It's a Lot

The Suspense of Raising Kids (with Hayley DeRoche)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 05:45:00 -0400

Content warning: This episode contains discussion of losing a loved one to suicide. There are no graphic details, but we do talk about grief at length in the second half of the show. Please take care while listening.

Content creator, librarian, comedian, and mom Hayley DeRoche (they/she), the creator of the viral 'Sad Beige' phenomenon, joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a conversation about algorithms, having boundaries as an influencer, staying true to yourself creatively, her détournement poetry, and why they stay on social media despite the downsides.

In the second half of the show, we dive into Hayley's experiences fostering and later adopting a child, navigating transracial adoption, parenting through grief, and how freeing it is when your kids get old enough that you don't have to watch their every move. We also talk about the excitement of not knowing who your kid will become and the joy of watching them grow up.

Links:

Hayley's book, Dress Your Baby in Sage and Taupe: A Handbook for the Sad Beige Parent, is out now! Grab a copy at your favorite indie bookstore or request it from your local library.
For more of Hayley's work, follow them on TikTok or Instagram, or check out her website.
Emily's website & Instagram.

To support the show, leave us a one-time (or recurring!) tip. We'll send you a sticker to say thanks!

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Roasters

Visit joebeanroasters.com to get fresh roasted specialty coffee either by the bag or with a Perpetual Joy subscription!

Reminiscing About Dear America: Titanic (with Ella Dawson)

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:45:00 -0400

If you read and loved the Dear America books as a tween in the late 90s/early 2000s, then this episode is for you! Author Ella Dawson joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a fun conversation about everyone's favorite Dear America book, Voyage on the Great Titanic: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, by Ellen Emerson White, which came out in 1998.

We discuss what held up well in our reread, whether or not the book is historically accurate, how little details bring a story to life, publishers' depressing cost-cutting measures, how Dear America compares to the I Survived series, how much a first-class Titanic ticket would cost in 2026, and what current events would make great Dear America books today. You'll even learn where the idea of a passenger surviving the Titanic on a floating door comes from (spoiler alert: it wasn't a white person floating on the door!).

Links:

We discuss several book covers in the episode. Here are the images for each of the Dear America: Titanic versions: 1998 original cover; 2010 reissue cover; 2026 reissue cover. We also discuss the I Survived covers, including the novel version and the graphic novel adaptation.
Titanic Sinks Tonight is the BBC mini series Ella recommended.
Listen to Ella's previous appearance on It's a Lot, "Capitalism Ruins Everything"
Check out Ella's debut novel, But How Are You, Really in hardcover or ebook
For more of Ella and her work, find her on Instagram or Patreon, and listen to her podcast Rebel Ever After
Follow Emily on Instagram and check out her business, Serve Me the Sky Digital, if you need a social media strategist, speaker, or writer!

Books mentioned in the episode:

Voyage on the Great Titanic: The Diary of Margaret Ann Brady (Dear America) by Ellen Emerson White
Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles, Austria-France, 1769 (The Royal Diaries) by Kathryn Lasky (please excuse the yaasified cover)
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912: A Graphic Novel by Lauren Tarshis, illustrated by Haus Haus Studio and adapted by Georgia Ball
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (recommended by Amanda, a children's librarian in Illinois, for those who enjoyed the epistolary format of Dear America). If what you loved is the immersive nature of Dear America, Amanda also recommends checking out more historical fiction as it can be richly detailed! And if you loved learning about different time periods, she recommends exploring more narrative nonfiction.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower (recommended by Lauren, a youth librarian in Upstate NY). If you loved Dear America and the Royal Diaries books, she also recommends historical romance as it's deeply researched and focused on women's interests. Some of her favorite historical romance authors are Alexandra Vasti, Sarah MacLean, and Evie Dunmore. Lauren also notes that historical fiction by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Kristin Hannah are worth checking out too!
Across the Living Infinite: A Queer Romance Aboard the RMS Titanic by Logan Sage Adams is out on April 15, 2026 and Ella is very much looking forward to reading it!

To support the show, leave us a one-time (or recurring!) tip. We'll send you a sticker to say thanks!

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Roasters

Visit joebeanroasters.com to get fresh roasted specialty coffee either by the bag or with a Perpetual Joy subscription!

