Loading...

PODCAST

One More Thing Before You Go

Michael R Herst

Michael R. Herst sits down with remarkable people and asks the question most interviews skip: What actually shaped you into who you are today? One More Thing Before You Go is a cinematic interview podcast built on unhurried conversations with global voices whose lived experiences illuminate culture, travel, food, and the shared human story. Each conversation strips away the polished narrative to reveal what’s underneath—the heritage, the struggles, and the moments that quietly changed

society & culture documentary

All Episodes

01:11:51

Traveling Solo to 30 Countries: How the World Changed...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/09/30

In this episode Michael sits down with Jessica McGann, a world traveler whose journey took her solo through 30 countries over more than two years. Discover what it’s truly like to experience the world firsthand—and how those experiences shaped the person she became.Jessica’s journey eventually led her into the film and television industry, where she worked behind the scenes on popular productions including Big Brother Canada, Top Chef Canada, Blown Away, and All-Round Champion. But her story took

en

01:05:18

What happens when curiosity keeps opening doors you...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/09/23

What actually shapes you into who you are today? Is it where you grow up? The choices you make? The people you meet? Or the moments that seem insignificant at the time—but quietly change the direction of your life?For Clifford Brown, the path was anything but predictable. In this conversation, Michael sits down with Clifford Brown, a former Beverly Hills attorney who walked away from a successful legal career in 1987, giving up two-thirds of his income to join the U.S. Agency for International

en

01:03:31

From a Southern Mill Village to the World: Heritage,...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/09/16

What if you could leave the place that shaped you… but never really leave it behind?The sounds, smells, stories, traditions, and struggles of our childhood can follow us farther than we ever realize.In this powerful conversation, Michael sits down with Donald Williams, co-author of Born of Nothing: From White Trash and Lintheads to Purpose Across Generations, to explore heritage, identity, belonging, travel, and the places that shape who we become.Donald grew up in a South Carolina cotton mill

en

59:06

What Makes a Crime Story Unforgettable? The Power of...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/09/09

What makes a crime story stay with you long after you've turned the final page? Is it the mystery?The characters? Or is it the emotional truth hiding underneath the story?In this replay of one of Michael's favorite conversations, Michael sits down with writer, entrepreneur, and academic researcher Rhonda Parker Taylor to explore the powerful intersection of storytelling, emotional intelligence, and crime fiction.Rhonda's debut novel, Crossroads, is a suspenseful crime thriller—but beneath the

en

57:32

The Recipe That Changed His Life: Food, Heritage &...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/09/02

What if the most important recipe you ever learned had nothing to do with food? For Chef Don Bowie, it started in his grandmother’s kitchen—and became a lifelong journey through food, culture, entrepreneurship, and community.In this conversation, Michael sits down with celebrity chef and entrepreneur Don Bowie, founder of Taste Kitchen + Bar in Houston, to explore how one early influence can shape an entire life. With more than two decades in the culinary world, Don has built a career around a

en

01:02:20

The Survivor Who Walked 1,600 Miles Home | Martin Bodek

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/08/26

Some stories don’t just belong to a family. They belong to all of us. What would you do to survive if everything you knew had been taken from you?Martin Bodek's grandfather survived four armies, two world wars, starvation, poison, and a 1,600-mile journey home during World War II. He survived what should have been impossible—and then faced the harder question: How do you build a life after surviving history?In this deeply moving conversation, Michael sits down with author Martin Bodek to uncover the

en

01:01:23

Sober Travel: We Didn't Get Sober for a Smaller Life...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/08/19

What if giving up alcohol didn't mean giving up adventure?Travel is supposed to expand our world. But what happens when the very places we travel to seem to revolve around drinking?A hotel minibar. An airport bar. A champagne toast. A business conference where networking happens over cocktails. A cruise where drinks seem to follow you everywhere.For travel writer Teresa Bergen, traveling alcohol-free isn't about living a smaller life. It's about finally being free to experience a bigger one.In this

en

56:27

Lost for a Century: Family Secrets, Irish Heritage &...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/08/12

What if a story buried in your family for more than a century suddenly asked you to tell it? Brigid Kennedy’s story begins with a real Irish treasure hunter, her great-grandfather Robert Patrick Kennedy, who crossed the Atlantic, married Eudocia Rodrigues in Arequipa, Peru, in 1910—and then disappeared into the Amazon.The story survived in fragments until one night, when Brigid’s grandmother appeared to her in a dream and asked her to write the family story.Brigid had never written a novel. She

en

55:48

Walking Through the Echoes of World War I | Briana...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/08/05

What if the places that carry humanity's deepest wounds also have the power to heal something within us?In this episode of One More Thing Before You Go, Michael welcomes poet, author, photographer, and adventurer Briana Gervat for a deeply reflective conversation about history, solitude, resilience, and the unexpected ways travel transforms us.In 2022, Briana set out alone on an extraordinary pilgrimage along the Western Front, walking hundreds of miles from the border of Switzerland and France,

en

01:07:04

The Hidden Psychology of Flow: Lessons from...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/07/29

What if the greatest lesson from Hollywood wasn’t about making blockbuster movies—but about living a more focused, creative, and meaningful life?In this episode of One More Thing Before You Go, Michael welcomes Steven Puri, former EVP at DreamWorks and VP at 20th Century Fox, whose career helped shape iconic films including Transformers, Star Trek, Die Hard, and Independence Day. Yet the most compelling story isn’t what happened behind the camera—it’s what happened within.Steven shares an

en

01:05:49

When Life Changes the Story You Thought You Were...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/07/22

