Lorie Kleiner Eckert thinks of herself as a cheerleader with the message: life is difficult, but you can handle it!

For ten years, she worked as a motivational speaker, addressing more than 22,000 people during more than 250 appearances in 11 states. She’s spoken to every sort of group from PTAs to Procter & Gamble. What makes her programs unique is that they’re illustrated by her artwork, quilts with words and symbols pieced into the design.

For three years, she wrote an award-winning motivational column that was syndicated in regional newspapers across the United States.

Lorie also sells her motivational quilts on Etsy. In all formats – the spoken word, the written word, and the quilted word – Lorie uses the same M.O. She tells the stories of her life, hoping that her audience will glean life lessons from them.

Her fifth book, Chai on Life, was published by Bancroft Press in April 2025. I’ve read Chai on Life and found it to be deeply inspiring in how I think of my life and how I can be a better me. I highly recommend Chai on Life to you.

Pia Mailhot-Leichter is a creative partner, published author, certified coach, and entrepreneur. Her path has been anything but ordinary: a recovering nomad, she’s reported as a journalist in Sri Lanka, graduated summa cum laude from NYU, and worked as an award-winning creative director for some of the biggest brands in the world. Now, as the founder of Kollektiv Studio, through creative partnership, from storytelling to coaching, Pia is uniquely positioned to co-create wild visions and ventures.

Kollektiv Studio works with founders, leaders, and creatives with a rebellious spirit and visionary tendencies. As Pia puts it, "The outcome isn't just what you create—it's who you become in the process."

She recently published Welcome to the Creative Club, a book that challenges everything people thought they knew about creativity. Praised by Google's Global Head of Creative & Innovation as "life-changing," and by iconic fashion designer Betsey Johnson as "a wild ride," this part-memoir, part-guide invites readers to make life their biggest art project and reclaim their creative power.

I’ve read Welcome to the Creative Club and as a lifelong creator myself, I found it to be eye-opening in how Pia cuts straight to the heart of overcoming the stumbling blocks that most creatives encounter. If you’re looking to supercharge your creativity, I highly recommend Welcome to the Creative Club to you.

Barry Greenfield began his musical ride in 1965 when he was just 15 years old. Over the subsequent decades, Barry has become a greatly appreciated, old-school, singer songwriter, with three number one records, twenty-five plus covers, and life as a touring musician and storyteller.

He actually walked away from the music business in the mid-70s saying, “it’s not for me,” and yet he remained a dedicated songwriter and performer, releasing twelve LP’s while sharing his music with audiences everywhere.

Barry’s autobiography, My Journey to Blue Sky, was recently published by New Haven Publishing. It covers the intimate details of his professional years, including, standing on the shoulders of various giants that he has known or worked with, like Cher, John Lennon, Larry Carlton, Supertramp, Kenny Rogers, Harry Nilsson, 10cc, and more.

Barry’s classic album, Blue Sky, released by RCA, has reached its 50th anniversary. And now with his book, Barry reveals the life changing experiences he received while attending the ‘music school’ of the real world in those halcyon days of 1963 to 1975. Barry learned everything by listening, watching, and questioning.

Please be sure to stick around at the end of the show for a very special treat. Barry has graciously lent us his powerful hit song, “New York is Closed Tonight.,” which we’ll play for everyone to enjoy. After 9/11, CNN played “New York is Closed Tonight,” juxtaposed to what was happening to the twin towers.