Life's Essential Ingredients

Jeff Christian and Mike Sestich
  • 4.9 (27)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

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 1405 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. APR 30

    Season 6 Episode #13 Russell Van Brocklen is The Dyslexia Professor!

    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 #13 Russell Van Brocklen is coming from West Sand Lake, NY         (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Russell via his website https://dyslexiaclasses.com Dyslexia touches as many as 15–20 % of all learners, yet most families still hear “wait and see.” Russell flips that script. As the Dyslexia Professor, he translates structured-literacy methods proven most effective for struggling readers into bite-size actions parents can use right now. Russell’s clients know exactly why multisensory routines beat generic worksheets and with Russell’s expertise, start seeing progress before the next report card. Russell has over 10 years of experience in teaching students with Dyslexia techniques to overcome their current struggles and recognize the superpower they’ve been given.  Russell is a frequent speaker at various reading and writing conferences and has helped thousands of students reach for and achieve their dreams. Thanks for sharing your many gifts with people all over the world and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show. TOTD – “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.  In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”                                           Maya Angelou Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? Best part of growing up with Dyslexia? Most exciting part of helping individuals with dyslexia… What was special education like when you grew up and educators didn’t have the knowledge they have now… Helping individuals find their secret sauce… Best thing a parent can do to help their child?    Writing to Read…is a process you created… PRACTICE…. Developing trust in one’s self to know they can do it… Books you recommend? Legacy

    56 min

  2. APR 21

    Season 6 Episode #12 Jason Lyle is Leading with Love and Authenticity!

    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 #12 Jason Lyle is coming from North Georgia (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Jason via his website thesacredgrit.com and https://www.skool.com/sacred-grit-6182/about About Jason’s work:  Jason Lyle is a wilderness guide, retreat leader, and spiritual coach with a passion for helping men reclaim their inner strength and truth. After 13 years as a pastor and over a decade working in Uganda on sustainable    development, Jason founded Adventures in Recovery, a nonprofit using nature, movement, and mindfulness to support men’s mental health. He also leads Sacred Grit, a coaching and retreat platform built on the belief that healing begins when we stop running from our pain and start facing it with courage. Jason’s work is raw, grounded, and deeply human—just like the men he serves. Thanks for helping, healing, and guiding men to reclaim their true identity and purpose in life.   Thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “resolve to live as a grown-up who is making progress, and make whatever you think best a law that you never set aside. And whenever you encounter anything that is difficult or pleasurable, or highly or lowly regarded, remember that the contest is now: you are at the Olympic Games, you cannot wait any longer.”       Epictetus (Manual 51) Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? Nervous System Regulation The Power of Reflection Self – Love…the most loving thing you can do… Mind, Body, Soul… Mindful Masculinity – three core pillars: Tools, Stillness, Authentic Masculinity Feeling Whole… Self- Awareness The ability to separate from everyday life…. Creating Capacity to hold DISCOMFORT Yoga.. Identifying TRIGGERS… then Dealing with Anger…regulate.. Perspective Road Map Do the hard work… Meaningful planting ritual for growth and intention Cold Plunging Releasing the pressure to FIX oneself vs. learning how to love who you currently are… The Sacred Grit Podcast… Purpose, Guilt, Forgiveness, Books you recommend? Legacy

    45 min

  3. APR 17

    Season 6 Episode #11 CEO Victoria Pelletier is Building Capacity Through Life's Convictions!

