Life's Essential Ingredients

Jeff Christian and Mike Sestich
  • 4.9 (27)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • 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 117 countries and 1132 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. FEB 10

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

    Send a text 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

  2. FEB 6

    Season 6 Episode #4 Author Terry Bean is Living Life with Passion!

    Send us a text 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 #4 Terry Bean is coming from Queens, New York (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Terry via her website terrybeanauthor.com About our guest: Author, Life and Executive Coach, Speaker, and someone who has a deep desire to help all people (especially children) discover the magic within. Terry has always believed in magic and was transformed by it early in her life. Terry has looked at life with optimism, compassion, curiosity, and the belief that anything can become beautiful with the right perspective.  Those beliefs have carried Terry through every chapter of her life. Terry studied Communications and Marketing at the University of Hartford, then began a career in property management and eventually purchased a real estate company, and rode that wave until 2007. After the housing crash, Terry explored different online businesses and reinvented herself more than once. But one thing stayed constant: the story she wrote in 2014—a magical little tale she knew one day would come to life. That story became ABRA*CA*DABRA – Terry’s new children’s book – which we will explore in this episode. Terry, thanks for sharing your many gifts and talents with people all over the world and thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “What I do today is very important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.”                                                                                                                Unknown Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? What are your life’s essential ingredients? Congrats on your book…wrote it in 2014 and just released it…. Book is about a child who is running away from her parents who often fight…finds a wand that she keeps for her life…reflection is her sage…and reminds her that she is powerful… Finding purpose in life…. Caretaking mom who is 91 years young… Decision making… how do you help your clients with creating a dm process… Falling in love with life…how do you help your clients with that… Does our educational system create that environment… Emotional Intelligence Difference between appreciation vs. gratitude The power of reflection Choice – Viktor Frankl … Culture….a responsibility we all have for creating one that works for all people Labels and Judgement… Processing what we feel….Permission to Feel… Books you recommend? Legacy

    42 min

  3. JAN 29

    Season 6 Episode #3 Stepping into Your Zone of Genius with James Brett.

    Send us a text Season 6 Episode #3 James Brett is coming from North of Sydney, Australia (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find James via his website oasis-within.com.au James guides leaders and professionals towards harmony, insight and purposeful action. He supports those navigating their biggest challenges and helps them turn adversity into clarity by reconnecting with their core strength. James’s approach bridges ancient wisdom, modern practice, and grounded presence, guiding individuals and groups to discover what truly matters, bringing the mind and body into aligned action.  James’s journey has been about developing an understanding that the deepest leadership doesn’t come from pushing harder, it comes from stepping into your zone of genius and bringing the zone out in others.  Before stepping onto his path of transformational work, James spent years in the corporate world, thriving in sales, training, and consulting. Now, he brings that lived experience to help ambitious professionals, entrepreneurs, and seekers find success that nourishes rather than depletes. James is passionate about the power of full presence, deep listening and heart centered action and how these will transform leadership, relationships, wellbeing and our planet. James, thanks for having the courage to look deeply at your life, process it, reflect on it, learn from it and eventually, create processes that allow you to transform your life and the lives of the people you serve.   Thanks for being our guest and welcome to the show. TOTD – “May I become at all times, both now and forever A protector of those without protection.  A guide for those who have lost their way.  A ship for those with oceans to cross. A bridge for those with rivers to cross. A sanctuary for those in danger. A lamp for those without light.”                                               Shantideva Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up?  Originally from the UK? Know you have a diverse background in sales…and perhaps had your target on a financial goal vs. spiritual goal…was there something that triggered this change… What ways/practices do you recommend for seeking YOUR TRUTH? Seeking peace The impact of our state of being as a role model….our presence as a guide… To take people on a journey you need to minimize the distance you create with your language…wow….less is more… Deep listening…to understand where people are and where they are comfortable in going…if island A is this…what would island B look like… how do we move toward a different island should you choose… Being safe and being ready to explore life… the importance of preparation… Dealing with change and thriving in transition From your website – “Release what is no longer serving, restore your vitality, and rise with power and authenticity to meet what’s next.” Tools to use when in the center of life’s storm? An holistic approach to life…how did you develop it? Nature and the benefits of exploring life with nature as an essential ingredient… Work-life harmony Currently practicing DAOISM…The Way, Yin and Yang, Three Treasures, Meditation and Breathwork, Qigong, Feng Shui… What is spiritual resilience…practices of the present…being here now… Books you recommend? Going thru and EGO DEATH… what was that experience like… Letting go vs. living a life of wanting to control everything… Legacy

    51 min

  4. JAN 10

    Season 6 Episode #2 Ann Pells is Using the Butterfly Effect towards Creating Financial Freedom!