Should We Sympathize with Mom Influencers? (with Fortesa Latifi)

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 05:45:00 -0400

Journalist and toddler mom Fortesa Latifi joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a conversation about why we need more nuance in our conversations about mom influencers. In the first half of the show, we discuss how influential influencers truly are (and how much money is involved in the industry), how many mom influencers come from vulnerable backgrounds, and where Fortesa personally draws the line when it comes to the ethics of consuming content featuring kids. We also talk about her writing process for her new book, Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of a Childhood Online, exploring the research process, finding sources, challenging revisions, and more.

In the second half of the show, we explore Fortesa's own experiences with pregnancy (spoiler alert: not everyone experiences the ~pregnancy glow~. Sometimes pregnancy just sucks!) and motherhood so far. We bond over quitting therapy after becoming moms, the crushing weight of the mental load, and the joys of slowing down to experience the world through a toddler's eyes.

Links:

Fortesa's book, Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of a Childhood Online, is out on April 7th!
Fortesa's story on TV moms and their unorthodox screentime approach
For more of Fortesa's work, check out her website or follow her on Instagram or TikTok.
Emily's website & Instagram.

To support the show, leave us a one-time (or recurring!) tip. We'll send you a sticker to say thanks!

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Behind the Glass

Behind the Glass Gallery podcast is a monthly talk with the current month's BTG Roster. Artists are interviewed about their submissions and we dive deep into their process, inspiration and thought process centralized around their artwork in the Behind the Glass Gallery located in the heart of Downtown Rochester NY.

Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business

Check out Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/gettingrealwithbossy/

Quitting Law School to Eat Cupcakes with Martha Stewart (with Rachel Kramer Bussel)

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:45:00 -0400

Content warning: This episode contains a mention of miscarriage that is described in some detail. Please take care when listening; if you'd like to avoid that part, it starts around 41:15 and ends by 42:10.

When Rachel Kramer Bussel took a break from law school, she started trying different things. She worked as an admin assistant, wrote erotica on the side, and started a cupcake blog that landed her on The Martha Stewart Show. Her one year leave of absence turned into leaving law forever, but that pivot led Rachel exactly where she was supposed to be. Now, she is a successful writer, editor, consultant, and teacher. We discuss her decision to move away from writing erotica later in life, her enthusiasm for Open Secrets Magazine and sharing other people's stories, and why she's launching a podcast about our attachments to our belongings called Finders and Keepers.

In the second half of the show, we talk about the latest chapter in Rachel's life: motherhood! In 2024, she and her partner adopted a baby. She shares what the adoption process looked like for them, how she felt meeting her daughter for the first time, the predatory Instagram ads targeted at moms, and lots more.

Links:

Open Secrets Live Personal Storytelling Summit - May 2, 2026 at Symphony Space in NYC
Open Secrets Magazine
Rachel's new podcast, Finders & Keepers
For more of Rachel and her work, check out her Instagram or website.
Emily's website & Instagram.

To support the show, leave us a one-time (or recurring!) tip. We'll send you a sticker to say thanks!

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business

Check out Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/gettingrealwithbossy/

Common Thread

Check out Common Thread on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/common-threads-hardcore/

Connections with Evan Dawson

Connections with Evan Dawson - Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

Connections

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Everyone’s Creative, Everyone’s Beautiful (with Adam Eaton & guest co-host Magnus Champlin)

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:45:00 -0400

Content warning: This episode contains a brief mention of suicidal ideation (it is not discussed in detail). Please take care while listening.

In this special crossover episode, Magnus Champlin of the Mind of Magnus podcast joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a fun, collaborative interview with photographer Adam Eaton! We discuss the healing power of creativity, Adam's gift for seeing the beauty in others and hearing their stories, and how vital community is. We also chat about getting to know Rochester, the importance of funding the arts, and Adam's new photography book, Black is Beautiful.

Links:

You can buy Black is Beautiful here.
Adam's website & Instagram.
Emily's website & Instagram.
Listen to the Mind of Magnus podcast.
Magnus's work & Instagram.

Enjoying the show? Support us by leaving a one-time tip! We'll send you a sticker to say thanks.