What if the greatest challenges of your life were preparing you for your greatest purpose?Resilience isn’t something we’re born with—it is built through adversity, difficult choices, and the moments that quietly redefine who we become. In this cinematic conversation, Michael sits down with Jim Paulk to explore how life’s unexpected setbacks can become the foundation for purpose, personal growth, and lasting strength.Jim shares the defining moments that tested his character, the lessons he learned

en

38:15

Nonna’s — A Story of Food, Family, and the Women Who...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/07/19

What happens when a man chooses to honor his late mother and grandmother by opening a restaurant run entirely by grandmothers?That question sparked one of our most beloved conversations — and inspired Nonna’s, the heartwarming new film starring Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, and Brenda Vaccaro.In this special Over the Teacup Sunday replay, Michael and Diane — joined by guest co‑host Nicole — revisit the extraordinary true story of Joe Scaravella, founder of Staten

en

46:53

The Stories We Tell About the Future Reveal Who We...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/07/15

What if the future isn't something we're trying to predict... but something we're trying to understand about ourselves?The stories we tell about tomorrow often reveal more about today than we realize.In this thoughtful conversation, Michael sits down with author and cultural thinker Amy Bernstein to explore why speculative fiction has become one of the most powerful ways to make sense of an uncertain world. Together, they examine how imagination helps us process fear, hope, identity, and the

en

30:53

Elle — The Origin Story: Diane & Michael Break Down...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/07/12

In this episode, Diane and Michael take a deep dive into Elle, the new prequel series that reimagines Elle Woods’ early life. With their personal connection to Karen McCullah Lutz, the screenwriter behind the original Legally Blonde, they bring a fresh, intimate perspective to the conversation.They discuss:• The show’s premise• Cast, producers & creative team• The 1990s Seattle setting• Themes of identity, belonging & early empowerment• Mixed reviews & audience reactions• Why this

en

53:32

The Cost of Belonging: Choosing Yourself After...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/07/08

Some lives force us to ask uncomfortable questions: Who decides who we become? What happens when the identities we’ve built our lives around suddenly disappear? And how do we begin again without pretending the past never happened?In this thoughtful, unhurried conversation, Michael sits down with Hakeem Bourne McFarlane, founder of the Choose Yourself movement, to explore identity, belonging, resilience, and the quiet work of becoming whole.Growing up mixed-race in a home marked by addiction and

en

33:49

The Moment Everything Changed — Leah Renee’s...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/07/05

Welcome to Part Two of our special two‑part conversation with Leah Renee — the only ex‑Mormon housewife turned stand‑up comedian she’s ever met.In Part One, we explored the life she lived before everything changed: her Mormon upbringing, the early cracks in her identity, the pressure of motherhood, and the moment she realized the life she was living wasn’t truly hers.Now, in Part Two, we step directly into the transformation itself — the unraveling, the rebuilding, and the wild, hilarious, deeply

en

42:53

Leah Renee: From Mormon Housewife to Stand-Up...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/07/01

What happens when the identity you were handed… no longer fits the person you’re becoming?In Part One of this special two‑part cinematic conversation, Michael sits down with Leah Renee — the only ex‑Mormon housewife turned stand‑up comedian she’s ever met. Before the comedy stages, before the sold‑out shows, before the reinvention… there was a life built inside a belief system she once thought she’d never leave.In this first half of her story, Leah opens up about:• Growing up devout Mormon in a

en

57:46

The Art of Legacy: Creativity, Culture & the Stories...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/06/28

Art is more than color on canvas — it’s memory, identity, and the way a culture says, “We were here.” In this powerful conversation, Michael sits down with Dr. Archana Srivastava, TEDx speaker, PhD historian, award‑winning artist, and founder of ArtSage and Les Trésors Art Gallery. Her mission is urgent: to save India’s vanishing folk and tribal art forms, some preserved by only a few families left.Together, they explore how art becomes activism, why creativity is the most underrated leadership

en

01:04:41

How Many Creative Lives Can One Person Live? From...

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/06/24

What happens when a lifelong storyteller refuses to stay in one lane?In this episode, Michael sits down with Richard Sparks — acclaimed British comedy writer, opera collaborator, and fantasy novelist — to explore a career defined by reinvention, imagination, and the courage to follow creativity wherever it leads.Richard has written for some of the most iconic comedy voices in the UK, crafted librettos for opera, and now builds entire worlds through fantasy fiction. His journey is a masterclass in

en

01:08:25

When Your Nervous System Won’t Rest with Tim Thomas

One More Thing Before You Go ·

2026/06/17

What happens when a Special Forces operator, professional fighter, and lifelong warrior finally meets the one opponent he can’t out‑run: his own nervous system?In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Michael sits down with Tim Thomas, founder of Breathwork in Bed, former Australian Special Forces operator, PTSD survivor, and a man who rebuilt his life one breath at a time.Tim shares how trauma rewired his body, how sleep became impossible, and how breathwork became the doorway back to peace,

en

575 results

Similar Podcasts

وجوه من الـظل

Medi1 Podcast

The Sam Sanders Show

KCRW & Sam Sanders

Philosophy Book Collection

The Podcast Network

Avec philosophie

France Culture

Pop Culture Junkie®

Pop Culture Junkie