The Elsa Kurt Show

Most people are told to stop playing with toys and get a “real” job. Bruce Lund did both and built a decades-long career inventing toys, games, and playful tech that reached millions of kids and families. We sit down with Bruce to talk about the real path into toy design, what it takes to survive in a business that demands new products every year, and why curiosity is a competitive advantage when you’re willing to learn fast.Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.We get into some of the creations listeners may recognize, including TMX Elmo, the wildly successful “Tickle Me Extreme” comeback that became Toy of the Year, plus other talking toys and standout projects like a hydrogen-powered rocket toy inspired by a simple science-class memory. Bruce shares how those “that’s interesting” moments can turn into products, and why great toy invention is equal parts imagination, engineering, and relentless iteration. If you love creativity, product development, or the behind-the-scenes story of how toys actually get made, there’s a lot here for you.But we don’t skip the hard parts. Bruce opens up about the dark side of inventing, from ideas that feel like they got copied to employees leaving for competitors, and the moments when cash flow gets so tight you consider closing the doors. We also talk about leadership and teamwork, the invisible force that makes complex mechanisms and great toy experiences possible, plus the personal meaning behind his books, including stories of heartfelt letters to Santa and years of holiday giving.If you enjoy this conversation, subscribe, share it with a friend who loves invention or entrepreneurship, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s one toy from your childhood you still remember clearly, and why?We Be Toys: https://link.amazon/B0fsxfB6EAll Books: https://link.amazon/B0aoPzTLyWebsite: https://www.peopleofplay.com/people/bruce-lundPodcast: https://www.youtube.com/@lundtalesINTERVIEW DISCLOSURE & BOOKING: This is a sponsored interview on The Elsa Kurt Show. Paid interview opportunities are available on a limited basis.Authors, experts, public figures, and other prospective guests who are represented by a publicist, marketing agency, PR firm, publisher, or professional representative are welcome to have their representative contact us regarding interview opportunities and current packages.Professional booking inquiries: [email protected]———📚 Elsa's books: elsakurt.com/books🎁 Free first chapter of Mae's Café: elsakurt.com🎙 Be a guest on the show: calendly.com/elsakurt_official/thirtymin⭐ Enjoyed it? Leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It really helps!❤️ Support the show: buzzsprout.com/614722/supportSupport the showElsa's AMAZON STORE Elsa's FAITH & FREEDOM MERCH STOREElsa's BOOKSElsa Kurt: You may know her for her uncanny, viral Kamala Harris impressions & conservative comedy skits, but she’s also a lifelong Patriot & longtime Police Wife. She has channeled her fierce love and passion for God, family, country, and those who serve as the creator, Executive Producer & Host of the Elsa Kurt Show with Clay Novak. Her show discusses today’s topics & news from a middle class/blue collar family & conservative perspective. The vocal LEOW’s career began as a multi-genre author who has penned over 25 books, including twelve contemporary women’s novels. Clay Novak: Clay Novak was commissioned in 1995 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and served as an officer for twenty four years in Mechanized Infantry, Airborne Infantry, and Cavalry units .  He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2019. Clay is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School and is a Master Rated Parachutist, serving for more tha...

Half the country wakes up celebrating, the other half is staring into the fridge for breakfast ice cream, and everyone is exhausted. We sit with the reality of a blue tidal wave and ask the uncomfortable question: what did voters actually reward, and what does that say about where America is heading?We dig into why “facts over feelings” keeps losing to simple emotional storytelling, especially when people are stressed about groceries, gas, and daily survival. We talk Republican messaging failures, leadership gaps, and the limits of assuming voters will research tariffs, taxes, or long-term tradeoffs. We also wrestle with Trump fatigue, party cohesion, and what credible communication could look like going forward, including early 2028 presidential election chatter around names like Marco Rubio and Ron DeSantis.Then we zoom out to a bigger frame: the rise and fall of empires, how social media speeds everything up, and why controlling language can become a shortcut to controlling people. We compare U.S. trends to Europe’s recent struggles, debate how taboo topics shut down honest discussion, and confront the fear that political violence and civil unrest could escalate before the pendulum swings back. We close with something practical: how to talk politics with family, set boundaries, stay calm, and stand firm without surrendering your character.If this conversation helps you think more clearly about U.S. politics, culture wars, and the post-election landscape, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.Support the showElsa's AMAZON STORE Elsa's FAITH & FREEDOM MERCH STOREElsa's BOOKSElsa Kurt: You may know her for her uncanny, viral Kamala Harris impressions & conservative comedy skits, but she’s also a lifelong Patriot & longtime Police Wife. She has channeled her fierce love and passion for God, family, country, and those who serve as the creator, Executive Producer & Host of the Elsa Kurt Show with Clay Novak. Her show discusses today’s topics & news from a middle class/blue collar family & conservative perspective. The vocal LEOW’s career began as a multi-genre author who has penned over 25 books, including twelve contemporary women’s novels. Clay Novak: Clay Novak was commissioned in 1995 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and served as an officer for twenty four years in Mechanized Infantry, Airborne Infantry, and Cavalry units .  He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2019. Clay is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School and is a Master Rated Parachutist, serving for more tha...

