Hosted by Rena Rico · 🇺🇸 US · EN-US · 33 episodes
Established thought leaders with verified media credentials.
This show is about real people and the paths that shape who they become. Every episode follows someone’s life journey — the decisions they made, the transitions they went through, and the moments that redirected everything. We talk about education paths, career shifts, moving countries, reinvention, marriage, divorce, personal challenges, and the choices that define a chapter.The focus is simple: real stories, honest conversations, and the many different routes a life can take.
Rena Rico hosts Real People. Real Stories., a society show with 33 episodes published.
Joshua Routh grew up in North St. Louis County, where creativity wasn’t part of the neighborhood curriculum. At 12, a clown class changed everything—turning a curious kid into someone who could bring laughter and connect
Kenneth’s Story: From Strict Upbringing to 45 Countries Raised by a single mother in Louisville, one of seven kids, Kenneth learned discipline early—whether he liked it or not. At 18, the military wasn’t a question—it wa
From teaching underwater to teaching in a classroom, Lou Hirsch took a path that doesn’t fit the usual script—and that’s exactly what makes it work. Before academia, Lou was a dive master, instructor, and boat captain. H
A small town, a football scholarship, and a choice that didn’t make sense to most. Luke Mickelson grew up in a place where hard work was expected, problems were yours to solve, and showing up for others was just part of
Martin Palethorpe did everything right—career, promotions, success on paper. And still, it wasn’t enough. He shares what happens when achievement stops feeling like fulfillment. From a disciplined childhood shaped by exp
A childhood between Idaho and New Jersey shaped a quiet sense of distance early on—never fully rooted in one place. Then, at twelve, a violent car accident left Dr. Dana Cowles feeling helpless in a world that seemed out
Born into an Indian family with roots in Vietnam, Vanita Prisha Daryanani grew up in Taiwan—learning Mandarin, celebrating Chinese New Year, and navigating what it meant to look different from everyone around her. Belong
A waitress at 16. Running federal tech projects with no formal training. Buying a $50M software company on instinct. Starting over after a 28-year marriage ended. Stacie Shifflett has built and rebuilt her life more than
What if life isn’t about finding yourself, but creating yourself? Katrina Purcell has tested that idea in every way — from taking an unexpected class that changed her career, to returning to school for an Executive MBA a
What can a horse teach you about trust, identity, and starting over? Dave “Letterfly” Knoderer didn’t just learn to train horses. He learned how to rebuild a life. From playing drums in the circus as a teenager to creati
Julie Pham arrived in the United States as a refugee. But her story didn’t stop at survival. From navigating life between Vietnamese and American identities to earning a PhD, taking over her parents’ Vietnamese-language
David Shar thought he was learning about running a business. Instead, he began questioning what actually makes people show up, take responsibility, and grow at work From cleaning kennels to owning an ice cream shop to st
An artist who studied politics, built a business around historical maps, walked away from convention, and now lives off-grid in the mountains. David Deigthon’s path moves across countries, disciplines, and expectations,
Alan Lazaros lost his father at just two years old, and life became even more difficult at 14 when his stepfather left, taking financial security with him. A gamer who built his first computer at 12, he pushed through ad
What can a horse teach you about trust, identity, and starting over? Dave “Letterfly” Knoderer didn’t just learn to train horses. He learned how to rebuild a life. From playing drums in the circus as a teenager to creati
It started with a kid inspired by a TV show — and a mentor who made a promise that changed everything. Chris Natzke’s path moves through martial arts, Taekwondo, college football, national competition, and the corporate
Tobi Ojekunle shares his life story, from growing up in Ibadan, Nigeria, to moving to Germany to study engineering. In this episode, Tobi talks about his family upbringing in Nigeria, the importance of education and fait
Rand Timmerman is a Vietnam War veteran, former military lawyer, and recovering alcoholic who reached a point in life where standing still was no longer an option. After the death of his sister-in-law, and as his brother
Diane Phillips shares her life story, shaped by family experiences, relationships, and music. She talks about growing up in an unstable home marked by alcoholism, poor health, and loss, and how those early years influenc
At just 20 years old, Ken Kunken’s life changed forever. A catastrophic spinal cord injury during a college football game left him nearly paralyzed and facing a future doctors believed would be severely limited. In this
Dr. Dana Cowles
emergency medicine
1 appearance on this show
Stacie Shifflett
Modern Consciousness
1 appearance on this show
Julie Pham
Dr. · CuriosityBased
1 appearance on this show
Alan Lazaros
CEO, Founder, Co-Host, Peak Performance Business Coach · Next Level University Podcast
1 appearance on this show
Dave Letterfly Knoderer
1 appearance on this show
Chris Natzke
U.S. National Taekwondo Champion, leadership coach, bestselling author
1 appearance on this show
Tobi Ojekunle
1 appearance on this show
Rand Timmerman
1 appearance on this show
Ken Kunken
quadriplegic lawyer
1 appearance on this show
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Real People. Real Stories. is hosted by Rena Rico. The show is categorised under society (culture) and has published 33 episodes.
Real People. Real Stories. has published 33 episodes.
Real People. Real Stories. regularly covers society, culture. It sits in the society category, with a culture focus.
Real People. Real Stories. is accessible for guests with genuine society expertise. A personalised, episode-aware pitch will still outperform a generic one every time.
Real People. Real Stories. 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 Real People. Real Stories. average 24 minutes. a focused format where a clear narrative arc and tight preparation matter most.
Our data rates Real People. Real Stories.'s guest bar at 80/100 (Premium tier). Established thought leaders with verified media credentials. Sign in to PitchCentric to see how your own Pod Score compares against this show.
Methodology. Booking Probability™ blends Listen Score, 30-day Virality, open-to-guests detection, and Apple ratings. Data refreshed every 60 minutes. Listen Score and Booking Probability are calculated by PitchCentric. Last enriched 7 days ago.
