Life's Essential Ingredients

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

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 1564 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. 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

  2. Jul 30

    Swimming Towards Empowerment and Transformation with Therapist and Coach Ludovica Colella.

    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 #25 Ludovica Colella is coming from Naples, Italy (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Ludovica via her website lu-cole.com.   Change, Grow, Become! Ludovica is a CBT-trained psychotherapist and confidence coach specializing in people-pleasing, fawning, and self-abandonment. She works with high-functioning women who are exhausted from over-giving and living for everyone else’s approval — and helps them build boundaries that actually hold. Featured in Forbes, Newsweek, Business Insider, and VeryWellMind, Ludovica brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every conversation.  She’s the founder of LuCole LTD and has worked with clients globally. Her core question: why do intelligent, self-aware people keep repeating the same patterns even when they know exactly what they should do?  That question and many more will be answered on today’s podcast.   Ludovica, thanks for sharing your gifts and talents with people all over the world, thanks for taking your pain and turning it into your purpose and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show. TOTD – “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”― Helen Keller Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: Have to talk pizza first… What was life like growing up? Groomed to Care as a child… Being Empathic but with boundaries… Understanding Patterns, Where they came from, what they are protecting you from, and how to start doing things different in moments that matter… Looking at the beliefs underneath the behavior…the ones that feel so true you never questioned them (my needs are too much, I’m only lovable when I am useful, if I disagree they’ll leave… People Pleasers – good at what you do but running on empty, say yes but then are resentful and guilty about being resentful, hard to say NO, know what to do but doing is difficult, put in the work but something still isn’t shifting your behavior Emotional Hypervigilance Overthinking Text Messages in Relationships Fawning Trauma Response – what is it – giving excessive insincere praise…. Rewriting Your Story… The power of healthy anger.. Why People Pleasers Attracting Emotionally Unavailable Partners Conditioning and how can we rewrite that story… Intuition and Belief… Self Awareness… Learning to say NO and set up Boundaries Congrats on your journal you wrote…THE FEEL GOOD JOURNAL… Healing…

  3. Jul 25

    Tools to use While Riding the Wave of Resiliency with Karen Danlovich

    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 #24 Karen Danlovich is coming from St. Augustine, Florida (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Karen via her website tidalresilience.org About our Guest: Karen is the Founder and Executive Director of Tidal Resilience Foundation, a nonprofit in coastal Florida supporting children and families navigating the loss of a parent or caregiver. Her life has been shaped by profound loss — losing her mom at nine, her dad at nineteen, and later her grandparents — experiences that taught her early what it means to survive deep grief and still keep moving forward.  Karen built her career as an educator, teaching social studies, coaching dance, directing student programs, and later serving as an assistant principal. She also spent five seasons as an NFL cheerleader for the Jacksonville Jaguars, serving as team captain while teaching full‑time — a decade defined by discipline, leadership, and service.  Her work today blends her educational background with the belief that the ocean is one of our greatest teachers. Through Tidal Resilience Foundation, she leads programs rooted in ocean‑based resilience, including Resilience Kits, Resilience Rides, community events, and The Reef, an online learning sanctuary offering free resources for families navigating the loss of a parent or caregiver. Each program is designed to help young people build grounding, emotional regulation, and connection as they move through grief.  Karen’s mission is simple and powerful: to turn her personal story into a shared one — creating a community where grieving children and families feel seen, supported, and strengthened. She believes that when we take care of the ocean, the ocean takes care of us, and that its lessons can guide families through even the roughest waters of loss. Karen, thanks for sharing your vulnerability with people all over the world, thanks for guiding families through difficult waters and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show. TOTD – “When a great ship is in harbor and moored, it is safe, there can be no doubt.  But that is not what great ships are built for.”                       John A. Shedd Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? Love the name of your nonprofit…what is the deeper meaning to it… Grief meets the ocean…how does someone know they are grieving…Kubler Ross’s 5 stages of grief… Core Values – Compassion, Resilience, Empowerment, Connection, Stewardship, Education 1 in 11 children by the age of 18 will experience the death of a parent or sibling… the cost of inaction… Tidal Resilience Foundation supports children and families navigating the loss of a parent or caregiver. Through ocean-centered experiences, resilience-building resources, and compassionate community connection, we help young people build coping tools, rediscover moments of joy, and move toward healing with support. Request a Resilience Kit and Join a Resilience Ride  and The Reef Connection and Community Grief support Tools to help… Move with grief… Legacy

  4. Jul 24

    Positive Thoughts From Portobello Road with Charlotte Preval-Reed!