You know the type. You share good news and they top it. You tell a story and they hijack it. You ask a question and suddenly they're the expert on everything. 😅This week I'm breaking down the four kinds of Spotlight Snatchers: the Hijacker, the One-Upper, the Humble Bragger and the Know-It-All. We'll talk about what's really going on underneath (hint: it's usually a heart that wants to feel seen), how to respond with grace and a little backbone, and the uncomfortable question we all need to ask: is it ever me?Grab your coffee and let's talk about it, then tell me in the comments which one you've met this week.Watch or listen on YouTube, Facebook, Rumble, X and wherever you get your podcasts.#TheElsaKurtShow #SpotlightSnatcher #FaithAndLife #Relationships #ChristianPodcastSupport the showElsa's AMAZON STORE Elsa's FAITH & FREEDOM MERCH STOREElsa's BOOKSElsa Kurt: You may know her for her uncanny, viral Kamala Harris impressions & conservative comedy skits, but she’s also a lifelong Patriot & longtime Police Wife. She has channeled her fierce love and passion for God, family, country, and those who serve as the creator, Executive Producer & Host of the Elsa Kurt Show with Clay Novak. Her show discusses today’s topics & news from a middle class/blue collar family & conservative perspective. The vocal LEOW’s career began as a multi-genre author who has penned over 25 books, including twelve contemporary women’s novels. Clay Novak: Clay Novak was commissioned in 1995 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and served as an officer for twenty four years in Mechanized Infantry, Airborne Infantry, and Cavalry units .  He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2019. Clay is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School and is a Master Rated Parachutist, serving for more tha...

A person is found alive on a waste dump, carrying clues that shouldn’t exist and suddenly a secret agency, a powerful corporation, and a global web of exploitation snap into focus. That’s the spark behind Chasing Zodiacs to Repair the Soul of Humanity, and author Max Solo joins us to unpack how a thriller can be entertainment and a wake-up call at the same time.Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.We get into the unexpected origin of the book: Max’s day job building AI-driven trucking and logistics software, including mapping, GPS, route planning, and security features. While working in that world, he started seeing patterns that pointed toward modern slavery, human trafficking, and forced labor moving through the same transportation systems that keep everyday life running. We talk about what “modern-day slavery” can look like, why people often live near it without realizing it, and how poverty, drugs, and exploitation can stack together until hope feels impossible.Then we zoom in on craft and character. Max explains why he built a cast shaped by zodiac archetypes and why he wanted readers to wrestle with moral grayness, not simple villains. We also dig into the protagonist named Max and the deliberate way the story invites assumptions about identity, pushing us to notice how bias changes what we think we know. Along the way we explore the subtitle’s core question: what would it take to repair the soul of humanity, one choice at a time?If you care about ethical technology, human trafficking awareness, and thrillers that don’t flinch, listen through to the sequel teases on rare earths, robots, and what happens next. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review, then tell us: what part of modern slavery do you think most people still refuse to see? Get Max's book here: https://link.amazon/B077M0CYXINTERVIEW DISCLOSURE & BOOKING: This is a sponsored interview on The Elsa Kurt Show. Paid interview opportunities are available on a limited basis.Authors, experts, public figures, and other prospective guests who are represented by a publicist, marketing agency, PR firm, publisher, or professional representative are welcome to have their representative contact us regarding interview opportunities and current packages.Professional booking inquiries: [email protected]———📚 Elsa's books: elsakurt.com/books🎁 Free first chapter of Mae's Café: elsakurt.com🎙 Be a guest on the show: calendly.com/elsakurt_official/thirtymin⭐ Enjoyed it? Leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It really helps!❤️ Support the show: buzzsprout.com/614722/supportSupport the showElsa's AMAZON STORE Elsa's FAITH & FREEDOM MERCH STOREElsa's BOOKSElsa Kurt: You may know her for her uncanny, viral Kamala Harris impressions & conservative comedy skits, but she’s also a lifelong Patriot & longtime Police Wife. She has channeled her fierce love and passion for God, family, country, and those who serve as the creator, Executive Producer & Host of the Elsa Kurt Show with Clay Novak. Her show discusses today’s topics & news from a middle class/blue collar family & conservative perspective. The vocal LEOW’s career began as a multi-genre author who has penned over 25 books, including twelve contemporary women’s novels. Clay Novak: Clay Novak was commissioned in 1995 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and served as an officer for twenty four years in Mechanized Infantry, Airborne Infantry, and Cavalry units .  He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2019. Clay is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School and is a Master Rated Parachutist, serving for more tha...