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Behind the Glass

Common Thread

Check out Common Thread on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/common-threads-hardcore/

Health Anxiety, Love, & Other Complicated Feelings (with Tyler Lima-Roope)

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 05:45:00 -0400

Tyler Lima-Roope, a content creator and advocate from LA, joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for the second episode in our Rare Disease Month mini series. In this conversation, we talk about what it's like living with a disability, when Tyler first knew he was different from other kids, meeting his wife online thanks to going live on TikTok, health anxiety, what he's lost as his SMA progresses, and the strange, bittersweet feeling of learning about how younger kids with SMA are getting treatment faster now.

We also dive into Tyler's career as a content creator, exploring how the wasteland of weirdness on TikTok Live during COVID inspired him to start creating content, the pressure of not squandering your platform even when you need a mental health break, making content you're proud of, giving people grace online, and how he wants to branch out from disability content to talk about other topics. It was a thoughtful, enlightening conversation—and a funny one too! Tyler's cat made an appearance for a portion of the recording session. We hope those moments bring a smile to your face 😻

Links:

Tyler's video that we discuss in the episode about playing musical chairs at a birthday party as a kid.
How to Prepare for Natural Disasters if You Have a Disability, New York Times article Tyler was featured in
Check out Tyler's TikTok, Instagram, and website.
To learn more and support the SMA community, check out Cure SMA!
Missed the first episode in the Rare Disease Month mini series? Catch our interview with child neurologist & dad Sam Mackenzie here.
Emily's Instagram & website.

Enjoying the show? Support us by leaving a one-time tip! We'll send you a sticker to say thanks.

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Connections with Evan Dawson

Connections with Evan Dawson - Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

Connections

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Parent Guilt, Gene Therapy, & Healthcare as a Human Right (with Sam Mackenzie)

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:45:00 -0400

The first in our two-part series for Rare Disease Month, child neurologist Sam Mackenzie, M.D., Ph.D. joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a conversation about his career path, research interests, spinal muscular atrophy, gene therapy, and his hopes for a better healthcare system.

In the second half of the show, Sam shares his experiences as the dad of three kids, how he feels like a 75-year-old at heart, POOPCUPs, the struggles of finding parent friends you vibe with, and the importance of letting your children be their own people.

Notes:

Sam mentions that SMA is not that rare compared to some ultra-rare diseases. For reference, SMA affects about one in 15,000 births in the United States. Ultra-rare diseases affect about 1 in 50,000 people.
After recording, we double checked the data on the new gene therapy for adults with SMA. Sam confirmed the following: based on patient-reported outcomes data, roughly 50% improved, 25% were stable, and 25% worsened over a one-year timeframe.
When we talk about Assassin's Creed, Emily mentions that one of the games was used for some 3D mapping application that she couldn't recall. Turns out Ubisoft used detailed digital scans of Notre Dame to depict it in Assassin's Creed: Unity, and those were later used to rebuild Notre Dame after the devastating fire in 2019.

Links:

Sam's podcast: Immature Brains: A Child Neurology Podcast
Feeling inspired to give to support research this Rare Disease Month? The TANGO2 Research Foundation is a great option!
For more on how you can support the SMA community, check out Cure SMA.
Follow Emily on Instagram
Emily's website

Enjoying the show? Support us by leaving a one-time tip! We'll send you a sticker to say thanks.

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Behind the Glass

Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business

Check out Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/gettingrealwithbossy/

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

2016 Wasn't Better & Neither Were We (minisode with Chris Lindstrom)

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 05:45:00 -0400

In today's mini episode, host Emily Hessney Lynch is joined by her producer, Chris Lindstrom, who is also the host of Food About Town and co-founder of Lunchador, for a casual chat about how things are going with the podcast, our favorite episodes so far, the 2016 trend and how different things were back then, and how we've become more ourselves over the past 10 years. We also discuss how we've ended up in a post-facts society, the importance of being curious and leaving room for nuance, why we love having real, in-person conversations, and more.

Links:

Emily has availability for new clients, so if you need social media, digital strategy, or writing support, head to her website.
Emily's Instagram (flip through her 2016 photo dump to see the Ivanka Trump dress mentioned in the episode!).
Chris's Instagram.
Food About Town Instagram.

We are a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Falling Down to Get Back Up (with Leanne Toshiko Simpson)

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 05:45:00 -0400

Content warning: This episode contains mentions of suicide attempts (they are not discussed in a detailed or graphic way, but they are mentioned briefly). Please take care while listening.

