The Best Pandemic Ever Podcast

On this episode of the podcast, Spotify labels us as subversives, Jared claims COVID made his farts odorless, and we discuss why season 2 won't suck as bas as season 1.ABOUT JAREDJared Nichols is the founder and creator of The Foresight Academy, a groundbreaking program that teaches leaders and teams the same skills that innovators, industry disruptors, and change makers, have used to guide and shape the future they wanted to see. Jared is also a futurist, advisor, and professor of Strategic Foresight at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business, in Graduate and Executive Education.Learn more at:http://www.nufuturist.com/Learn how you can earn your Certificate in Strategic Foresight from the University of Tennessee: https://www.nufuturist.com/foresight-academy-strategic-foresightABOUT PAULFor over twenty years Paul was on the forefront on solving the most complex problems in the world's most dangerous places. As a career Special Forces Officer (The Green Berets) his genuine love of making people laugh was probably instrumental. These days, Paul ‘s energy and bias for action is dedicated to The Green Marines, a movement he co-founded, dedicated to reconnecting people to the planet and each other by advocating micro-missions to change the world. Learn more by following Paul’s Green Marine posts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-toolan/

On this episode of the podcast, Paul discovers his best years have passed him by, the team conspires to steal the intellectual property of their young guest, and Jared reveals his philanthropic resume is includes giving day-old stolen food to the homeless. All this, plus the ultimate story of turning lemons into lemonade from Saathvik Boompelli, one of the most remarkable and prolific young people to emerge from the pandemic yet.ABOUT SAATHVIK:Saathvik is a high school senior studying at Jack Britt High School and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. During the pandemic, he started a peer tutoring program and partnered with his teacher and principal to 3-D print mask clasps for healthcare workers. The peer tutoring program expanded to all the schools in the county and continues to grow. He is planning to study Biomedical Engineering and Economics at Duke University.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saathvik-boompelli-9a680b200/ABOUT JAREDJared Nichols is the founder and creator of The Foresight Academy, a groundbreaking program that teaches leaders and teams the same skills that innovators, industry disruptors, and change-makers, have used to guide and shape the future they wanted to see. Jared is also a futurist, advisor, and professor of Strategic Foresight at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business, in Graduate and Executive Education.Learn more at www.nufuturist.comLearn how you can earn your Certificate in Strategic Foresight from the University of Tennessee: https://www.nufuturist.com/foresight-academy-strategic-foresightABOUT PAULFor over twenty years Paul was at the forefront of solving the most complex problems in the world's most dangerous places. As a career Special Forces Officer (The Green Berets) his genuine love of making people laugh was probably instrumental. These days, Paul‘s energy and bias for action are dedicated to The Green Marines, a movement he co-founded, dedicated to reconnecting people to the planet and each other by advocating micro-missions to change the world. Learn more by following Paul’s Green Marine posts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-toolan/

On this episode of the podcast, top ten lists you’d never imagine, an agreement that Jared is no Neil Diamond, and exploring the vast sea of opportunity in the ever-growing field of assassins-for-hire. All this plus insights and observations about the impact of COVID on the creative process, the final word on the best western movie ever, and possibly the most endearing story of Sir Roger Moore you’ll ever hear...all from the brilliant and prolific mind our guest Matt Chernov.ABOUT MATT CHERNOVMatthew Chernov is a screenwriter, journalist, and podcaster based in Los Angeles. His films have premiered on NBC, the SyFy Channel, Lifetime Network, Spike TV and the Hallmark Channel, and his articles can be read at Variety, United Airlines, James Bond Radio, The DISH Network, In-House Writer, and NewsCred. He co-hosts the podcast How the West Was ‘Cast about the Western film genre.ABOUT JAREDJared Nichols is the founder and creator of The Foresight Academy, a groundbreaking program that teaches leaders and teams the same skills that innovators, industry disruptors, and change-makers, have used to guide and shape the future they wanted to see. Jared is also a futurist, advisor, and professor of Strategic Foresight at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business, in Graduate and Executive Education.Learn more at www.nufuturist.comLearn how you can earn your Certificate in Strategic Foresight from the University of Tennessee: https://www.nufuturist.com/foresight-academy-strategic-foresightABOUT PAULFor over twenty years Paul was at the forefront of solving the most complex problems in the world's most dangerous places. As a career Special Forces Officer (The Green Berets) his genuine love of making people laugh was probably instrumental. These days, Paul‘s energy and bias for action are dedicated to The Green Marines, a movement he co-founded, dedicated to reconnecting people to the planet and each other by advocating micro-missions to change the world. Learn more by following Paul’s Green Marine posts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-toolan/