A leader with the army behind him. A fragile new nation drowning in debt. A world where strongmen rarely step down. Then George Washington does something so unnatural to politics that people across Europe can’t believe it: he gives up power, and he does it twice.Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.We sit down with Richard Lim, PragerU’s resident historian and host of This American President, to unpack the true story behind “refusing a crown” and why Washington’s restraint becomes one of America’s greatest sources of credibility. We talk through the near-break moments most of us never learned in school, including what it meant for Washington to resign his commission, defend civilian control of the military, and later walk away after two terms as the first U.S. president when he easily could have stayed.We also get into the messier side of leadership: public attacks, betrayal inside an administration, and the temptation to use popularity to crush opponents or handpick a successor. Richard connects Washington’s choices to faith, providence, character formation, and the long-game mindset in the Farewell Address. Along the way, we tackle the modern debate over whether Washington was a Christian or a deist, and why reading primary sources changes the conversation.Richard Lim is the cofounder and host of the This American President podcast and the resident historian at Prager University. He previously served at the White House, the Association of the United States Army, and George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate.Find Richard's book here: https://link.amazon/B04nTdlXjAuthor website: https://www.richardmlim.comPodcast website: https://www.thisamericanpresident.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThisAmerPres/X: https://x.com/thisamerpresIG: https://www.instagram.com/thisamericanpresidenthttps://www.youtube.com/@thisamericanpresidentIf you care about American history, presidential leadership, the peaceful transfer of power, and the habits that keep a constitutional republic healthy, this conversation will challenge you in the best way. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves (or hates) history, and leave a review so more people can find the show.Support the showElsa's AMAZON STORE Elsa's FAITH & FREEDOM MERCH STOREElsa's BOOKSElsa Kurt: You may know her for her uncanny, viral Kamala Harris impressions & conservative comedy skits, but she’s also a lifelong Patriot & longtime Police Wife. She has channeled her fierce love and passion for God, family, country, and those who serve as the creator, Executive Producer & Host of the Elsa Kurt Show with Clay Novak. Her show discusses today’s topics & news from a middle class/blue collar family & conservative perspective. The vocal LEOW’s career began as a multi-genre author who has penned over 25 books, including twelve contemporary women’s novels. Clay Novak: Clay Novak was commissioned in 1995 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and served as an officer for twenty four years in Mechanized Infantry, Airborne Infantry, and Cavalry units .  He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2019. Clay is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School and is a Master Rated Parachutist, serving for more tha...

Paris isn’t just “having a moment” and we can’t treat it like a distant spectacle. We walk through what’s being shown, what’s being downplayed, and why the France riots and looting story keeps getting framed as anything except the policy choices that set the stage. When borders go unsecured, schools and public services get stressed, and leaders argue about optics instead of outcomes, the cleanup becomes the only plan. The uncomfortable question we keep coming back to is simple: how close is that same pattern to showing up in the United States?Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.From there, we pull the thread on media trust and why so many people feel like they are being managed instead of informed. We talk about CBS News infighting over investigative reporting, sponsor pressure, and the broader problem of newsrooms resisting the very journalism they claim to value. Then we get practical about how algorithms shape your worldview, why your feed becomes a closed loop, and how “breaking news” turns into background noise that makes real accountability harder, not easier.We also shift to geopolitics and security, including Iran’s ongoing escalation, regional threats, and what it means when leaders publicly reference striking an underground nuclear site with a MOAB type weapon. Finally, we bring it back home with the Ilhan Omar investigation claims, the bizarre timing of fundraising amid scrutiny, the United Airlines CEO calling for wealth and inheritance taxes he can likely structure around, and a WNBA that keeps making the conversation about everything except the sport. We close by tying the week together with the NFL’s business-first choices, including pressing ahead with plans near Paris, and why discernment matters more than ever.If you got value from this, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more people find the show. What headline do you think is being intentionally misframed right now?Support the showElsa's AMAZON STORE Elsa's FAITH & FREEDOM MERCH STOREElsa's BOOKSElsa Kurt: You may know her for her uncanny, viral Kamala Harris impressions & conservative comedy skits, but she’s also a lifelong Patriot & longtime Police Wife. She has channeled her fierce love and passion for God, family, country, and those who serve as the creator, Executive Producer & Host of the Elsa Kurt Show with Clay Novak. Her show discusses today’s topics & news from a middle class/blue collar family & conservative perspective. The vocal LEOW’s career began as a multi-genre author who has penned over 25 books, including twelve contemporary women’s novels. Clay Novak: Clay Novak was commissioned in 1995 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and served as an officer for twenty four years in Mechanized Infantry, Airborne Infantry, and Cavalry units .  He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2019. Clay is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School and is a Master Rated Parachutist, serving for more tha...

