Awkwardly Awesome w/ Jason Freeman

Jason Freeman
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Jason Freeman is a professional speaker, author, and podcaster who makes his living using the very same voice and speech impediment that he spent nearly thirty years of his life trying to hide, proving that sometimes our most awkward obstacles can be our most awesome gifts. Awkwardly Awesome Podcast is a show founded on the belief that EVERYONE has an important and engaging story to tell. Sometimes profound, sometimes funny, educational and always motivational. May you, dear listener, use this podcast to relate and better understand, to be inspired and increase productivity in the areas of your life that you wish to improve. New episodes EVERY Wednesday. _______________________________________________ **Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest **Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

  1. 3d ago

    Fan Favorite: Saying Yes with Shiloh Oorlog

    I just love this conversation with my longtime friend, Shiloh Oorlog. We've been friend's since college and yet, this interview brought up things I had no idea about her.   It's really quite fascinating how, when we've known someone for a long time, we tend to get used to thinking about them in a certain way and engaging with them in familiar ways. BUT, when we get to experience them in new environments, with different people, or in an entirely different format–like a podcast–there's almost always something new to discover!   You're not going to want to miss this revealing, Fan Favorite episode about music, nonprofit work, and the unexpected paths and small accidents that lead to an incredibly meaningful life.   _______________________________________________ **Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest **Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

  2. Jul 22

    Nitty-Gritty Hope with Katelyn Cook | Ep. 286

    “Hey, this experience, as painful and disruptive to my life as it was, allows me to connect with a whole different group of people in a way I couldn’t have before….the choice isn’t easy at all, but I do have a choice to find light in the challenge, to sometimes make a dark joke and move on.”  ~ Katelyn Cook   At the end of her senior year of college, Katelyn Cook was excited to be graduating with a major in speech pathology and was eager to begin her career.  But, she also found herself pretty bummed that her friends, one after another, had called and said they couldn’t come to her 24th birthday party.  She had no idea that far from having other things to do, her friends were planning a party for her.  On the evening that was meant to be a joyous surprise party, Katelyn got into a horrendous traffic accident involving a semi-truck.     Fortunately, she survived the calamity.  Unfortunately, she sustained a traumatic brain injury as a result of it.  “Everything came on me with hurricane force.  I was planning to be a speech therapist.  Suddenly, I was a client struggling to get through speech therapy session after speech therapy session.”  Beyond relearning how to have conversations, Katelyn also struggled with severe anxiety and depression which was, at times, debilitating.    In the midst of these intense struggles, Katelyn came to understand that she had a choice in the matter and came to the realization that she could do more good alive than dead.  “I choose life.”   Her most crucial decision made, Katelyn rediscovered the determination she had before the accident, “give me the worst case scenario and I will tell you the best way to get through it.”   She became an Independent skills instructor with individuals with neurodiversities, and then took a position as a supervisor.   She currently works for SafeinHome.  SafeinHome empowers people with disabilities or other challenges to live independently in their own homes and communities using remote support technologies.   Katelyn has the following advice for anyone embarking on a healing journey, “Find one thing that brings you joy each day and get a good therapist.”   _______________________________________________ **Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest **Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

  3. Jul 15

    Mind Your Business with Kevin Elsing | Ep. 285

    “As technology is changing the way we work, people are going to need to become more passionate, and really follow their passion.  Mundane jobs are going away.  Without something to be passionate about, it could leave our idle hands to do bad things.” ~ Kevin Elsing   Kevin Elsing knows a thing or two about following his passions.  While pursuing an education in electronic engineering after high school, he felt a shiny, new drum set would make for a more appropriate use of his student loan funds.   And he wasn’t entirely wrong…   Kevin joined Crash Alley, a local band from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for the recording of, and the touring behind, their second album, “Loud ‘N’ Ugly”.  His addition to the rhythm section proved to be the exciting push the band needed to really take off into the stratosphere.  From 1991 to 1993, Crash Alley toured non-stop, playing nearly 300 nights a year, opening for iconic bands as varied as Aerosmith, Quiet Riot, and Steppenwolf to Dokken, Warrant, and Pantera.  The band's intense focus and commitment attracted several record labels and ultimately landed them a major label showcase with Atlantic Records.  In 2025, Crash Alley was even inducted into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association Hall of Fame.     But it wasn’t all accolades, Crash Alley played an important role in Kevin Elsing’s love life.  He met his future wife while performing at the Pomp Room, a legendary Sioux Falls bar some 33 years ago and, all these years later, they remain happily married with two children.   Kevin admits he loved his stint as a local rock legend.  Having soared to such great heights, on the heels of his musical passion, he became increasingly interested in his other passions and giving them wings as well.   Those passions lead to him to become the virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO) for businesses that are too small to support their own IT services through his company ELBO Computing Resources Inc.     In addition, he’s become  passionate about helping people strengthen their critical thinking skills in the age of AI and speaks to audiences on the topic.     Kevin is also heavily involved with Navigating Beliefs, teaching Street Epistemology (SE), a conversational method designed to help people critically examine their own beliefs so that they can shift from argumentative debates to collaborative discussions, even on the most polarizing of issues.   Kevin says, “Everything that we do impacts other things.  If we make one change, it flows down river to impact other things.”   To hear more of this local legend’s stories and words of wisdom, you’ll have to tune in.   _______________________________________________ **Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest **Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