On this episode of the podcast, we throw shade at AT&T again, Jared seizes another opportunity to complain about his career as an amateur cyclist, and Paul goes to extraordinary lengths to close the deal on a chicken sandwich at the grand opening of a new Chick-Fil-A. All this, plus insights on why Netflix thinks you’re an idiot with streaming video pioneer and industry expert Dan Rayburn. ABOUT DAN RAYBURN:Dan Rayburn is considered to be one of the foremost authorities, speakers, and writers on streaming media technology and online video business models. An avid blogger, author, and analyst, Dan is often referred to as the "voice of the industry" and has been quoted in more than a thousand news items by nearly every major media outlet over the past twenty years. His blog is one of the most widely read sites for broadcasters, content owners, Wall Street money managers, and industry executives in the online video sector. His articles have been published by the WSJ, NYT, CNN, Huff Post, Fortune, Business Insider, Gizmodo and he has been interviewed on Bloomberg, FOX, CNN, CBS, CNBC, and NPR amongst others. Due to his expertise in the content delivery market, he has also received invitations to speak as a witness at hearings by both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives on topics pertaining to net neutrality, telecom mergers, and content delivery architectures.To learn more about Dan visit his website: https://www.danrayburn.comABOUT JAREDJared Nichols is the founder and creator of The Foresight Academy, a groundbreaking program that teaches leaders and teams the same skills that innovators, industry disruptors, and change-makers, have used to guide and shape the future they wanted to see. Jared is also a futurist, advisor, and professor of Strategic Foresight at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business, in Graduate and Executive Education.Learn more at www.nufuturist.comLearn how you can earn your Certificate in Strategic Foresight from the University of Tennessee: https://www.nufuturist.com/foresight-academy-strategic-foresightABOUT PAULFor over twenty years Paul was at the forefront of solving the most complex problems in the world's most dangerous places. As a career Special Forces Officer (The Green Berets) his genuine love of making people laugh was probably instrumental. These days, Paul‘s energy and bias for action are dedicated to The Green Marines, a movement he co-founded, dedicated to reconnecting people to the planet and each other by advocating micro-missions to change the world. Learn more by following Paul’s Green Marine posts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-toolan/

On this episode of the podcast, we peek between the covers of a dirty novel; we follow our guest from Kenya, to American-Somoa, to Korea, and to Austria; and Jared realizes his lifelong dream to spend time with a professional model. Spoiler alert...it’s a dude. All this, plus a look at the wildly adventurous and incredibly impactful COVID year of Nathan Ikon Crumpton. Pro tip - don’t call him Nate. ABOUT NATHANSkeleton racer: 5x USA National Team Qualifier, Former USA #1 and World #8, now competing for American Samoa; won the first medals in international competition in a winter Olympic sport for ASA in 2019. Also a veteran photographer & over-the-hill sports & lifestyle model.You can reach Nathan through his website: www.NathanIkonCrumpton.comABOUT JAREDJared Nichols is the founder and creator of The Foresight Academy, a groundbreaking program that teaches leaders and teams the same skills that innovators, industry disruptors, and change-makers, have used to guide and shape the future they wanted to see. Jared is also a futurist, advisor, and professor of Strategic Foresight at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business, in Graduate and Executive Education.Learn more at www.nufuturist.comLearn how you can earn your Certificate in Strategic Foresight from the University of Tennessee: https://www.nufuturist.com/foresight-academy-strategic-foresightABOUT PAULFor over twenty years Paul was at the forefront of solving the most complex problems in the world's most dangerous places. As a career Special Forces Officer (The Green Berets) his genuine love of making people laugh was probably instrumental. These days, Paul‘s energy and bias for action are dedicated to The Green Marines, a movement he co-founded, dedicated to reconnecting people to the planet and each other by advocating micro-missions to change the world. Learn more by following Paul’s Green Marine posts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-toolan/