    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 #11 Victoria Pelletier is coming from Miami Beach, Florida (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Victoria via her website victoria-pelletier.com About Victoria’s work:  Victoria is a 20+ year Corporate Executive, Board Director, #1 selling author and Professional Public Speaker. Nicknamed the “Turn Around Queen” and the “CEO Whisperer” by former colleagues and employers, Victoria inspires and empowers her team and clients to change mindsets and drive growth in business, leadership and culture.  As someone who does not subscribe to the status quo, she is always ready for new challenges becoming one of the youngest Chief Operating Officers at the age of 24, president by 35 and a CEO at age 41.   As a prolific motivational and inspirational speaker, Victoria has delivered keynotes discussing the significance of Whole Human Leadership - being an empathetic and authentic leader, as well as the importance of personal branding and its impact on professional growth; the power of DEI on corporate cultures and building a life of resilience.  Victoria, thanks for sharing your many gifts, thanks for empowering the people you serve to develop their best selves, and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show. TOTD – “It’s hard to know whether to laugh or to cry at the human predicament.   Here we are with so much wisdom and tenderness, and  - without even knowing it – we cover it over to protect ourselves from insecurity.   Although we have the potential to experience the freedom of a butterfly, we mysteriously prefer the small and fearful cocoon of ego.” The Places That Scare You by Pema Chodron Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? Harmony in you doing you, raising children, empowering staff, building culture, writing books, …how do and did you do it… What is Leadership and how is it changing?  Affect of AI?  Skills needed now and in the future… The Power of Reflection Self – Love…the most loving thing you can do… Healthy Resilience…Congrats on your tedx talk…1.8 million views… Your adoptive mother was an inspiration… Begins with anchoring yourself to a goal… Self- Reflection leads to Self- Awareness Permission to Fail…give yourself time to grieve and then Books – The Power of Whole Human Leadership: Managing Modern Workers Toward Purpose and Profit, Influence Unleashed, Unstoppable, The Leadership Transition Guide… The Power of Empathy…. Legacy

    44 min

  4. APR 1

    Season 6 Episode #10 Author Patton Dodd is Offering The Gift Of Presence!

    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 #10 Patton Dodd is coming from San Antonio, Texas (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Patton via his website pattondodd.com About our guest: Patton brings 20 years of experience in media, publishing, and communications to this current role as executive director of communications for the H.E. Butt Foundation. Patton has served as editor of multiple national publications and has been widely published in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Newsweek, TheAtlantic.com, CNN.com, and Christianity Today among others. Previously an instructor at the United States Air Force Academy, Patton has taught courses in composition, literature, and film studies. He holds a doctorate in religion and literature from Boston University.  His most recent book is Patton’s memoir, The Father You Get: And the Ones You Make, Believe In, and Become, is all about fatherhood's challenges and beauty. He opens up about the wounds left by his own father's absence, the mentors who helped fill those gaps, and his own journey as a dad trying to create a path forward. It's a story of healing, faith, and crafting a legacy, a theme that dovetails with the conversations you bring to life.  Patton, thanks for having the courage to share your story, for being vulnerable and honest with life’s challenges, for continuing to believe in a higher power, and for sharing your faith, belief, and life with our listeners on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.  Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy – the experiences that make us the most vulnerable.  Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”                                                                          Brene Brown Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What’s life like in San Antonio…river walk, the spurs…Wemby…. What was life like growing up? Know Your Neighbor – South Side of San Antonio have a 20 year lower life expectancy than their neighbors on the north side of town… Everyone Needs a Home…Share a Meal Together.. The Father You Get: And the Ones You Make, Believe In, and Become – congrats on the book, came out in September of 2025…”Dodd does not shy away from showing the profound wounds that come when our fathers are absent, harmful, or simply incapable. At the same time, his storytelling is infused with insight, honesty, and care, offering a mirror for our own stories. Reading it brought unexpected clarity and resonance in my own life.” Dealing with a father who was an alcoholic… Father Hunger… in the book… Laity Lodge… The Power of Story Making… Has big sister…KC who took great care of you growing up… 22, 19, 15…three children…best part of fatherhood The Echoes Podcast is part of the HE Butt Foundation? Legacy

    57 min

  5. MAR 27

    Season 6 Episode #9 Sam Mitchell is Rockin & Rollin for AUTISM!

