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Brian Ritchie Podcasts

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Mental health, making music and staying alive. Explore intimate, vulnerable and fascinating stories from musicians and creative people on their real-life challenges, triumphs, and how they've navigated the world while making art. Hosted by Christina Rowatt.
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Squaring the Strange

Ben Radford, Celestia Ward and Pascual Romero

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Not just another "skeptical" podcast, it's a show about critical thinking and evidence-based analysis, using science and critical thinking to examine the world around us, from the mysterious and paranormal to the mundane.
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"Four Strings and the Truth: The Bassists Who Changed Music" features intimate conversations with players who have changed the course of the music that came after them, and continue to do so. We'll uncover their four-string mindset - their influences, approach, artistic practice, and how they go about practicing, playing, composing songs, being in a band and living their lives. Host Sandy Smallens, an indie- and major label-recording artist and bassist of 40-plus years, shines a light on the ...
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You’ll hear consequential ideas here first, and in the mainstream months later. Upstream is a curated nexus feed from the Turpentine podcast network, bringing you expert-level conversations hosted by some of the most compelling thinkers in the world including Noah Smith, Samo Burja, Byrne Hobart, Erik Torenberg, and Nathan Labenz. Guests include Marc Andreessen, Balaji Srinivasan, Dario Amodei, Brian Armstrong, David Sacks, Sam Harris, Katherine Boyle, Curtis Yarvin, and many more unmissable ...
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I’m America’s Service Sales coach Joe Crisara, and I’ve been down the same path. For nearly 45 years, I performed services for clients just like yours, and like you, I suffered frustration & heartbreak, and I poured out the blood, sweat & tears it takes to survive. Over time, I learned to change how I did things so I got more traction and better results.
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Yes, listeners! It's a "very special episode" of Squaring the Strange! Ben and Celestia continue some old arguments, go over things we've changed our minds about, pick our own "words of the year," give props to our favorite guests and episodes, and much, much more. How are you feeling about the state of skepticism, science, or the world in general …
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A look back at Apple’s 2025, with special guest Rene Ritchie. Sponsored by: Factor: Healthy eating, made easy. Get 50% off your first box, plus free breakfast for 1 year, with code talkshow50off. Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code talkshow. Transcripts: Unofficial but surprisingly good. Links: The classi…
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara, America’s Service Sales Coach, sits down with Brian Burton of the Waste No Day Podcast for one of the most raw, powerful conversations ever recorded for the trades. Brian shares his unbelievable journey—from addiction and rock bottom to becoming a respected leader, sales trainer, and VP in th…
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Special guest Quinn Nelson returns for a two-topic holiday spectacular: the iPad in the wake of iPadOS 26, and Apple's executive changes as Tim Cook seemingly nears the end of his time as CEO. Sponsored by: Notion: The AI workspace where teams and AI agents get more done together. Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain…
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara guests on The Business of Learning with Joao Camargo From nearly $500,000 in debt to building a system that helps contractors earn 5–7x more per job, Joe shares the real science behind pricing, value perception, and client retention. This conversation goes deep into why copying competitors’ pr…
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This week we plumb current events to discuss microbe art, VAERS data and alleged covid vaccine deaths, the "sanpaku eyes" of a killer, AI kidnapping scams, and Tara Reid. Then our guest, Grant Ritchey (@SkepticalDDS) breaks down fluoride for us. How does it work, when did we start using it for dental care, and what makes it one of the most signific…
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara, America’s Service Sales Coach, sits down with Mike Prencavage, President of PHCC Orange County and national PHCC leader, to unpack one of the most critical challenges in the trades today: how to develop, train, and retain great technicians in plumbing, heating, and cooling. Mike shares how PH…
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara guests on the Service Titan Hacks Podcast with Bill Brown, founder of ServiceTitan Hacks the largest ServiceTitan contractor community. Joe and Bill dive into the mindset shift that took Joe from underpricing his work to unlocking his first truly profitable week — and how that same shift can t…
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First, Ben and Celestia ruminate on past Key Bridge conspiracy theories, RFK Jr.'s latest efforts to destroy public health, rage bait and the "Cártel de los Soles." Then for our main segment Daniel Reed, founder of the West Virginia Skeptics Society, joins us to discuss the Vegetable Man, a cryptid/alien one-hit-wonder. This blood-sucking, fiber-ri…
