Dr. Mary Hayden recently traveled to Colombia to answer a question about mosquitoes that was actually about us humans. Specifically, she wanted to know how human behavior shapes the risk of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, Zika, and yellow fever. From unregulated areas with limited water access to neighborhoods in the U.S., she’s found that our daily habits, infrastructure, and even trust in information can either reduce or increase that risk.

Hear Mary talk about:

• How her interest in climate led to a focus on human behavior and disease transmission
• What she observed in Colombian communities where water access is scarce and mosquitoes thrive
• How perception of risk and trust in messengers impact public health efforts
• Practical ways you can protect yourself from mosquitoes and ticks
• Why some prevention strategies are simple, yet are still so hard to make stick

Mentioned in this episode:

• More about Dr. Mary Hayden
• BTI (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) – Bacteria used to kill mosquito larvae in standing water
• Engineers Without Borders – Organization developing low-cost solutions for clean water and storage safety
• Permethrin – Insecticide applied to clothing to repel mosquitoes and ticks
• Bug repellents like Picaridin, DEET, and the plant-based Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus

Support this pod:

• Follow in your favorite podcast app
• Leave a rating and review
• Share on social media and tag @rainemediaco

At 14, Brandon Phillips was a healthy kid with a passion for sports. Then one day he noticed his leg was swollen. Within 24 hours, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and the outlook wasn't positive. In this episode, Brandon shares what it was like to face a life-threatening diagnosis, fight through months of brutal chemotherapy, and go on to become a professional polo player, as well as a devoted advocate for families battling childhood cancer.

Hear Brandon talk about:

• The moment he realized something was wrong with his leg
• His swift cancer diagnosis and grueling treatment
• How mental strength and his athlete’s mindset helped him beat the odds
• Why he didn’t want to talk about cancer for years
• Founding Polo for Life to support families with a child fighting cancer

Mentioned in this episode:

• Polo for Life – Brandon’s nonprofit supporting families affected by childhood cancer
• Kids Cancer Foundation – Florida-based nonprofit supporting children and families fighting cancer, and one of Polo for Life’s beneficiary organizations
• Pediatric Oncology Support Team (POST) – Services and counseling for families of children with cancer in South Florida, and one of Polo for Life’s beneficiary organizations
• Miami Cancer Institute – One of Polo for Life’s partner hospitals and beneficiary organizations

Support this pod:

• Follow in your favorite podcast app
• Leave a rating and review
• Share on social media and tag @rainemediaco

Carol Hoenig published her first novel in 2005. Years later, while driving home from work, one of her characters suddenly returned, insisting to Carol that her story wasn’t finished. That unexpected moment sparked a new novel about the character's story. In this episode, Carol reflects on her creative process, the career pivots that shaped her path, and the moments when fictional characters come to life.

Hear Carol talk about:

• The day her character, Grace, let her know there was more to the story

• Starting her business the same day she lost her job at Borders

• How her characters speak to her and sometimes surprise her

• The creative process behind Without Grace and Before She Was a Finley

• Why honoring the craft of writing matters

Mentioned in this episode:

• Without Grace by Carol Hoenig
• Before She Was a Finley by Carol Hoenig
• Her episode of My Hometown on 90.3 WHPC
• Learn more about Carol on her website
• Watch Carol's podcast, Wildflowers Podcast: Books, Booze and Banter, on YouTube

Support this podcast:

• Follow in your favorite podcast app
• Leave a rating and review
• Share with a friend and on social media and tag @rainemediaco

Insurance agent Rich Salgado has spent decades building a reputation as the guy who knows how to help – whether you're an NFL player, a TV producer, or just someone he met at a business event. Known to nearly everyone as “Big Daddy,” Rich shares how he's built a powerful network rooted in generosity, trust, and simply showing up for people.

Hear Rich talk about:

• How losing his early business partner pushed him to rely on his network
• How he became the insurance agent to many in the NFL
• Why networking is a give-and-take, not just an ask
• The role networking played in his unexpected jump to TV
• What it means to “keep it real” and make others feel at ease

Mentioned in this episode:

• Big Daddy Insures, Rich's insurance company
• Connect with Rich on Instagram @bigdaddyinsures

Support this show:

• Follow in your favorite podcast app
• Leave a rating and review
• Share on social and tag @rainemediaco

Bill Horan has spent nearly four decades interviewing people about one elusive idea: success. On his radio show Secrets of Success, he’s spoken with thousands of guests, from authors and business owners to everyday people, about the idea of success. In this episode, Bill shares some of the most memorable stories, the themes that have stuck with him, and how hosting this show has shaped his own understanding of what success really means.