    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 #23 Charlotte Preval-Reed is coming from London, England (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Charlotte via her website charlotteprevalreed.com Delia and I were visiting London recently and were in this very cool part of London called Notting Hill and specifically, Portobello Road.  There were many aspects of the road that caught my attention but ONE stood out above the rest.   A single table, with a beautiful woman and some inspiring thoughts stopped me in my tracks (The Table of Positive Thoughts).   I began to read the thoughts (which if you have listened to this show, you know I love quotes…anything to help get my mind right)…I got goose bumps reading Charlotte’s words… Unfortunately, my wife was three blocks down the road and she carries the money…so I couldn’t purchase Charlotte’s book… we talked briefly and my heart was full of love, compassion, and inspiration with Charlotte’s inspirational story.   I was getting ready to thank Charlotte for having the courage to share her story ,when she kindly gave me her book. I thanked her again and I was on my way feeling blessed to have shared space with such a courageous person.    Upon getting home, I wanted to reach out and have Charlotte on the show – I knew the world needed to hear her story and this podcast needed to be a vehicle for positivity, inspiration, and hope.   A few months later…here we are.   Charlotte, thanks for your kindness that day, thanks for your courage and vulnerability in sharing your story, thanks for making our world a little better each day, one word at a time, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients… welcome to the show. TOTD – “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”               Maya Angelou Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? Your journey of mental health first symptoms to diagnosis to treatment… Two books – Positive Thoughts from Portobello Road and My Portobello Road to Happiness I know you speak to businesses about mental health…what are a few of the takeaways from your talks… Depression Depersonalization Disorder  Best thing a person can do who is suffering with depression…and the best thing someone can do to help someone who is having a mental health challenge… I know you have a dog…Lucy’s Secret Sauce… Stories you have heard from the people you have helped… Best part of being Charlotte Legacy

  5. Jul 23

    Communication Expert Sandy Gerber is Living Her Best Life with Insatiable Curiosity!

    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 #22 Sandy Gerber is coming from Victoria, British Columbia (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Sandy via her website sandygerber.com Sandy Gerber is a Communication Coach, Emotional Intelligence Trainer, and Best-Selling Author of Emotional Magnetism, which has won 24 international book awards. Sandy’s mission is to help people to have Connected Conversations. She’s ranked as #16 in the 2026 World’s Top 30 Communication Professionals by Global Gurus and the 2025 Women of Influence Creative Innovator.  If those accomplishments weren’t enough, Sandy also won a limbo contest at 14, which she insists is still one of her proudest accomplishments. Sandy is passionate about helping people to communicate to connect by developing and sharing emotionally intelligent communication tools people can start using right away at work and home. Congrats on an amazing career, thanks for helping people all over the world be better communicators, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! Podcast – Magnetic Communication… TOTD – “Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size But when I start to tell them, They think I'm telling lies. I say, It's in the reach of my arms The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I'm a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That's me.” Maya Angelou Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: I start and end every day with a practice I call the First and Last Thought of the Day, a simple tool for setting your day on purpose instead of just reacting to whatever hits you first. What was life like growing up? Regulating emotions…in the moment of activated… Communication failure that changed the trajectory of your life.. EI and AI…developing both… ALL IN on your podcast..100% benefit of the doubt…assuming good intent and the release of oxytocin vs. cortisol…RISE to belief vs. RUN… Body Language Signals… Adoration… Skills to create trust, influence and lasting relationships… First date conversation that built a 12 year marriage.. Congrats on being an tow-time author…Emotional Magnetism and your newest CONNECTED CONVERSATIONS… Connected Conversations Advantage Framework… Aware, Express and Engage Love your humor in your speaking profile … highlighting all the books and catch phrases… What do you love about reading and Books you recommend? Extensive blog from your website…5 human skills for 2026… Simple pocket tools to self-regulate under pressure  Legacy

  6. Jul 17

    Essential Ingredients for a Lifelong Friendship with the Original Fab Five!

    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 #21 The Fab Five (April, Erin, Danielle, Tiffany, and Lori) coming from beautiful southern California (inform, inspire, & transform) TOTD – “Friend, a person who doesn’t need to say a word, a listener of the heart, a healer with a warm touch, a rock for stability in turbulent times, the first one to shower you with encouragement, and the one person (5) you know who loves you unconditionally and will always be by your side.”                                                        Jeff Christian A little about our guests:  They call themselves the ORIGINAL FAB FIVE…not necessarily because they have hoop game…but because they are FABULOUS! The Fab Five grew up together in Thousand Oaks, California.   They have shared the highs and lows of life – together…over 5 decades worth of life experiences.  They are all turning 60 and they all continue to be the scaffolding for each other to provide support to reach things beyond their reach, to be a structure for each other to lean on when life gets wobbly, to be the safety net when caring for ailing parents, sick children, lost significant others and to BE the strong minded individual who can build anything to get the job done.    The FAB FIVE are…FABULOUS!  A little about the FAB FIVE – from Lori’s perspective. April: The Little Warrior. Friends since 7th grade. Small but mighty. Honest, caring, steadfast in her beliefs, always rooting for the underdog, world traveler, vegan. Don't let her little 110lb frame fool you - she'd be the first one to jump into a skirmish to defend the defenseless (or me).  Erin: The Mayor. Friends since 6th grade. Funny as hell, smart, an amazing organizer of events for our friends and her community, part-time flight attendant and loves to travel.  Danielle: The Garden Angel. Friends since high school. Sweet, straight shooter, considerate & thoughtful, finds peace in growing her flower garden and tending the birds and critters.  Tiffany: The Wealth Whisperer. Friends since high school. She and I were roommates for several years in our 20s - we laughed a lot and got into lots of shenanigans. Smart, self-made, with a tough exterior/soft and sensitive inside. Currently teaching all of us how to Options Trade so we can continue building wealth for ourselves after retirement.  Lori: Elementary school teacher. 2nd career of 25 years. Like to read, travel, imagine, and pretend I'm much younger than I am. Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? First memories of the friendship… Let’s talk friendship…what does that mean and how has the definition of friend changed throughout your meaningful friendship Everyone is in a different chapter in life… how nice has it been to be there for each other and to know you always have a friend to support you when needed. Hero, Highlight, or Hardship…you have experienced them all…TOGETHER… Bond that is timeless… Part of the friendship you are most proud of… Challenges of making friends in today’s world… Life’s Essential Ingredients…what are some of yours collectively… Advice for marriage, raising children, finding yourself, creating balance/harmony… Something you wish all significant others would know/do or say… Books you recommend? Legacy