    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 #9 Sam Mitchell is coming from Owensburg, Indiana (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Sam via his website autismrocksandrolls.com About our guest: Sam Mitchell is an autistic advocate, podcaster, and founder of "Autism Rocks and Rolls," a nonprofit organization aimed at removing the stigma surrounding autism and showing that individuals on the spectrum are not "broken". Based in Indiana, Sam shares his personal experiences with bullying, socialization challenges, and the importance of structure to advocate for acceptance and understanding.  Autism Rocks and Rolls: Founded in 2018 (when Sam was 16), this organization includes a podcast where he discusses daily struggles and triumphs, aiming to change the narrative around autism.Advocacy Philosophy: Sam emphasizes that while autism brings daily challenges, it does not need to be cured. He advocates for managing behaviors while accepting the individual's unique brain function, often comparing the autistic mind to a "pinball game".Speaking & Outreach: He is a public speaker, offering insights into his life, including his experience with social challenges and his need for routine and structure, as seen in his Ted Talk.Sam, thanks for sharing you many gifts and talents with the world and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “Often those who you’d expect the most from give the least and those you expect the least from give the most.” Vanessa O’Brian  Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: Hoosier fan? What was life like growing up? Took a class in hs and decided that he wanted to be a podcaster… Best part of podcasting?   Are there a few shows that stand out from your show… Being an inspirational speaker Traveling internationally to do what you do How important is structure in your life? Being other abled Challenges you have overcome and advice you would give to someone going through a difficult time Team at Autism Rocks and Rolls… Running your own business What would you like business owners to know about inclusion … Season 3 on your podcast…you have been on 2500 podcasts as a guest… Board of 6 people, October of 2021, Podcast was the start of the nonprofit… Resources for families with autism… Big picture of your nonprofit…focusing on CAN vs. CAN’T 85% of people with autism are unemployed Legacy  Favorite podcast guest… Gala… coming up…to raise money…April 18th

    30 min

  6. MAR 25

    Season 6 Episode #8 Moving the World Forward with Nate Turner!

    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 #8 Nate Turner is coming from Zionsville, Indiana (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Nate via his website nathanielaturner.com What if the most important engineering project of your life isn’t your career—but the human being you’re raising? Today’s guest is Nate Turner, a Humanity Propulsion Engineer and the creator of the Life Template Method. Nate teaches parents how to stop raising children by accident and start intentionally engineering a child’s life trajectory. His work centers on three pillars: Intellectual Ambition, Global and Cultural Competency and Humanitarian Drive.  Nate first tested this approach in his own home. Using these principles, he and his wife raised a multilingual son who trained at Brazil’s top professional soccer academy, earned admission to 27 leading universities, received fully funded fellowships to elite graduate engineering programs for his PhD, and full scholarships to elite graduate business schools for his MBA.  Today, through the League of Extraordinary Parents, Nate helps families raise children who are prepared to compete globally, live purposefully, and leave the planet better than they found it. Nate, thanks for sharing your many gifts and talents, thanks for having the courage to put your heart on paper (author of 5 books), thanks for dedicating your life to raising a son to contribute to the world, and thanks for helping parents do the same.   Nate, Welcome to the show! TOTD – “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”                         Martin Luther King, Jr. Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? How the Lion King changed your life… Letters behind your name are what you did in the past….love that… ACEs and your childhood…being here in spite of that…plan to change your lives… What were you made for… Ted Talk – We Owe Generation Z an Apology Today… viewed by 1.7 million people IDEA Impatient, Distracted, Entitled, Apathetic… Preparation Not Luck No Time For Imposter Syndrome… Books you recommend? Humanity Propulsion Engineer 5 day Challenge from site… 10 Things Parents Should Do To Prevent Summer Learning Loss 5 websites parents should bookmark Journalling Forward…how he starts his day…writing down what actions you are going to take…to CHASING WORDS… Raising Children to Benefit the Planet Mufasa said…”You have forgotten who you are”… The child who the village is responsible for and a child who knows they are responsible for the village… Son (Naeem) is a futball player…who moved to Brazil when he was 16…do for yourself what you have done for everyone else   Legacy

    47 min

  7. MAR 13

    Season 6 Episode #7 Dr. Zafra Lerman is Asking The World to Join Hands for Peace!