A nurse offers compassion. A patient becomes obsessed. And a hurricane makes an already terrifying situation even more dangerous.Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.Former travel nurse and suspense author Cindy L. Johnson joins me to talk about Stalking the Storm and The Storm Within, the nursing experiences that inspire her fiction, and the human resilience at the heart of her stories. We explore compassion, boundaries, survival, and finding the courage to begin a new chapter, on the page and in life.Explore Cindy’s books on Amazon:📖 Stalking the Storm: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FWHXLXYV📖 The Storm Within: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZBG3566INTERVIEW DISCLOSURE & BOOKING: This is a sponsored interview on The Elsa Kurt Show. Paid interview opportunities are available on a limited basis.Authors, experts, public figures, and other prospective guests who are represented by a publicist, marketing agency, PR firm, publisher, or professional representative are welcome to have their representative contact us regarding interview opportunities and current packages.Professional booking inquiries: [email protected] the showElsa's AMAZON STORE Elsa's FAITH & FREEDOM MERCH STOREElsa's BOOKSElsa Kurt: You may know her for her uncanny, viral Kamala Harris impressions & conservative comedy skits, but she’s also a lifelong Patriot & longtime Police Wife. She has channeled her fierce love and passion for God, family, country, and those who serve as the creator, Executive Producer & Host of the Elsa Kurt Show with Clay Novak. Her show discusses today’s topics & news from a middle class/blue collar family & conservative perspective. The vocal LEOW’s career began as a multi-genre author who has penned over 25 books, including twelve contemporary women’s novels. Clay Novak: Clay Novak was commissioned in 1995 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and served as an officer for twenty four years in Mechanized Infantry, Airborne Infantry, and Cavalry units .  He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2019. Clay is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School and is a Master Rated Parachutist, serving for more tha...

We move from real life updates to the week’s biggest flashpoints and keep coming back to one idea: facts and incentives matter more than viral outrage. Along the way, we challenge the instinct to turn violence, scandal, and celebrity into content while pretending it has no consequences. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.•Behind-the-scenes stories from the Reacher set and what it reveals about teamwork and professionalism •Why live-streaming a Fort Hood execution risks propaganda, martyrdom, and more desensitization •The practical difference between supporting the death penalty and rejecting a public spectacle •Cornell fraternity allegations and why partial evidence fuels reckless certainty online •How campus investigations differ from criminal investigations and why jurisdiction matters •The Ilhan Omar search warrant and the “no one is above the law” hypocrisy test •James Talarico’s disappearance, campaign optics, and why silence invites speculation •Katie Zachariah’s first press briefing and why day-one nerves are not a verdict •Kimberly Guilfoyle’s ambassador exit and what patronage appointments say about diplomacy •Kelly Clarkson’s store dispute and the reality that celebrity images are curated Come back every week, right? Support the showElsa's AMAZON STORE Elsa's FAITH & FREEDOM MERCH STOREElsa's BOOKSElsa Kurt: You may know her for her uncanny, viral Kamala Harris impressions & conservative comedy skits, but she’s also a lifelong Patriot & longtime Police Wife. She has channeled her fierce love and passion for God, family, country, and those who serve as the creator, Executive Producer & Host of the Elsa Kurt Show with Clay Novak. Her show discusses today’s topics & news from a middle class/blue collar family & conservative perspective. The vocal LEOW’s career began as a multi-genre author who has penned over 25 books, including twelve contemporary women’s novels. Clay Novak: Clay Novak was commissioned in 1995 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and served as an officer for twenty four years in Mechanized Infantry, Airborne Infantry, and Cavalry units .  He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2019. Clay is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School and is a Master Rated Parachutist, serving for more tha...

