emotional reason she still cries saying goodbye to her parents This episode is funny, unexpectedly emotional, and full of the kinds of conversations that remind you you’re not alone.

    1h 1m

  7. May 13

    Friendship Trends Under the Microscope. Should We Stop Doing Catch-Up Dinners?

    This week on The Connection Code, Jeana and Rachel are diving into the friendship stories, trends, and hot takes taking over the internet right now. From the rise of “doorbell friends” and apps designed to match you with new friends, to whether we should stop doing catch-up dinners entirely, this episode is a real-time conversation about how connection is changing — and what we may be gaining (or losing) along the way. We also talk about: why our daily word count is droppingthe importance of talking to strangersnovelty vs. consistency in adult friendshipsthe hidden magic of spontaneous planswhy friendship algorithms may narrow our worldviewthe social dynamics of plus-ones at curated dinnersand the surprisingly emotional case for neighborhood friendshipsIt’s part cultural analysis, part friendship therapy, and fully a “grab bag” episode in the best possible way. Links to all articles, posts, and references discussed are included in the show notes. Articles and posts discussed: The Wall Street Journal's "We’re All Talking to Each Other Less Than We Did a Decade Ago"The case against friendship catch ups from @loganuryFrom The Walrus "I Was Lonely and Let an App Pick My New Friends. Here’s How It Went"From Popsugar, "Why "Doorbell Friends" May Be the Most Important Relationship You Have"From The New York Time, "Public Offering," which asks the question, "How often are you talking to strangers?"From Sunday Scaries, a view from the friend who wishes you wouldn't invite a +1 to their curated dinner.

    38 min
  8. Journaling as a Tool for Clarity, Confidence, and Connection with Laura L. Rubin

    May 6

    Journaling as a Tool for Clarity, Confidence, and Connection with Laura L. Rubin

    What if just four minutes a day could change the way you make decisions, navigate relationships, and understand yourself? In this episode, we talk with Laura L. Rubin about the transformative power of journaling ... not as a “nice-to-have,” but as a tool for clarity, confidence, and connection. From processing conflict to making life’s biggest decisions, Laura shares how putting pen to paper helps quiet the noise and bring you back to what’s true. We explore: How journaling helps you move from reactivity to clarityWhy self-connection is the foundation of all meaningful relationshipsThe simple 4x4x4 method to make journaling stickAnd the mindset shift that can change how you show up in your lifeThis conversation might just inspire you to pick up a pen—and finally listen to yourself.

    51 min
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Trailers

5
out of 5
37 Ratings

About

The Connection Code is a show about the relationships that make your life and work just a little bit better.

Information

  • Creator
    Jeana Anderson Cohen and Rachel Gillman Rischall
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jeana Anderson Cohen and Rachel Gillman Rischall
  • Show Website
    The Connection Code with Rachel and Jeana

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