“I’m going to need some tissues. It’s a difficult story… but a beautiful one… because we can turn darkness into light.” -NASA’s Michael Ciannilli

Season 7 launches today! 🎙 Big news coming tomorrow too!

Hint: It’s a space (pun intended 😉) to spotlight every guest, every story, and every spark of joy we uncover together.

This premiere is one of the most meaningful conversations I’ve ever had. It’s a journey from heartbreak to hope with a 30-year NASA veteran who helped lead the recovery of Columbia and turned tragedy into purpose.

After we recorded, Mike said something that reminded me why I love doing these: “I really enjoyed our discussion, Lisa. I must say once again, you’re a fantastic host who really brings out the person in the interview.”

Michael’s career took him from engineering and test directing rockets to leading NASA’s Apollo, Challenger, Columbia Lessons Learned program.

Here are some of the stories you’ll hear in this episode:


🚀 How 10-year-old Mike’s make-ready weekends shaped a lifetime of agility and craftsmanship


🚀 The 5½-year detour before joining NASA, and the perseverance that defined him


🚀 What it means to teach the “why” behind failure, not just the “what”


🚀 How the same human lessons apply whether you’re launching rockets, running a business, or leading teams

That’s the heart of The Business of Joy: getting to the human side of every story. Behind every title, every mission, every milestone, there’s a person finding light after darkness.


🎧 Now streaming! Get the tissues ready!