The Queen of Kefir: Julie Smolyansky on CEO Guts, Courage & Stamina

What happens when a no-nonsense entrepreneur decides she’s had enough of California’s chaos? Elaine Culotti has ideas politicians won’t touch. She is a fearless entrepreneur, farmer, real estate developer, and a potential candidate for governor of California. You may also know her as one of the business tycoons on Undercover Billionaire. In this conversation, Elaine shares her frustrations with California’s government and bold ideas for tackling its toughest challenges. Shaped by decades of experience in real estate, building businesses, and running her own farm, Elaine brings a no-nonsense, working-class perspective to politics. We cover Calforinia's challenges with wildfires, immigration, homelessness and crime.    Check out our website: https://meantforyoupod.com Reach out to us: [email protected] Follow us on IG  

Our guest is Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods, the company that pioneered the kefir market in America and today produces 95% of the kefir sold in the U.S. Julie’s story begins in 1976, when her parents immigrated from Kiev ( the former Soviet Union)  to Chicago. Her mother opened a deli, while her father, a mechanical engineer, missed the kefir he had back in the Soviet Union so he started making his own, and from that, Lifeway Foods was born. In 2002, tragedy struck. Julie’s father, Michael Smolyansky, died suddenly of a heart attack. At just 27, Julie stepped into the CEO role, becoming the youngest female CEO of a publicly traded company. Under her leadership, Lifeway expanded its product lines and grew internationally. Today, with revenues topping $200 million, Julie has proven herself a powerhouse CEO—while also raising two daughters, running marathons, reading voraciously, and giving back through philanthropy and community leadership. This is the kind of conversation we love: a woman courageously living a full, multidimensional life. In this episode, we cover her parents’ immigrant journey, the rise of kefir in America, the science of gut health, and Lifeway’s latest innovations, including kefir with collagen and creatine.   This conversation is about courage, resilience, and building a full life. We get into: ✨ Her family’s immigrant journey from Kiev to Chicago ✨ How kefir conquered America ✨ The science of gut health ✨ Lifeway’s bold new products (yes—kefir with collagen + creatine!)   Check out our website: https://meantforyoupod.com Reach out to us: [email protected] Follow us on IG

Charlie Kirk was a national treasure, known for his fearless commitment to open dialogue and free speech. We discuss why he was so important to us, and millions. While Charlie Kirk is irrereplacable, we hope his life inspires legions of people to courageously follow his path of upholding the foundational values and principles of the US. As mothers and citizens rather than politicians, we talk about what it means to intuitively know how to keep families and communities safe, why Charlies represented us and why his loss is so devastating. While we did not agree with all of Charlie's positions, we understood that he was on the frontlines every days trying to ensure an American future based on  its founding principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Before you believe the headlines calling Charlie a "Right Wing influencer" please remember that human progress has always required an openness to new ideas and information, while never forgetting the mistakes of the past. So may Charlie's memory be a blessing. May he be forever in our hearts and in our minds. And may we all try to be better people. May we all learn how to have better discourse, how to hear one another, how to empathize with one another.  -Polina and Yelena  

Brandy Shufutinsky is the newly appointed Director of the Education and National Security Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. In this important conversation, we disciuss how today’s ethnic studies curriculum, originally intended to promote understanding among diverse communities, is instead fueling division, promoting an oppressor-vs-oppressed worldview, and teaching students that capitalism is synonymous with white supremacy and exploitation. Brandy brings deep expertise to this topic, holding a doctorate in International and Multicultural Education from the University of San Francisco, an MSW from USC, and an M.A. in International Relations from the University of San Diego. Today, at least 22 states mandate ethnic studies in K–12 education, 24 more have incorporated elements of it, and California has made it a graduation requirement. Yet there are no national standards for what’s being taught, and no real education on the dangers of communism, the importance of civics, or an emphasis on nurturing diverse opinions and critical thinking. Brandy shares how you can get involved locally to push for rigorous standards, honest history, and an end to the ideological indoctrination in our classrooms. If we want to preserve a strong and free Republic, the way we educate the next generation must change. Quotable Moments: "The ideology holds that I'm suffering from internalized oppression because I'm not willingly categorizing myself as part of the oppressed class." "If you are, or simply appear to be white, you're automatically put in the oppressor category." "We cannot have the Republic we have today with an ill-informed, miseducated next generation." "It's easy to be a communist when you're living in a capitalist society." "We need to teach civics and the benefits of our system, but we also have to teach the dangers of the other."   Check out our website: https://meantforyoupod.com Reach out to us: [email protected] Follow us on IG If you enjoyed this episode, you may like these conversations: Rabbi  Steve Leder, History, Faith , DEI, Ethics, Anxiety and Awe Sophia Khalifa, Bedouin Muslim Israeli Engineer Shares Why She Became an Acivitist for Israel Dumisani Washinton, Pastor, CEO and Author of Zionism and the Black Church Soviet Anti-Semitism with Izabala Tabarosky,  Erin Molan Fearless Reporter and Advocate for Humanity

