Hosted by The LOTS Project · 🇺🇸 US · EN · 77 episodes
Established thought leaders with verified media credentials.
Life rarely follows a straight line. In "Direct or Detour," we uncover the fascinating journeys behind successful people's careers and lives. Did they follow a carefully planned path, or did life's unexpected turns lead them to something even better?Each episode features candid conversations with accomplished guests who share their authentic stories - the victories, the setbacks, and the surprising twists that shaped their success. From career pivots to serendipitous opportunities, we explore whether their achievements came from unwavering focus or embracing life's detours.Join us as we discover that sometimes the most rewarding destinations aren't the ones we initially planned. Whether you're questioning your own path or curious about others' journeys, "Direct or Detour" reveals that success has many routes - and they're not always straight.Perfect for:Career-changers seeking inspirationEntrepreneurs navigating uncertaintyAnyone wondering if they're on the "right" pathThose fas
The LOTS Project hosts Direct or Detour, a society show with 77 episodes published.
Drake Wolfe aged out of foster care with nothing—no home, no guidance, no plan. Today, he runs an AI empire powered by 150+ autonomous agents, with zero employees, and a mission to end the aging-out crisis for foster you
John Hankins didn’t just retire—he reinvented himself. After 35 years in tech and a lifetime of financial experience, John became a certified financial therapist at age 71. Now, he helps others—especially those approachi
Elijah Khan’s journey is anything but ordinary. From struggling to make ends meet as a working actor to building Accentify, a breakthrough app helping people master accents, Elijah has turned rejection and hardship into
Chris Scott's journey from Minor League Baseball umpire to startup survivor to founder of Boschetto is anything but traditional. In this episode, Chris shares how injury forced him to pivot, how burnout taught him to reb
What does it take to turn pain into power? In this episode of Direct Or Detour, Cam F Awesome — 12x national boxing champion, former Team USA captain, and resilience keynote speaker — shares his powerful journey from bei
What do punk-folk music, children's cartoons, and Google's AI have in common? One man: Jason Barnard. In this episode of Direct Or Detour, Jason shares his extraordinary career journey—from touring Europe as a double bas
Hersh Rephun's journey defies every straight path you've ever seen. From screenwriting and stand-up comedy to launching a sneaker marketing agency and now helping entrepreneurs craft authentic personal brands—his story i
Vince Quinn went from spinning prize wheels at radio station events to hosting his own nationally syndicated show across 225 stations—then walked away. Why? Because the future wasn’t on air—it was in podcasting. Now as C
What if the thing holding you back isn’t time—but focus? In this episode of Direct Or Detour, I sit down with Cindy Baker, Productivity Coach, Speaker, and founder of Cindy Baker Coaching. After a late-in-life ADHD diagn
What does it take to grow a multimillion-dollar tech firm, own a 400-acre organic farm, and still find time to launch a new social media platform? In this episode of Direct Or Detour, Brian sits down with serial entrepre
After 16 years producing hit shows for MTV and E! News, Shannon Russell made the bold decision to stop "producing for others"—and start producing her own life. In this episode, Shannon shares how motherhood and a brutal
Alykhan Jetha—known as AJ—is the CEO of Marketcircle Inc., creators of the all-in-one CRM and productivity platform Daylite.app. In this episode, AJ shares his powerful journey from being a child refugee to building a mu
John Brink’s life began in the chaos of Nazi-occupied Holland and evolved into an 84-year (and counting) story of relentless ambition, resilience, and reinvention. In this episode of Direct Or Detour, John shares his jou
At 70 years young, Dale Kershner is far from slowing down—in fact, he’s just getting started. In this powerful conversation, Dale shares how he walked away from law school, dove into early tech and automation, and eventu
What happens when a seasoned corporate innovator launches a side business—and it fails hard? In this episode of Direct Or Detour, author and entrepreneur William Holsten unpacks the highs and “Uh-Oh!” moments of his unco
What happens when a French boat rental entrepreneur abandons it all to pursue a calling across the ocean? In this episode of Direct Or Detour, Dr. Alain Salas shares his riveting transformation from living on a sailboat
What does it take to survive the ups and downs of entrepreneurship? Michael Ritsema, CEO of i3 Business Solutions, shares his incredible journey from near bankruptcy in 2001 to leading a thriving technology and cybersecu
What do music, freelancing, and digital marketing have in common? For Matt Diamante, they were all stepping stones in his journey to launching HeyTony, a thriving marketing agency. In this episode of Direct Or Detour, Ma
How does a molecular biologist pivot to becoming a sought-after professional photographer? In this episode of Direct Or Detour, we sit down with Jasmeet Singh, the founder of 415Headshots Inc., a premier headshot photogr
How do you go from being overworked and overwhelmed to building a business that runs without you? Madi Waggoner, founder of Building Remote, knows firsthand what it takes to step away from the daily grind and create a co
John Hankins
licensed social worker and certified financial therapist
1 appearance on this show
Chris Scott
Market Leader · Whistle Stop Cafe
1 appearance on this show
Cam F Awesome
12x national boxing champion, former Team USA captain, resilience keynote speaker
1 appearance on this show
Jason Barnard
The Brand SERP Guy · The Brand SERP Guy
1 appearance on this show
Hersh Rephun
holistic brand therapist
1 appearance on this show
Vince Quinn
creative director, producer, and podcast entrepreneur · It's Not Just Talking
1 appearance on this show
Cindy Baker
Productivity Coach, Speaker, Founder · Cindy Baker Coaching
1 appearance on this show
Shannon Russell
Strategic Leadership and Team Facilitator, entrepreneur, author, speaker, host of the Build Better Teams podcast · Second Act Success® Coaching
1 appearance on this show
William Holsten
retired innovation expert, small business mentor, author
1 appearance on this show
Dr. Alain Salas
bestselling author, chiropractic physician, and mind-body expert
1 appearance on this show
Matt Diamante
HeyTony.Agency
1 appearance on this show
Jasmeet Singh
SEBI registered Equity fund manager · 415Headshots Inc.
1 appearance on this show
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Direct or Detour is hosted by The LOTS Project. The show is categorised under society (culture) and has published 77 episodes.
Direct or Detour has published 77 episodes.
Direct or Detour regularly covers society, culture, business. It sits in the society category, with a culture focus.
Direct or Detour is accessible for guests with genuine society expertise. A personalised, episode-aware pitch will still outperform a generic one every time.
Direct or Detour hasn't explicitly signalled guest openness in recent episodes. That doesn't rule out pitching. your hook just needs to be especially compelling and relevant to their recent content.
Episodes of Direct or Detour average 30 minutes. a focused format where a clear narrative arc and tight preparation matter most.
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