    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 #7 Dr. Zafra Lerman is coming from The Greater Chicago Area (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Zafra via her website zafralerman.com About our guest: Dr. Zafra Lerman is a world-renowned chemist, educator, and peacebuilder who has pioneered the use of science diplomacy to foster dialogue and collaboration in the world’s most volatile regions. As founder and president of the Malta Conferences Foundation, she brings together scientists from countries in conflict—including Israel, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, and others across the Middle East—to work side by side on scientific challenges that transcend borders, from water scarcity to nuclear proliferation.  Beyond diplomacy, Dr. Lerman has spent decades fighting for human rights—advocating for persecuted scientists in the Soviet Union and China, including risking her own safety by venturing after midnight through dark alleys in Moscow to meet dissidents.  Dr. Lerman also developed groundbreaking methods to teach science through the arts, reaching underprivileged students, including homeless youth and incarcerated individuals, by making chemistry accessible through music, dance, and visual storytelling. Her work has been recognized globally, including multiple Nobel Peace Prize nominations, the U.S. Presidential Award for Mentoring Minorities in Science presented by President Bill Clinton, and the prestigious Andrei Sakharov Award for Human Rights from the American Physical Society.  Dr. Lerman, thanks for having the courage to serve others, to see what others ignore to see, and for sharing your many gifts and talents with people all over the world.   Welcome to the Show! TOTD – “You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end, each of us must work for his own improvement and, at the same time, share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful.”                                                                      Marie Curie Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? What are you life’s essential ingredients… Your purpose is to build a chain reaction for peace… Student can sing to share their knowledge, dance to show their knowledge…in a way to show they are strong… Lectured all over the world on your “education system”…can you tell me more about that? Congrats on receiving the Presidental Award for Mentoring…what does it take to be a good mentor… Gift from your father when you were six… Were taught at a young age the value of helping others… Parents were involved in the holocaust… Teaching Chemistry through dance, drama, and hip hop. Science as a bridge in the middle east New Book – Human Rights and Peace – A Personal Odyssey The Malta Conference – what is it, why dedicate a significant portion of your life to this cause…why should someone listening to this podcast care about the conference. Books you recommend? Legacy

    48 min

  8. FEB 10

    Season 6 Episode #5 Anthony Silard is Sharing His Heart Through Service!

    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 #5 Anthony Silard is coming from Rome, Italy (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Anthony via his website theartoflivingfree.org Anthony Silard, Ph.D. is a Professor of Leadership and the Director of the Center for Sustainable Leadership at Luiss Business School in Rome. He is an internationally recognized authority in the fields of relationships, leadership emotional intelligence, relational healing and personal transformation. His research focuses on emotion, leadership, loneliness and trauma, and he is one of the most published researchers in the world on loneliness in organizations.  As author of Love and Suffering: Break the Emotional Chains That Prevent You From Experiencing Love, he offers a fresh, counterintuitive paradigm for navigating the obstacles that hold us back from deeper connection — making him a compelling voice in the psychology of relationships and love. He has counseled numerous individuals and couples on relationship challenges and issues. In Love and Suffering, Dr. Silard introduces his signature Love Progression Model, guiding readers through stages of acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, and love — reframing suffering not as a barrier, but as a pathway toward deeper relational capacity.  Anthony, thanks for sharing your many gifts, talents, and passions with people all over the world.  Thanks for continuing to fight for the belief in humanity and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “Progress is impossible without change; and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”                                              George Bernard Shaw Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? What are you life’s essential ingredients? Guru on loneliness – 3 human needs – emotional connections, part of a group and making an impact in the world… What is leadership? Developing values…how to you suggest we do so… Importance of processing pain/hurt… Letting loneliness be our guide…The lens of how we see relationships… Values… CMSRs – talking about relationships… Forgiveness Understanding the unmet needs of your partner, people in your life…. Congrats on books… Screened In The Myth of Happiness, The Myth of Friendship and your newest book Love and Suffering Love Progression Model, guiding readers through stages of acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, and love  Website mentions becoming a Community Facilitator…what is that about? Books you recommend? Legacy

    1h 6m
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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 1405 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
    190
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Life's Essential Ingredients
  • Show Website
    Life's Essential Ingredients