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara sits down with Ella Ritchie, founder of Stellar Communications and the publishing expert behind Joe’s book What Should We Do? Ella has helped business leaders launch bestselling nonfiction books through authentic relationship-building, strategic outreach, and powerful storytelling. Together, J…
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Special guest: Tyler Hayes. Topics include how to get a small phone today, which way foldables should fold, the state of Apple TV (including its new “sonic logo”), and some holiday gift gadget recommendations. Sponsored by: Clic for Sonos: No lag. No hassle. Just Clic. Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code …
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara sits down with Dale Steele, an HVAC solution specialist whose journey from a $7-an-hour call center job to industry success is anything but ordinary. Dale shares how empathy, human connection, and genuine curiosity became his greatest sales superpowers even before he knew anything about HVAC s…
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First, Ben and Celestia go over the latest CDC website shenanigans, an unfortunate update on a Human Barbie, some voodoo accusations in the world of soccer, the true cost of a Thanksgiving dinner, and a djinn committing crimes in Pakistan. Then Brian Dunning joins us for a discussion on billionaires and why we all seem to hate them. Should we? Woul…
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Special guest Stephen Robles joins the show. Topics include indie media and YouTube, Shortcuts and automation, and the state of podcasting. Sponsored by: Uncommon Goods: Out of the ordinary gifts, great for the holidays. Save 15% off your next purchase after following that link. Transcripts: Unofficial but surprisingly good. Links: Stephen goes ind…
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Special guest Dan Frommer returns to the show. Topics include the indie media business, the iPhone Pocket, the iPhone Air (including rumors about the second generation model), AI “personalities”, and five years of Apple Silicon Macs. Also, six years of Dan’s site, The New Consumer. Sponsored by: Factor: Healthy eating, made easy. Get 50% off your f…
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara sits down with James Hatfield, Chief Revenue Officer of Live Switch, to uncover one of the most powerful evolutions in the home services industry: instant live video communication. He reveals how Live Switch is transforming field operations, speeding up sales, improving diagnostics, enhancing …
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara sits down with Jennifer Bagley, CEO of CI Web Group and host of The Catalyst for the Trades, to discuss how AI is reshaping the service industry and what contractors must do now to stay ahead. From understanding the shift from traditional SEO to AI-driven marketing, to building agentic framewo…
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Celestia is fresh from the Very Vegas SkeptiCamp, and a week earlier Jon Michael presented at the West Virginia SkeptiCamp, so he visits to compare notes and then chat about will o' the wisps, RFK's "walkback" on Tylenol, J.D. Vance speculating on UFOs being supernatural, and the resurgence of the Welfare Queen boogeyman. For our main segment, Ben …
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara sits down with Robb Leishman, founder of Legit5 Marketing, to explore what it really means to be authentic in today’s AI-driven world. From garage door contractors to home service professionals, Robb shares powerful insights on how genuine connection, trust, and authentic storytelling can tran…
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Special guest Brian Mueller, developer of Carrot Weather, joins the show to commemorate the 10th anniversary of his utterly ridiculous but totally serious weather app. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code talkshow. Uncommon Goods: Out of the ordinary gifts. Get 15% off your next purchase. Tra…
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara, America’s Service Sales Coach, sits down with Bob Beall, owner of Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Pittsburgh — a master plumber, mentor, and inspiration who’s built an empire despite being legally blind. Bob’s story is about redefining challenges. From starting in the trades with his father to leading…
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Dan Moren returns to the show. Topics include Atlas, ChatGPT's new web browser (or anti-web browser) for the Mac; Apple's loss in a "landmark" regulatory lawsuit in the UK regarding App Store commission rates; multiple reports of poor sales for the iPhone Air; and Apple's M5 product announcements: MacBook Pro, iPads Pro, and Vision Pro. Sponsored b…
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First, Celestia and a voice from the past discuss a hat trick of rat stories (maybe a rat trick?). Then Ben chats with author, ghost story enthusiast and former ghost hunter Cody Polston about the historic Territorial House in Corrales, New Mexico. Cody led an investigation there, and Ben worked there as a teenage busboy, so their points of view co…
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara sits down with Lee Salz, author of The First Meeting Differentiator, to uncover what truly sets top-performing salespeople apart from the rest. Most people think listening is the key to better sales — but as Lee reveals, it’s really the art of asking thoughtful, emotionally engaging questions …