On this episode of the podcast, Jared admits to skewing the shows audience analytics by being a regular listener, Paul manages to weave vomitoriums into the conversation, and our guest Jamie Mustard takes the show down a rabbit hole of protest porn. All this, plus a discussion about how staring at devices and exploring social media can never hold a candle to sitting around the dinner table and talking.ABOUT JAMIE MUSTARDJamie Mustard is an expert on perception in the physical world, a strategic multi-media consultant, art, design and product futurist, creative artist and Iconist. He has codified the primal laws of what makes anything iconic–the anatomy of what causes any idea, art or message to STAND OUT and take hold in the human mind, across any medium. His passion is to teach the science and art of obviousness, helping professionals, change agents, artists and businesses confidently and at will make their messages, brands and ideas STAND OUT to their desired audiences–breaking through “DRAG” from dilution that we all know we are all up against.Learn all about Jamie at https://theiconist.orgABOUT JAREDJared Nichols is the founder and creator of The Foresight Academy, a groundbreaking program that teaches leaders and teams the same skills that innovators, industry disruptors, and change-makers, have used to guide and shape the future they wanted to see. Jared is also a futurist, advisor, and professor of Strategic Foresight at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business, in Graduate and Executive Education.Learn more at www.nufuturist.comLearn how you can earn your Certificate in Strategic Foresight from the University of Tennessee: https://www.nufuturist.com/foresight-academy-strategic-foresightABOUT PAULFor over twenty years Paul was at the forefront of solving the most complex problems in the world's most dangerous places. As a career Special Forces Officer (The Green Berets) his genuine love of making people laugh was probably instrumental. These days, Paul‘s energy and bias for action are dedicated to The Green Marines, a movement he co-founded, dedicated to reconnecting people to the planet and each other by advocating micro-missions to change the world. Learn more by following Paul’s Green Marine posts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-toolan/

On this episode of the podcast, Paul shares the story of Steve The Cat, Jared eschews home delivery over bruised fruit, and the show repays the graciousness of their guest, a combat-wounded Green Beret, and Mormon, by implying he is a connoisseur of strange pornography. All this and insights on COVID from the perspective of security expert Jake Green.ABOUT JAKE: Jake is the director of Security for Freedom Consulting and the Co-Host of Security Matters with The Coffee Squad. Before becoming a security expert and beloved podcast host, Jake was a steely-eyed, barrel-chested freedom fighter. He joined the Army in 2004 and within three years was deployed to combat as a Green Beret. He deployed to Afghanistan three times between 2007 and 2010 with the 7th Special Forces Group. He was injured in 2010 and was assigned to the Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg where he directed operations for a training battalion and instructed at the Special Forces Combat Diver School in Key West, Florida. After his time at the Special Warfare Center and School, Jake was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group and deployed two more times to Afghanistan. In 2015, after years of surgeries from his injury, he elected to have his foot amputated at the ankle. After another two and a half years of medical procedures and surgeries, his leg was amputated at the knee. He returned to the 3rd Special Forces Group in 2017 prepared to continue to deploy to combat but was medically retired by the Army in 2018. Jake is also a partner at Blackfish 5 – a premium sports nutrition brand. He says Blackfish 5 products provide him the performance enhancement he needs to keep up with his wife and three hellions.Listen to Security Matters with the Coffee Squad hereABOUT JAREDJared Nichols is the founder and creator of The Foresight Academy, a groundbreaking program that teaches leaders and teams the same skills that innovators, industry disruptors, and change-makers, have used to guide and shape the future they wanted to see. Jared is also a futurist, advisor, and professor of Strategic Foresight at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business, in Graduate and Executive Education.Learn more at http://www.nufuturist.com/Learn how you can earn your Certificate in Strategic Foresight from the University of Tennessee: https://www.nufuturist.com/foresight-academy-strategic-foresightABOUT PAULFor over twenty years Paul was at the forefront of solving the most complex problems in the world's most dangerous places. As a career Special Forces Officer (The Green Berets) his genuine love of making people laugh was probably instrumental. These days, Paul‘s energy and bias for action are dedicated to The Green Marines, a movement he co-founded, dedicated to reconnecting people to the planet and each other by advocating micro-missions to change the world. Learn more by following Paul’s Green Marine posts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-toolan/