  7. Jul 16

    Knowledge plus Application = Transformation with Coach Bonnie Butler!

    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 #20 Bonnie Butler is coming from San Antonio, Texas (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Bonnie via her website bonniebutlercoaching.com Bonnie Johnston Butler is a certified life coach, speaker, and teacher specializing in thought management and emotional resilience. Drawing from her experience as a mother of ten, four biological, six adopted, and former foster parent to 17 children, she founded Bonnie Butler Coaching to help parents and professionals transform overwhelm into clarity. Through practical strategies for emotional regulation and self-leadership, she empowers clients to overcome self-sabotage, navigate complex dynamics, and create purpose-driven lives.  Thanks for sharing your struggles, insights, hopes, dreams…with children, families, and people all over the world and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “When awareness is brought to an emotion, power is brought to your life.” — Tara Meyer Robson Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? Build Emotional Strength Restore Confidence Create a more connected home Heal the Hard Stories and trauma informed parenting… Courageous Conversations Parenting through different paths…and insight on healing and resilience Growing as a parent Things you wished you knew from day 1 Seeing growth in your kids… Staying out of the power struggle with your kids…signs that something is coming… Importance of family dinner… Not engaging in the negative emotions of parenting… Nobody wins…finding common ground and then building from there Tools for emotional regulation. Tools for resilience. tools for staying steady in the moments that matter most  Summit – give parents a day out away from the children…tools, coping skills… build a network of support… EFT – emotional freedom technique…tapping…

  8. Jul 9

    Raising Your Life and Leadership Game with Alan Stein Jr.

    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 #19 Alan Stein Jr. is coming from Gaithersburg, Maryland (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Alan via his website alansteinjr.com Alan Stein, Jr. has a passion for helping business leaders level up their behaviors. He spent 15+ years working with the highest performing basketball players on the planet (including NBA superstars Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Kobe Bryant).  Alan is a dynamic storyteller who delivers practical, actionable lessons that can be implemented immediately. He teaches proven principles on how to utilize the same approaches in business that elite athletes use to perform at a world-class level.  Now working center stage as a corporate keynote speaker, Alan brings high energy and the same work ethic he deployed as a performance coach.  Alan is a student of the game and has the mindset that he is constantly growing, learning, sharing, and is developing his current version of his best self.  Alan, thanks for helping athletes all over the world to perform at a higher level, thanks for guiding businesses, sports teams, and other organizations to simplify success and for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show!  TOTD – “At the end of life, most of us will find that we have felt most filled up by the challenges and successful struggles for mastery, creativity, and full expression of our dharma in the world.   Fulfillment happens not in retreat from the world, but in advance – and profound engagement.”                                                                                                                      Stephen Cope Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? Simplify Success Raise Your Game, Raise Their Game, Raise Our Game, Raise Your Sales, Sustain Your Game Closing the performance gap…make the time that allows you to be your best self… Congrats on being a 3-time author…NEXT PLAY, RAISE YOUR GAME, SUSTAIN YOUR GAME  Next play (in the moment (micro, immediately after what happened) Macro – down the road……skill…white board memory…just wipe it off the board…can’t let feelings and emotions dictate our actions…emotions serve a purpose but don’t allow them to dictate their behavior… Upgrading your operating system…think of phone it needs to update to work efficiently…what changes to we upgrade in ourselves, in our mind, in our emotions…are we spending time with people who will help us be who we want to be…positive environment/culture What is your identity attached to – process vs. outcome…who am I when things don’t work out… Attention to detail…to be great at something…INTENTION Putting in work in the unseen hours… What does the little voice in your head say…empowerment vs self-doubt Life’s Fundamentals…I never get bored with the basics…Better is Better, not more is better Overcoming the past… Being competitive…never letting your kids win…EVER.. Coach K Story,  Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant An assist – something that you do that adds value to someone else’s life…those on your team and those that you serve…can you make it contagious…intentional to add extra value A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle…need to light our candle first… 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 1564 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
    203
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Life's Essential Ingredients
  • Show Website
    Life's Essential Ingredients