  4. Jul 8

    Strongly Bonded: A Mother's Fight for Her Son's Future with Sarah Anthony | Ep. 284

    “The only thing I wanted for my son was the best opportunities to have access to what he needed.” ~ Sarah Anthony   Sarah Anthony was well along her path to becoming a lawyer when her son, Aden, was diagnosed with autism at the age of two.  At that time, “austim” was a word Sarah had hardly heard, as the condition was not widely known or discussed.   Like many things in life, a diagnosis of autism comes with its own gifts, as well as its own challenges.  Perhaps one of the biggest hurdles a family who has a child with a disability faces is finding a supportive community.     An introvert at heart, Sarah takes pride that she grew up in small towns around California with populations of 5,000 or less.  She envisioned raising Aden in a similar fashion.  Small towns have strong bonds, after all, and they have a way of looking out for their residents in ways that are often lost in their larger counterparts.     But, life contains so many “howevers” and one of Sarah’s came in the form of her mentor pointing out that as idyllic as small town life for Aden sounded, the reality was that he would have far more access to the services he needed in a metropolitan area.     Her mentor’s recommendation?  She suggested that Sarah and Aden move to Sacramento, a place with a metro population of 2.48 million . . . a mere 500 times larger than anything Sarah or Aden had even known.  Suffice to say, Sarah offered a hard “no” to the idea.  She simply wasn’t ready to take that big of a leap.      However, a year later, her mentor tried again.  This time Sarah was more receptive.  She remembered her grandparents, who had a huge and joyful social circle which Sarah got to experience whenever she had the chance to visit them in Berkley.  She’d always cherished those memories and could finally start to see the benefit of her son having easy access to something similar.    Not wanting to waste even another day contemplating, Sarah sprung into action.  A few hours after talking with her mentor, she leased an apartment, sight unseen, and she and her son were off to Sacramento!   In Sacramento, Aden received outstanding services, made friends and built a community that he loved and that loved him in return.     With Aden’s needs met, Sarah felt comfortable giving some attention back to herself and her desires.  In the process she met a man, fell in love and got married.    Now Aden is 22 years old and delights in doing things that challenge him, inspire him and bring him joy.  Meanwhile, Sarah works for SafeinHome.  SafeinHome empowers people with disabilities or other challenges to live independently in their own homes and communities using a remote support staff and assistive technologies.   Sarah describes her bond with Aden, “It’s a partnership between Aden and I.  He is as much an active person in this.  I’ve learned so much about life from him.  I have such admiration for him and his willingness to try again and again.”   Please join me for this inspiring conversation.   _______________________________________________ **Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest **Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

  5. Jul 1

    Relentless Champion with Anne Porter | Ep. 283

    “You mean there’re other things besides having fun?  Unless it’s fun on some fundamental level, for me, it’s not going to happen.  Humans play.  On a spiritual level, I think it’s our job as humans to find joy.  Whatever you pick, try to find some joy in it.  Just have some fun.”  ~ Anne Porter   Since retiring from a career passionately supporting the arts in various capacities, Anne Porter, AP as her friends fondly call her, has dedicated herself to relentlessly pursuing the things that bring her joy and purpose.  Proudly carrying on a tradition learned from her parents, who were heavily involved in volunteer work, sitting on boards and building community in San Diego, Anne champions the causes she’s passionate about regardless of whether or not they are backed by an official organization.  For instance, she once threw a compost themed birthday party for herself to at once celebrate composting, which she believes in, while making it fun and engaging for everyone in attendance.   Five years ago, Anne relocated from San Diego to the northern Baja region of Mexico.  Even though Mexico is not her native land, she cares immensely for her community and its flourishing.  As the president of the board of Four Walls International, she and her fellow team members are dedicated to ecological preservation and community development in the Tijuana River Watershed.  While the problems they’re working towards finding solutions for are unlikely to be solved in her lifetime, Anne delights in the relentless pursuit of possible solutions.    Anne Porter knows there is great power in connecting with each other and believes that our ability to look past our differences and come together for a united purpose will forever offer hope for the world.     Never one to waste her free time, Anne is the consummate traveler and trier of new things.  In the last few years, she’s taken up writing poetry, wielding, and is soon to embark on a two week glass blowing course.   I’ve been friends with Anne for years and have always found her so encouraging and inspiring. I’m truly delighted to get to share her brilliance with you.    _______________________________________________ **Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest **Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