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We've got a bushel of SWAYSOs first! Chocolate is disappearing, an ongoing "psychic study" tries to recruit Ben, Las Vegas tries to recruit a random ghost hunter, Trump tries to find Amelia Earhart files, and Netflix releases "The Truth about Jussie Smollett?" Then at 43:12, we bring on Brian Brushwood, who Celestia cornered while he was visiting L…
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John Moltz returns to the show to talk about the iPhone 17 lineup: the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, iPhone 17, and the no-number iPhone Air. Not one word about baseball, but some Star Wars talk may or may not have snuck in. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code talkshow. Sentry: A real-time erro…
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Much of our intro segment is spent with Celestia gnashing her teeth about the recent Trump-RFK-Oz press conference that unveiled a purported link between acetaminophen and autism. It was . . . not good. Then Ben and Celestia are joined by Skeptoid's Brian Dunning to discuss his lifelong love of Death Valley and his part in the solution to a longtim…
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Bigfoot prints . . . do they track? So many questions! First, we discuss skeptic offerings at Dragon Con, then muse about Florida wanting to get rid of vaccine mandates for public school and RFK Jr. rolling back access to the COVID-19 shots just as we enter respiratory virus season. Seasoned Bigfoot enthusiast Matt Crowley ("Bigfooter of the Year,"…
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara, America’s Service Sales Coach, sits down with branding authority Dan Antonelli, founder of KickCharge Creative. Together, they explore how a strong brand identity isn’t just about logos—it’s about driving sales, inspiring teams, and creating long-term customer loyalty. What You’ll Learn: ✅Why…
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Special guest Andru Edwards joins the show. Topics include Google’s Pixel 10 event and the Pixel 10 family of devices, AI’s effect on computational photography, foldable phones, and some speculation on Apple’s September 9 “Awe Dropping” event. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code talkshow. Se…
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In this episode, Joe Crisara sits down with Brent Sonnek-Schmelz on VITAL - The Flywheel Effect Podcast. Joe reveals how companies can uncover hidden profit centers, create ongoing revenue streams, and build customer loyalty by anticipating needs rather than waiting for problems. Whether you run a project-based company or a traditional service busi…
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First, Ben and Celestia discuss the needle-spiking panic fallout, missing kids in Virginia, screw worms, radioactive shrimp and seeing double in Las Vegas. Then our main segment is secret signs and signals! Real or legendary, these signs and markers are throughout human history to tell "those in the know" what to expect (food, sex, danger). From se…
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Matthew Panzarino returns to the show. Topics include 007 logo creator Joe Caroff’s death at 103, Google’s weird “Made by Google” event hosted by Jimmy Fallon, the UK supposedly dropping its demand for an iCloud encryption backdoor, and Apple’s workaround for the Apple Watch blood oxygen sensor patent stalemate. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Save 10% …
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara sits down with Dennielle Hearn of Hearn Service Company in Ohio to talk about building a strong culture through Pure Motives. Dennielle shares how she and her husband Tom grew their multi-generational family business by embracing the Pure Motive process, training alongside their team, and keep…
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First, Ben and Celestia react to the CDC shooting, then Ben looks at some skeptical-leaning responses of ghost hunters to Dan Rivera's death and the Annabelle narrative. Rounding out current events, Celestia has another RFK-adjacent story, this one about two women hospitalized after peptide injections at a Las Vegas wellness festival. For our main …
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara sits down with Phil Risher of Phlash Consulting to break down a proven, data-driven marketing framework that’s helping home service businesses grow fast — without wasting months on cookie-cutter SEO and ad campaigns that don’t deliver. Phil shares the three pillars of the customer journey that…
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We continue to tick off the bucket list, player by player. In the wake of a trip to Minneapolis for the Caterwaul Festival, we chat with Minnesota's favorite son, Greg Norton - who filled his time in-between Hüskers tours as a chef, eventually opening an eponymous restaurant. After going 14 years without touching a bass, and surviving a health scar…
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In this episode of the Service MVP Podcast, Joe Crisara sits down with Craig Battin, CEO and co-founder of Airship—a new sales and proposal platform designed specifically for HVAC pros. More than just a pricing tool, Airship is built to help contractors increase ticket sizes, boost conversion rates, and create stunning, customer-facing proposals us…
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This week, we talk about the Blackhawk helicopter crash report, the damage an unfortunate rumor about a college student caused, and the frightening prospect of necessary, useful data being stifled or simply going away. Then, for our main segment, Ben and Kenny go over the infamous Columbus poltergeist case, an incident from 1984 involving, you gues…
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