On this episode of the podcast, Jared emulates Al Capone by tangling with the IRS, Paul continues to search for the reasons why more people don’t recognize how delightful he is, and our weary travelers discuss everyone’s favorite, and inevitable, part of the show...30 seconds of awkward silence. All this, plus a fascinating conversation with Dylan Costa about the subculture of van-life; the place where paranoid doomsdayers and optimistic minimalists cross paths. ABOUT DYLAN:Dylan has spent his life in pursuit of adventure whilst toiling in the technology of art and entertainment. Dylan started his journey with big designs on becoming an actor... designs that were quickly dashed at Rhode Island College when his first audition to no less than Tony, Emmy, and Oscar winner Viola Davis had the predictable result of quickly pushing him toward a life "backstage.” Working at theaters in Rhode Island, Colorado, Michigan, California, New York, Toronto, and Boston fed his growing wanderlust. This culminated in traveling literally around the world with the Joffrey Ballet in the lighting department. Married life and a new family put a temporary halt to the travel and he shifted to Film and Television. Hanging out with Daniel Day Lewis on The Crucible and Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins on Meet Joe Black didn’t suck, but a more family friendly life beckoned. A transition to engineering and design of AV systems led to his current position at The Rhode Island School of Design. Through it all, hiking and adventuring with his wife Ailis has always been part of the journey. Backpacking the Kalalau trail in Kauai as a family, exploring Iceland, rafting with whales in Victoria, BC, hiking Trolltunga in Norway, the Maroon Bells in Colorado, and always the mountains of New England give the Costas peace, joy, and adventure. Dylan has written no books but has read a few and his love of rhetoric and a good debate led him to compete in both the National and World Championships for Parliamentary Debate while in college...where for one brief moment Ted Cruz thought, who the f*** is this guy?Learn more about Dylan on Facebook and pretty much no where else...because he doesn’t have time for that sh**ABOUT JAREDJared Nichols is the founder and creator of The Foresight Academy, a groundbreaking program that teaches leaders and teams the same skills that innovators, industry disruptors, and change-makers, have used to guide and shape the future they wanted to see. Jared is also a futurist, advisor, and professor of Strategic Foresight at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business, in Graduate and Executive Education.Learn more at http://www.nufuturist.com/Learn how you can earn your Certificate in Strategic Foresight from the University of Tennessee: https://www.nufuturist.com/foresight-academy-strategic-foresightABOUT PAULFor over twenty years Paul was at the forefront of solving the most complex problems in the world's most dangerous places. As a career Special Forces Officer (The Green Berets) his genuine love of making people laugh was probably instrumental. These days, Paul‘s energy and bias for action are dedicated to The Green Marines, a movement he co-founded, dedicated to reconnecting people to the planet and each other by advocating micro-missions to change the world. Learn more by following Paul’s Green Marine posts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-toolan/