  6. Jun 24

    Love Substantially: Building Systems of Care with Sarah Meagher.| Ep. 282

    “I think for so many people guilt is a paralyzing thing which gives them blinders.  At the bottom of it all we are one humanity, all with dignity.”  ~ Sarah Meagher Sarah Meagher was 18 years old when she first came face to face with mass scale poverty. She was on a youth group service trip to Mexico, and for Sarah the experience was not only overwhelming, it brought about deep feelings of guilt and shame for the abundance that was part of her daily life back home.     Shame is a powerful force.  Sarah was aware that she could try and shut out the realities she experienced in Mexico once she was back home and had distance from it.  But she didn’t want to.  She chose not to.     Instead, the experience inspired great purpose within her.  She went on to visit the Dominican Republic, Peru, and Guatemala.  She worked directly with people experiencing poverty.  The experience informed a greater understanding of what it meant to love, “It’s one thing to say you love someone or something, but if there’s no action behind it, it’s not good enough.”      Sarah spent a year volunteering as a teaching fellow in the South Bronx, then continued as an elementary art teacher at the same school while earning her Masters of Science in Education.  As she recounts in her TEDx talk, the first year was extremely challenging.  Leaning into her early experiences, she began to express how much she loved and valued each  of her students.  A short time into her second year of teaching, everything shifted in a way that allowed her students to feel cared for and successful.   While working in the South Bronx, Sarah also met her husband.  They had two children and eventually decided to move back to Sarah’s hometown of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  This is where Sarah continued some of her most fulfilling work.  Together, with a local non-profit, she created and launched a holistic curriculum, an educational framework designed to develop the "whole child" from birth through adolescence by addressing their physical, emotional, social, ethical, and academic needs.   None of us will have the honor of solving ALL of the world's problems, but Sarah’s heart-warming story reminds me of the power we ALL have to spread love far and wide, well beyond the limits of what we can imagine.   _______________________________________________ **Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest **Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

  7. Jun 17

    FAN FAVORITE: You Matter Greatly with Tom Clute

    We all have challenges, which is why we need people like Tom Clute to remind us that we matter greatly.  That what we are doing is worth the effort.  That we’re free to choose challenges, to struggle, to be resilient and to try and try again.   Tom Clute walks his talk.  He’s an honorably discharged, disabled US Air Force Veteran, he has a Master of Social Work (MSW), is an advocate and resource in the mental health community, and I’m continuously inspired by him.  Considering this episode is a "Fan Favorite", it would appear I am far from alone. Once again, I’m honored to get to share Tom Clute's gentle wisdom with all of you!   _______________________________________________ **Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest **Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

  8. Jun 10

    The Essential Extra: From Honk! to Mrs. Maisel with Emily Magera | Ep. 281

    “I want middle school, high school and college students to feel loved and cared for.  That they are more than just the talent they bring to the stage.  I want them to feel that they are worth knowing and treasuring.” ~ Emily Magera Emily Magera caught her first big break in third grade.  She was cast in “Honk!”, a popular, Olivier Award-winning musical that retells Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale, “The Ugly Duckling”.  For a young girl in the small town of Aberdeen, South Dakota–population 30,000–this was a huge honor.  By fifth grade, Emily and the rest of the Aberdeen “Honk!” cast found themselves in Japan, part of a world festival for children’s performing arts with the show.  While there, she witnessed kids from countries around the world, performing different plays in a variety of languages.  From this beautiful experience, she learned a valuable lesson in communication as she noticed how much of a story could be told through action and emotions that transcend language barriers.  This transformative and essential experience led Emily to pursue show choir, dance classes, plays and musicals throughout high school and college.   Towards the end of her stint at the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota, Emily found herself, a little afraid and uncertain, debating between going to New York City to pursue an acting career and staying in South Dakota, close to family and the life she’d always known.  An acquaintance ultimately helped her make up her mind by asking what she feared more, failing in New York City?  Or spending the rest of her life wondering “what if” she could have succeeded in the Big Apple?   So...Emily took off for NYC and fairly quickly landed the role of core ensemble on the final season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”, an Amazon Prime original series inspired by the real-life experiences of trailblazing female comedians in the 1950s and 60s.  During the filming of episode after episode, Emily realized that even though she was “technically” an extra, she still had the freedom to devote her heart and creativity fully to the role and to feel like an essential part of the show.   After “Mrs. Maisel” wrapped production, life called Emily back home to South Dakota where she could be closer to her aging grandparents and pursue new opportunities.   However, Emily missed the obstacles and challenges that were part of her daily life in New York City.  She wanted to learn more about how people communicate in a productive way, so she enrolled in a mostly long distance program at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington and obtained a master’s degree in Communications and Leadership studies.  As part of finishing her coursework, Emily gave a brilliant and uplifting speech at TEDx Sioux Falls, where I was fortunate to be in the audience.  Now, I feel fortunate to have Emily as our next guest, along this part of her journey, so that she can share her essential brilliance with you.    _______________________________________________ **Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest **Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

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About

Jason Freeman is a professional speaker, author, and podcaster who makes his living using the very same voice and speech impediment that he spent nearly thirty years of his life trying to hide, proving that sometimes our most awkward obstacles can be our most awesome gifts. Awkwardly Awesome Podcast is a show founded on the belief that EVERYONE has an important and engaging story to tell. Sometimes profound, sometimes funny, educational and always motivational. May you, dear listener, use this podcast to relate and better understand, to be inspired and increase productivity in the areas of your life that you wish to improve. New episodes EVERY Wednesday. _______________________________________________ **Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest **Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

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