    Send us a text 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 PIZZADAYS.ORG to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #2 Ann Pells is coming from Manti, Utah (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Ann via her website annsplan.com or lifegiverlegacy.com About our guest: Empowering families to create financial freedom through simple, proven strategies. Ann helps people pay off their homes in just 5 to 7 years without reducing their expenses or increasing their income. With two phone calls, you can discover how to grow wealth while you sleep and create a life filled with hope, freedom, and legacy. Ann is a seasoned expert in real estate investing and business ownership with over 25 years of experience. She’s passionate about helping others unlock the secrets to financial freedom by teaching them how to buy existing, professionally managed businesses and real estate assets that generate consistent passive income. Ann shows her clients exactly how to secure funding for these opportunities—up to $250K at 0% interest for 12 months—in just 30 days.  With a proven track record of success, Ann specializes in business acquisitions that make $10K a month with just one hour of work per week and real estate investments that yield a 60% ROI annually. Her approach is both strategic and empowering. Ann also shares the power of daily mindset practices that can help individuals 10x their results in just 10 minutes a day, helping them achieve financial goals faster than they thought possible. Whether it’s funding, business acquisition, or real estate, Ann’s expertise guides individuals toward sustainable wealth with a roadmap that’s simple to follow and easy to execute. Ann, thanks for sharing your many gifts and talents and for helping people achieve financial freedom.   Welcome to the show!   TOTD – “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.”                                                  Emily Dickinson Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? What are your life’s essential ingredients? Larry and Ann started Life Giver Legacy… Loves chocolate and reading about happy memories… Recipes that work Ingredients of a successful recipe Emergency fund…how much should people be putting away… Balance of paying off debt vs. still having enough left over to buy some chocolate… Have lived in 15 houses…total interest adds up Automation, systems, and a team to guide you on owning and managing your own business Let’s talk about your financial journey to freedom… and providing opportunity for others to do the same 20 year old 30 40 50 60 – retirement What was the big take away from what you learned from 2008? What if vs. I can’t… Books you recommend? Legacy

    43 min

  5. JAN 3

    Season 6 Episode #1 Author Mitch Weisburgh is Guiding People to Think About the Way They Think!

    Send us a text 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 PIZZADAYS.ORG to support our important work.  Season 6 Episode #1 Mitch Weisburgh is coming from Larchmont, New York (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Mitch via his website https://www.mindshiftingwithmitch.com About our guest: For over four decades, Mitch has been at the intersection of education, technology, and learning transformation, helping individuals, educators, and organizations rethink how we learn, teach, and grow.  Mitch is the creator of the Mind Shifting Method — a neuroscience-backed system helping high-achievers, coaches, and transformational leaders move beyond mindset alone to rewire their emotional operating systems for sustainable resilience, clarity, and self-trust.  Mitch works at the root level, so resilience, creativity, and powerful leadership become automatic, not exhausting. When individuals stop fighting their own brain, growth stops feeling like survival — and starts feeling like freedom. Mitch has authored several books with his most recent release this past November - Conflict and Collaboration.  A review of Mitch’s book said the following – “Reading this book is like immersing yourself in a practical and deeply human guide on how to transform conflicts into opportunities for growth and collaboration.  It’s a work that challenges us to rethink our reactions and always seek the constructive side of human encounters and disagreements.”  Mitch, thanks for sharing your many gifts with people all over the world, thanks for continuing to challenge yourself to learn, grow and teach.   Thanks for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients – Welcome BACK to the Show! TOTD – “You must trust and believe in people or life becomes impossible. “  Anton Checkov Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What are your life’s essential ingredients? Mindshifting Mondays with Mitch – congrats on your podcast… Assertiveness without aggressiveness is a superpower (from your book) 5 styles of Conflict Resolution – Compete, Avoid, Accommodate, Collaborate, Compromise The 5 sage powers of being not doing – Empathy, Exploration, Innovation, Navigation, Focused Action 4 ways to approach situations – Simple Issue, Chaotic Issue, Complicated Issue, Complex Issue Motivational Interviewing Goals – reaching 5 million people with resourcefulness, resilience and collaboration… Mindshifting – Stop Your Brain From Sabotaging Your Happiness and Success – congrats on your book… Books you recommend? Legacy

    1h 4m

  6. 12/17/2025

    Season 5 Episode #26 Dr. Fawad Mian is Caring for Others on Their Personal Life Journey!