Stella Escobedo is an Emmy award winning news anchor-reporter with nearly 20 years experience,  a fearless journalist and an advocate who immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan. Stella is currently a news anchor for One American News (OAN). In this conversation, Stella shares how her upbringing shaped her values, her global perspective, and the causes of her disillusionment with mainstream media. Journalism was always Stella’s passion. but during the COVID-19 pandemic, something shifted. Stella began to question the media’s silence on critical issues: the voices of parents during lockdowns, the integrity of the 2020 presidential election, and the dangerously skewed coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict. We discuss  the deeply embedded bias against Israel in U.S. media and the painful, recurring truth that Jews are violently scapegoated in every generation. When serious issues arise, too many default to an intellectually lazy and ancient habit: blame the Jews, and deflect accountability. This conversation is both a warning and a call to action. It’s about truth, courage, and refusing to stay silent while history repeats itself. Check out our website: https://meantforyoupod.com Reach out to us: [email protected] Follow us on IG A few of our favorite quotes from this episode: "If not me, then who?" "I wanted to be a voice for the voiceless." "The media completely ignored what we should have been able to have open conversations about." "The indoctrination of their children must stop for peace to exist."   If you enjoyed this episode, you may like these conversations: Rabbi  Steve Leder, History, Faith , DEI, Ethics, Anxiety and Awe Sophia Khalifa, Bedouin Muslim Israeli Engineer Shares Why She Became an Acivitist for Israel Dumisani Washinton, Pastor, CEO and Author of Zionism and the Black Church Soviet Anti-Semitism with Izabala Tabarosky, Arab Israeii Muslm Activist and Stanford MBA Sophia Khalifa  Erin Molan Fearless Reporter and Advocate for Humanity   Timestamps:  12:53 - Why is there such a disparity in how things are reported 23:14 - Once jihadist attacks on the homeland begin en masse, much of America will blame Jews 28:13 - Stella, a moderate voice, has been pegged asan extremist 37:38 - The teachers union in California should watch the video from October 7 41:59 - In Gaza, this will not stop until the indoctrination of their children stops 44:51 - The state of journalism in this country 49:05 - Netflix, can you help us?

Karen McKinney was a prosecutor working in the gang unit when her path first crossed with Joseph Herrera, a man she would go on to prosecute for murder. Twenty years later, Karen faced Joseph when he was up for parole. Not exactly your classic “how we met” story. What no one could have predicted is that years later, the two would form an extraordinary friendship that would transform both of their lives.  Karen saw something in Joseph that defied his past, a capacity for growth, empathy, and leadership. With her encouragement, Joseph began using his lived experience to help others break the cycle of recidivism. Today, they can speak on the phone for hours at a time, and Karen occasionally joins Joseph’s speaking events at prisons.  This story is a reminder that people are more than their worst mistakes, and that sometimes, the most unexpected connections are the ones that change everything. Follow Karen on Insta  I Put Him in Jail for 20 Years. Now We're Good Friends - Newsweek Washington Post Deep Dive with Karen McKinney & Joseph Herrera on Hard Conversations on Kelly Corrigan   If you're interested in powerful conversations on prison reform, don’t miss our conversations with: Humans of San Quentin Executive Director Diane Kahn Jessca Jackson, Chief Advocacy Officer for Reform Alliance   Jane Mitchell from the Reform Alliance   Check out our website: https://meantforyoupod.com Reach out to us: [email protected] Follow us on IG    

