My grandmother Eileen Blair (pictured above) immigrated from Jamaica to the Bronx in the 1950s. To say she grew up modestly is an understatement. She and her six older siblings were raised by a single mother in a one-room house with a dirt floor in the outskirts of Kingston, Jamaica. She wore clothing discarded by neighbors and often had no shoes. Her father was a physically and psychologically abusive drunk who squandered what little money they had on rum. Her mother died from cancer when she was eight years old, leaving the eldest brother to look after Eileen and her siblings.
Despite all manner of disadvantage, she and my grandfather immigrated to the US, found jobs, raised three children, built a business, and bought their own home in the Bronx — the very home I grew up in during the early part of my childhood.
About eight years ago, I had the rare opportunity to visit Eileen in her Florida home. My grandfather had passed away a year prior, so she lived alone and was always in precarious health. I sensed somehow that this could be my last opportunity to spend time with her, so I implored her to recount all the old stories from Jamaica and the Bronx.
We spent those few days lounging in her backyard near a mango tree as she regaled me with story after story, including…
the time an unruly horse inadvertently saved her grandfather from being murdered by a witch doctor.
the time her drunk father had a friend pull his tooth out with a pair of pliers to avoid a costly visit to the dentist — resulting in a hole in his chin that leaked saliva and blood for the rest of his short life.
the time her husband (my grandfather) almost unwittingly inked a business deal with a local Bronx mafia don nicknamed “Uncle”, until she sniffed it out and put a stop to it.
I desperately wanted to capture these stories, so I recorded her on my phone. I’m slightly ashamed to admit … I didn’t ask her permission. She was a humble and private person, so I knew she’d say “no way!” (in her classic Jamaican lilt). But I knew if I didn’t press record, pieces of our family history — and more importantly, Eileen’s voice — would be lost forever. So I stealthily recorded hours of priceless stories, lessons, and personal philosophies. About a year later, Eileen passed on, and our entire family listened to these precious recordings during her wake. I still listen to them about once a year.
Voices are as unique as fingerprints, and nothing brings the emotions of a story to life like an impassioned voice. My grandmother is the catalyst and inspiration to create the Epic Human Podcast. I want to highlight people like Eileen — the risk-takers, the storytellers, the underdogs…
Let’s break down the Epic Human Podcast into its three core components:
I. EPIC
In high school English class, we all learned about the hero’s journey from classic literature. The hero hears the call to adventure, goes down to the underworld to face challenging obstacles, and emerges transformed and bestowed with unique powers or gifts. Most of us don’t follow this path. We live our lives following the neatly trimmed trails prescribed by those before us. Many may hear the call, but few undertake the burden of the most difficult challenges.
I’m inspired by the ones who step off the preordained trail, and chart their own path through life. We all have this capability inside us, but fear and uncertainty often restrain us. I can think of many times in my life where I’ve taken the well-worn path for fear of failure or humiliation. Those true heroes, who have gone to hell and back, inspire me to take more risks and break free from my own anxiety and trepidation.
We’ve all hear the origin stories of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. While certainly impressive, the rich and famous do not have a monopoly on heroism. I’m intrigued by the lesser-known individuals all around us with equally compelling stories, whose endings have yet to be written.
Being epic can take many forms, such as starting a business (like Greg McNeal), dropping out college (like Claire Coder), quitting your job to travel the world (like Cam Woodsum), following your artistic passions (like Ray Li), running for office (like Ken Harbaugh), or starting a family (like Mike Sirkin). To me, no one is more epic than a new mom. We all have this potential inside us, and my goal is to help people drum up the courage to embark on their own heroic adventures, whatever they may be.
II. HUMAN
I often ask my guest to share anecdotes from their childhood and summarize their path leading up to their current greatness. I do this intentionally. If you look at some of these people on paper, they are spectacularly successful, courageous, and confident. While often inspiring, sometimes these luminaries can appear otherworldly or somehow uniquely gifted.
As a father of young children, I can attest that we all start out as wildly imperfect “works-in-progress.” Even the most incredible people have faced bitter failure (like Andy Byrnes) and come to grips with their own weaknesses. I implore each guest to discuss their origin story, warts and all. I try not to gloss over the challenges, but to identify them, exhume them, and hold them up to the light. I seek to humanize my guests for the benefit of the listener. Once you’ve heard about how someone was painfully shy as a child or made huge mistakes as a teenager (like Chris Anderson), it takes that person off their pedestal and makes her or him more accessible.
I want my listeners to realize that they may have more in common with guests than they originally thought. In this context, taking big leaps seems more plausible in one’s own life.
III. PODCAST
Do we really need another podcast? This is the question that held me back for a long time. Apple’s iTunes currently has over 500k podcasts. What can I bring to the table? How many people will really listen? Again, fear of failure and embarrassment seeped into my thinking. Then I met a fellow venture investor Sydney Thomas, who helped me realize us non-famous people can start podcasts, too!
I love podcasts, and I’m not the only one. Podcast listenership is growing at a breakneck pace. Why? I believe that podcasts (specifically long form podcasts) are a counter balance to the ADHD culture of the last few decades. Long form discussions allow for much deeper exploration of complex topics and stories. The world is a complicated place, and often a two-minute soundbite doesn’t suffice. In oversimplifying issues, we further polarize our positions and see folks we disagree with as “other.”
The best example I can point to is Joe Rogan’s interview of Jack Dorsey, Vijaya Gadde & Tim Pool on the topic of Twitter’s censorship policies. They willingly took on a thorny and complex issue, each side coming prepared with data and ultimately hashing out potential solutions. There was certainly disagreement and debate, but it was constructive and nuanced. We need more of this!
I started this podcast as a passion project, hoping that a few friends and family would listen. To my amazement, we now have thousands of listeners tuning in. I’ve even had a few strangers reach out to tell me how much they love that show. I’m humbled and honored for the positive feedback received thus far, and we’re just getting started!