    Send us a text 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 5 Episode #26 Dr. Fawad Mian is coming from Denville, New Jersey (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Dr. Mian via his website prolohealing.com or advocareneurowellnessmd.com About our guest: Dr. Mian is not just a physician—he is someone who’s lived the very pain he now helps others overcome.  Dr. Mian is a board-certified neurologist and regenerative medicine specialist, working with active adults 55+ who are tired of being told that pills, surgery, or “just living with it” are their only options.  After years of dealing with chronic pain and facing a future of invasive procedures, he chose a different path—and discovered what traditional medicine often misses: that the body can heal, when given the right tools and support.  Dr. Mian’s expertise is in helping high-performing individuals reclaim their strength, mobility, and freedom through precision diagnostics, regenerative therapies like PRP and stem cells, and custom movement protocols.  Dr. Mian’s approach is deeply personal, because he knows what it’s like to be dismissed, misdiagnosed, and stuck. That’s why he treats the whole person—not just the symptom—and guides his patients with the same care he’d offer his own family. One motto at Dr. Mian’s clinic is, we don’t just mask pain—we resolve it. Because healing isn’t a hope. It’s a plan. Dr. Mian, thanks for sharing your many gifts and talents with people all over the world, thank you for seeking alternatives that help people who live with chronic pain, thank you for having the courage to write your book (Getting to Pain Free…#1 best seller on Amazon) and thanks 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? What are your life’s essential ingredients? Neurologist by trade…NYU for residency and Emory University for your neurophysiology/sleep medicine fellowship Stress Exercise Sleep PRP after injury Different treatments for joint stiffness/pain Chronic pain relief and IV therapy Sustained Energy and Focus – any supplements or even better natural ways to stay on top of your game Stem Cell Therapy Good fat vs. bad fat Skin Care  Insulin Resistance and what is it Intermittent Fasting Electronic devices – light exposure  Congrats on your book – Getting to Pain Free #1 best seller on Amazon Books you recommend? Legacy

    40 min

  7. 12/05/2025

    Season 5 Episode #25 Brandi Acevedo is Living Life with Discipline and Purpose!

    Send us a text 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 PIZZADAYS.ORG to support our important work.  Season 5 Episode #25 Brandi Acevedo is coming from Los Angeles, Ca (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Brandi via Instagram @zola_x_b About our guest: Brandi is a proud graduate of UC Davis and USC with degrees in Biological Sciences and a Doctorate of Pharmacology from USC.  In her pharmacist role, Brandi is a strategic and results-driven Clinical Manager with over 15 years of experience in hospital pharmacy, clinical program development, and cost containment.  Brandi is a master of building cross-functional relationships with hospital leadership and clinical teams that drive innovation, compliance, and operational excellence.  Brandi’s expertise extends to many aspects of life including personal training, nutrition, mindfulness, resiliency work, discipline, and overall mental, physical and spiritual well-being.   Brandi, thanks for sharing your many gifts with people and patients, thanks for continuing to be a positive role model in the fitness and nutrition space and for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients – welcome to the show! TOTD – “I am rooted, but I flow.”  Virginia Woolf Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose! In this episode: What was life like growing up? What are your life’s essential ingredients? Polypharmacy The body follows where the mind leads Resilience and Discipline beat motivation Every rep starts in your head Athlete Mindset Reign Warrior Health Fitness Nutrition Polypharmacy AI in your world.. ISSA Certified Personal Trainer Legacy

    1h 2m

  8. 12/03/2025

    Season 5 Episode #24 Author Jessica Danel is Sharing Her Authentic Self!

    Send us a text 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 PIZZADAYS.ORG to support our important work.  Season 5 Episode #24 Jessica Danel is coming from Bakersfield, Ca (inform, inspire, & transform) You can find Jessica via her website jesssaying.net About our guest: Jessica Danel is an animated, bold, and unapologetically honest storyteller, entrepreneur, and podcast host. As the creator of the Jess Saying podcast, she’s known for mixing heart, humor, and raw truth in ways that resonate with audiences from all walks of life. Jessica built a million-dollar preschool business from her living room while raising three children, two of whom have special needs. Choosing to step away from it all to prioritize her family was a turning point that led to her memoir, Bucket List from a Redneck Girl. The book pulls no punches, chronicling her small-town upbringing, the chaos and beauty of motherhood, and the journey to reclaim her voice after life’s toughest hits. Through her writing and her podcast, Jessica creates space for real conversations about family, marriage, identity, and starting over, offering stories that are messy, funny, heartfelt, and deeply relatable. Jessica, thanks for having the courage to keep telling your story, for creating space for others to tell theirs and for being our guest on Life’s Essential Ingredients…welcome to the show! TOTD – “Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance.”   Malcom Gladwell Build a habit - to create intention - to live your purpose!   In this episode: What was life like growing up? What are your life’s essential ingredients? Congrats on the book – Bucket List from a Redneck Girl…fighting, bullying… Family – raising three children – two special needs…joys and challenges Identity Fresh Starts Mindset Growing through tragedy Finding your voice Transformational vs. Transactional stories/leadership/families/interactions Last book or books you recommend? Legacy

    48 min
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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 117 countries and 1132 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
    183
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Life's Essential Ingredients
  • Show Website
    Life's Essential Ingredients