In this episode, we talk about the value of work with David Bahnsen, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of The Bahnsen Group, a wealth management firm based in Newport Beach, California overseeing $4 billion in client's assets,  David is also a  thought leader, and author of Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life. David wants to challenge one of society’s most accepted myths: that success means eventually not working. David makes a bold, and deeply personal case for why work isn’t just a way to earn a living, but a core part of living well. Drawing from his career in finance and his passion for theology, philosophy, and purpose, we discuss how our jobs can become our expressions of dignity, identity, and meaning. David offers a different way of looking at work, especially for those feeling stuck or pressured to “have it all figured out.” Mic drop moments: "The dignity of work is completely egalitarian." "It is absolutely untrue that AI can ever replace virtue. "Work is the meaning of our life. "Human beings have a remarkable ability to really like being praised at what they do" "It is our responsibility to be producers, creators, and innovators." Want to skip ahead? Just tap the timestamps to dive into specific sections: 02:44 - David's new book is called Full Time Work and the Meaning of Life 12:33 - Let's talk about the fallacy of retirement 18:12 - Very few people in finance like you are openly religious 20:02 - There's been a movement with colleges to glamorize socialism 29:14 - You can't win a primary being sane 37:08 - Why people should focus on what they're good at Check out our website: https://meantforyoupod.com Reach out to us: [email protected] Follow us on IG

Ada Palmer, is a sci-fi writer, historian, and someone who sees the world with an incredibly rare, long lens. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the headlines, this episode might help. Ada believes we’re not living in a uniquely apocalyptic time—just a normally apocalyptic one. “We're living in a moment we must rise to, work hard on, do well where what we do matters,” she told me. “We have the ability to reduce 100% harm to 70% harm. We have that responsibility.” That line really stuck with us—because it’s so easy to feel powerless right now. But Ada’s message is the opposite: we do have agency, and what we do does matter. She also reminded us that fear isn’t new. “We are not more scared than our predecessors were 50 or 100 years ago. They were just as scared as we are. The stakes were just as high. The rewards of hard work were just as real. The penalties of messing up were just as disastrous.” Ada sees change not in election cycles, but in centuries. And that shift in perspective is powerful. We talk about why we need to stop chasing “total wins” and start celebrating the small, meaningful steps forward. Progress is almost always incremental, but that doesn’t make it any less real or important. From ancient Rome to climate policy, Ada brings in vivid historical parallels that made us see our moment differently. She doesn’t sugarcoat the challenges—we talk about the real stakes—but she offers something many of us arel craving: perspective, hope, and a reminder that we’ve come through hard things before. The part of our conversation that keeps echoing for us is this: Every generation has been called to save the world. They rose to the challenge. Now, it’s our turn.   🗣️ Quotes from Ada Palmer "We shouldn't think that we are living now in a uniquely apocalyptic moment. We're living in a normally apocalyptic moment." "Nothing is more similar to the future than the past." "Success isn't 100% victory. Success is mitigating the thing so that it's less bad when it happens." "Every generation has to save the world, and we can work hard at it and meet this occasion." Topics Discussed: 03:15 - Understanding the historical context of our current challenges 10:42 - The cyclical nature of apocalyptic moments throughout history 18:30 - Ada's journey as a historian and science fiction writer 25:50 - The impact of AI on society and the importance of policy 35:12 - How collective efforts can mitigate climate change 45:07 - The significance of partial victories in history 52:40 - Embracing resilience and responsibility in uncertain times   Check out our website: https://meantforyoupod.com Reach out to us: [email protected] Follow us on IG  