The American Dream used to feel like a simple promise: work hard, buy a house, build a family, and slowly climb toward stability. Talk to a lot of 25 and 30-year-olds today and that same promise can sound like science fiction. Housing affordability is collapsing, interest rates are punishing, and even “doing everything right” does not guarantee financial independence anymore.Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.Mark Deluzio joins Elsa to dig into the hard questions behind that shift: what actually happened to the buying power of the dollar, why the cost of living keeps outrunning wages, and how deficit spending and the Federal Reserve change real life outcomes for renters, homeowners, and anyone trying to save. We also break down the gold standard versus fiat currency in plain English, then connect the dots to why assets like homes and stocks inflate faster than paychecks, fueling a quiet transfer of wealth away from the middle class.From there, we zoom out to accountability. We talk tribal politics, why the founders feared party allegiance, and what happens when Congress stops guarding the power of the purse. We also touch tariffs, NATO, executive power, and why young adults are increasingly drawn to “democratic socialism” when the traditional path to stability disappears.If you care about the American Dream, the housing market, inflation, constitutional limits, and a practical way to think about solutions, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who is feeling the squeeze, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.———📚 Elsa's books: elsakurt.com/books🎁 Free first chapter of Mae's Café: elsakurt.com🎙 Be a guest on the show: calendly.com/elsakurt_official/thirtymin⭐ Enjoyed it? Leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It really helps!❤️ Support the show: buzzsprout.com/614722/supportSupport the showElsa's AMAZON STORE Elsa's FAITH & FREEDOM MERCH STOREElsa's BOOKSElsa Kurt: You may know her for her uncanny, viral Kamala Harris impressions & conservative comedy skits, but she’s also a lifelong Patriot & longtime Police Wife. She has channeled her fierce love and passion for God, family, country, and those who serve as the creator, Executive Producer & Host of the Elsa Kurt Show with Clay Novak. Her show discusses today’s topics & news from a middle class/blue collar family & conservative perspective. The vocal LEOW’s career began as a multi-genre author who has penned over 25 books, including twelve contemporary women’s novels. Clay Novak: Clay Novak was commissioned in 1995 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and served as an officer for twenty four years in Mechanized Infantry, Airborne Infantry, and Cavalry units .  He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2019. Clay is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School and is a Master Rated Parachutist, serving for more tha...

A 57-year marriage doesn’t end neatly. It leaves an echo in every room, in every routine, and in the simple comfort of knowing someone is nearby. Author Harper Law joins us to talk about what happened after he cared for his wife through the final stretch of her life and then had to figure out who he was on the other side of that loss. What surprised me most is how honest he is about grief: you don’t “get over it,” but you can adjust, and you can still build a life that feels alive.This is a sponsored interview. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.We dig into the unexpected things that helped him rebuild, including writing memoir while the emotions were still raw and discovering how powerful presence can be. Harper shares how a relationship that began as a caregiver arrangement grew into a meaningful platonic friendship, and why companionship is not the same thing as romance. He also explains his personal philosophy of “retire and rewire” and why a second act can include travel, opera, theater, and new risks even at 80. His stories from Georgia, especially time in Tbilisi and the pull of tradition and culture, make the idea of reinvention feel tangible.From there, we widen the lens to the world Harper keeps wrestling with on the page: technology and modern loneliness, the uneasy feeling that we are constantly connected yet emotionally farther apart, and what it means to stay grounded in history as it repeats. We also talk through his reflections from The Nine Stages of Man, including why adolescence is often the least understood stage and what he believes actually makes a good man: respect, trust, emotional honesty, self-knowledge, and the courage to speak the truth.If you want a conversation about grief, aging well, purpose after retirement, and real human connection, press play. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs hope for their next chapter, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you’re carrying forward.Find Harper's books on Amazon: https://link.amazon/B0fYMe3zA———📚 Elsa's books: elsakurt.com/books🎁 Free first chapter of Mae's Café: elsakurt.com🎙 Be a guest on the show: calendly.com/elsakurt_official/thirtymin⭐ Enjoyed it? Leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It really helps!❤️ Support the show: buzzsprout.com/614722/supportSupport the showElsa's AMAZON STORE Elsa's FAITH & FREEDOM MERCH STOREElsa's BOOKSElsa Kurt: You may know her for her uncanny, viral Kamala Harris impressions & conservative comedy skits, but she’s also a lifelong Patriot & longtime Police Wife. She has channeled her fierce love and passion for God, family, country, and those who serve as the creator, Executive Producer & Host of the Elsa Kurt Show with Clay Novak. Her show discusses today’s topics & news from a middle class/blue collar family & conservative perspective. The vocal LEOW’s career began as a multi-genre author who has penned over 25 books, including twelve contemporary women’s novels. Clay Novak: Clay Novak was commissioned in 1995 as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and served as an officer for twenty four years in Mechanized Infantry, Airborne Infantry, and Cavalry units .  He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2019. Clay is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School and is a Master Rated Parachutist, serving for more tha...