Hear Bill talk about:

• How a guest appearance turned into a 37-year radio career
• Why success doesn’t always look glamorous, and that’s okay
• The role of mindset and gratitude in personal growth
• What he’s learned from reading 2,000+ books on success
• Why self-awareness might be the real key to a meaningful life

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Success Principles by Jack Canfield – Bill’s top-recommended book on success
• Chicken Soup for the Soul – Bill interviewed co-author Jack Canfield early in his career
• WHPC in Garden City, where Secrets of Success airs
• Bill's show, Secrets of Success – Bill’s radio show on WHPC, running for 37 years and counting

Support this podcast:

• Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast app
• Leave a rating and review to help more people find the show
• Share this episode with a friend and tag @rainemediaco

Alexis Broz didn’t grow up thinking she’d become a wildlife rehabilitator. But when a baby squirrel slid across a restaurant patio toward a petrified customer, Alexis scooped it up and didn’t look back. That moment set her on a path of rescuing, raising, and returning animals to the wild. From squirrels and pigeons to otters and beavers, Alexis has rehabilitated and released hundreds of animals in New York. In this episode, she shares how she became a wildlife rehabilitator, what it’s like to care for wild animals around the clock, and how a beaver named Bo became the Branch Manager of her nonprofit, Wild for Life, Inc.

(This episode was recorded in spring 2025.)

Hear Alexis talk about:

• How rescuing one baby squirrel at work changed her life
• What it takes to legally rehabilitate wildlife in New York
• How her bathtub was key to caring for an orphaned beaver
• Her day to day caring for multiple animals
• Why she believes beavers are misunderstood environmental superheroes

Mentioned in this episode:

• Wild for Life, Inc. Alexis’s wildlife rescue nonprofit
• North Country Wild Care, her local volunteer rehabber network where she is a board member
• Animal Help Now app Alexis mentions to find wildlife rehabbers near you
• The Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital at Cornell, her veterinary partner and resource
• Follow Alexis on TikTok and Instagram @WildlifeAlexis

Support this pod:

• Follow in your favorite podcast app
• Leave a rating and review
• Share the episode and tag @rainemediaco
• More at TellMeWhatItsLike.com

While in graduate school in the early 1980s, Dr. Morton Barlaz was offered a project studying how municipal waste decomposes. He wasn’t sure it was what he wanted to do, but it sounded interesting so he said yes. Forty-two years later, he’s a leading expert on how landfills work and why their management matters. In this episode, he explains what happens to the things we throw away, what biodegrades (and what doesn’t), and how landfills have changed over time.

Hear Dr. Barlaz talk about:

• What it’s like to study landfills for over 40 years
• Why he doesn't like calling landfills "dumps"
• How methane is created and why collecting it matters
• The myths around what does or doesn't biodegrade
• The realities of post-closure landfill maintenance

References for this episode:

• Dr. Morton Barlaz, Distinguished University Professor Emeritus, NC State University
• EPA landfill regulations on post-closure care
• How to compost at home (and help reduce methane emissions)

Support this podcast:

• Follow in your favorite podcast app
• Leave a rating and review
• Share the episode and tag @rainemediaco
• More at TellMeWhatItsLike.com

When Becca Pizzi got dozens of messages from friends about an extreme endurance race – seven marathons on seven continents in seven days – she knew she had to run it. In 2016, she became the first American woman to complete the World Marathon Challenge, winning with a total time of 27 hours, 26 minutes, and an average marathon time of just under four hours. Then in 2018, she did it again. Hear what it took to win it and what the miles have taught her in this episode.

Hear Becca talk about:

• What it’s like to run 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days
• How her 8-year-old daughter helped her train
• Becoming a race director after running the challenge twice
• Her advice to people just starting out on their running journey

Mentioned in this episode and references:

• The World Marathon Challenge
• TB12 (Tom Brady’s fitness company), where Becca was a Peak Performer
• The Becca Pizzi Foundation
• The Becca Pizzi 5K in Belmont, MA
• Becca's Feat on Feet, her children’s book published in 2020

Support this podcast:

• Follow in your favorite podcast app
• Leave a rating and review
• Share the episode and tag @rainemediaco
• More at TellMeWhatItsLike.com