Jenny Wood, former Google executive, leadership coach, and author of Wild Courage, joins us to talk about what it really takes to grow your career, whether you're in the early stages or navigating a mid-career reset. With her candid approach, Jenny shares how to apply your experience and find your courage. In this episode, we cover practical, no-nonsense strategies for standing out at work, communicating with your boss, building a network that actually supports you, and tapping into the kind of courage that deepens with age. If you've ever felt overlooked, underestimated, or simply ready for more—this conversation is for you.   Careers: Looking for career clarity, inspiration, or a reset? Check out our other caereer related podcasts  💖 Kathy Caprino, author of The Most Powerful You, breaks down the 7 power gaps holding back 98% of women and 90% of men—and how to close them. Lauren McGoodwin, founder of Career Contessa, talks about entitlement in the workplace and why chasing the “perfect job” can lead us astray. Julian Guthrie shares the untold story of the first female venture capitalists in Silicon Valley—and how they changed the game. Courtney Martin challenges traditional definitions of success and offers a more honest, human vision of achievement. Joan Barnes, founder of Gymboree, opens up about resilience, entrepreneurship, and recovering from bulimia while building a beloved brand. Jane Boulware reflects on her journey from Iowa farm life to an executive role at Microsoft—and what early retirement really looks like. Topics Discussed: 03:33 - Jenny Wood shares her story about tapping into wild courage in to meet her husband in the NY Subway 06:39 - Go after what you want and get it 12:24 - "Woo with you" is a technique used by introverts to influence others 15:11 - What do you think are the most important traits for success 18:18 - The biggest leap in Silicon Valley is moving from middle manager to executive 23:43 - You have to have courage to reach up to your boss's boss 26:57 - Brutal is the power of no to protect your time, energy and priorities 33:08 - How AI could affect middle managers 34:37 - Which AI tools Jenny is using and how she is using them 44:25 - For moms who left the workforce to raise kids, how do they get back 51:08 - You show up as an introvert on Myers Briggs, but nobody believes it 55:40 - What the entrepreneurial path feels like for Jenny 58:53 - Jenny's current revenue stream is 70% keynote speaking and 10% newsletter sponsorship   Jenny Wood [jennywood.com](https://jennywood.com) Wild Courage [Wild Courage Book](https://jennywood.com/wild-courage) ChatGPT [OpenAI ChatGPT](https://openai.com/chatgpt) ConvertKit [ConvertKit](https://convertkit.com) Marshall Goldsmith [Marshall Goldsmith](https://marshallgoldsmith.com)

Natasha Sizlo was having a terrible year. Fresh off a divorce, bankruptcy, the end of a passionate relationship, and then the news came about her beloved father’s devastating terminal illness. When a friend suggested an astrology reading, Natasha’s first instinct was a hard pass. But, Natasha relented, and the reading led her towards a year of magic, the kind of year that turns into a romantic comedy on the big screen and a best-selling book. All Signs Point to Paris by Natasha Sizlo. Hire Natasha to be your real estate agent If you enjoyed this podcast, check out our most powerful and inspiring conversations from the podcast featuring women who’ve taken bold risks, rebuilt their lives, or spoken the truths most of us keep quiet. These women are brilliant examples of living the life meant for you. Starting Over, Resilience, Overcoming: Nicole Avant on a Mindset of Gratitude and Service Bethany Hamilton on Faith, Waves, and Fearlessness: Bethany Hamilton’s Unshakable Journey” Claire Bidwell Smith, Finding Peace After Grief Dara Kurtz, How Dara Crushed Cancer and Changed Her Life Annette Ross was Meant for love, after overcoming a tragic accident during the birth of her second child that left Anette unable to walk, Annette went on to create a beautiful life with five daughters and the love of her life Travel: Jeannie Ralston, The Unlikely Lavender Queen: A Memoir of Unexpected Blosssoming Life Stories and Culture: Laura Belgray, author of Tough Titties, on growing up loud, weird, and real Kat Timpf, Truth Bombs and Punchlines: Kat Timpf on Humor That Hurts (and Heals) Tiffany Shlain on reclaiming time with Tech Shabbats Zibby Owens on bookfluencing and being a literary connector Mental Health Lori Gottlieb (Maybe You Should Talk to Someone) on why you really should talk to someone Serving Others Heidi Kuhn, founder of Roots of Peace, on turning grief into global impact Dr. Leana Wen, Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health Jessica Honegger on Going Scared and Choosing Purpose Over Comfort Relationships Amy Chan, “The Love Rehab You Didn’t Know You Needed” and the Psychology of Love Eve Rodsky (Fair Play) on burnout, breakdowns, and building a movement   Favorite Quotes from Natasha: "I just have to go to find everybody with his exact same birth chart because the one has to still be out there." "Once I started believing, I started seeing." "To live an authentic life, that's a beautiful thing." "If it's mentionable, it's manageable." "Sounds like you're going to Paris. I'll meet you there."