Author, educator, mental health advocate, and mom Leanne Toshiko Simpson joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a thoughtful and funny conversation about her chaos whirlwind life. Leanne talks about living with bipolar disorder, how having a kid can help you hate mornings less, the ways we're conditioned to shrink ourselves and not be "too much," the power of mad friendship, writing funny in her novel Never Been Better, and how if you can't laugh about your struggles, they're probably crushing you.

In the second half of the show, Emily and Leanne discuss their experiences with motherhood, including the rigid gender expectations surrounding how much a mom should do in the first year of their child's life, how important it is to have a partner who doesn't suck at sharing childcare responsibilities, and why it's actually a good thing to have diverse interests aside from just your kid.

Links:

Leanne's book, Never Been Better
Follow Leanne on Instagram
Leanne's website
Follow Emily on Instagram
Emily's website
"The Repressive, Authoritarian Soul of 'Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends'" by Jia Tolentino

We are a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo is by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Common Thread

Check out Common Thread on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/common-threads-hardcore/

Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business

Check out Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/gettingrealwithbossy/

Making Your 3-Year-Old Self Proud (with Chloe Corcoran)

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Content warning: this episode contains discussions of depression and suicidal ideation. Please take care when listening. The Trans Lifeline and 988 Lifeline are available if you need someone to talk to.

Chloe Corcoran joins host Emily Hessney Lynch to talk about the it's a lot-ness (and the hope and joy!) that's part of coming out, transitioning, and navigating daily life as a trans woman. We talk about her earliest memories of knowing she's a girl, how her competitive streak and sense of humor have carried her through her transition and hard times, and how living as her authentic self made her want to live.

In the second half of the episode, we explore how you really need to just trust trans people, the importance of mutual aid and how far $20 can go, pervasive loneliness, and awesome trans musicians.

Links:

To book Chloe as a speaker or find more of her work, check out her website.
Follow Chloe on Instagram.
Emily's website.
Emily's Instagram.
Want to support organizations helping trans folks? Check out: the Trans Wellness Center in LA, Rochester LGBTQ+ Together in Rochester, the Transgender Law Center, and find more awesome organizations in all 50 states here.
She's Not There by Jennifer Finney Boylan

Mentioned in this episode:

Common Thread

Check out Common Thread on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/common-threads-hardcore/

Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business

Check out Getting Real with Bossy: For Women Who Own Business on Lunchador! https://feeds.captivate.fm/gettingrealwithbossy/

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Grownups Try Toddler Snacks (with Chris Lindstrom & Tim Lynch)

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Toddlers love snacks. Adults love snacks. But do grownups love toddler snacks? We taste test 24 different snacks for little ones and share our analysis and hot takes! Host Emily Hessney Lynch is joined by Chris Lindstrom, producer of It's a Lot, host of Food About Town, and co-founder of the Lunchador Podcast Network, as well as her husband, Tim Lynch, owner of Tenderchomps Art.

In the first half, we try puffs, yogurt bites, and biscuits, and in the second half, we sample bars and 10 different purees & pouches! Among the brands we tried are: Target Good & Gather, Aldi, Little Spoon, Once Upon a Farm, Serenity Kids, Happy Baby Organics, and Little Bellies.

Fun links to explore:

Listen to Chris's podcast, Food About Town
Follow Chris on Instagram
Check out Tim's art business
Tim's Instagram
Emily's business
Emily's Instagram

We're a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Behind the Glass

Murphys Rank The World

Meghan, Skye and Tim know you have a lot of choices in life. That's why they're undertaking the herculean task of ranking the world! Join the siblings Murphy as they rank everything from sandwiches to cryptids in their neverending quest to help you find the best. Find it where you get your podcasts!

Part 2: The Reality of 2 Under 2 (with Kat Eddy)

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 05:45:00 -0400

In this follow-up episode, business owner and mom Kat Eddy returns to chat with host Emily Hessney Lynch about the reality of life with two under two. We play back some clips from our first interview about her expectations for two under two throughout this conversation; it's definitely worth listening to part 1 if you haven't yet, but you can totally listen to part 2 as a standalone episode!

We dive into Kat's experience with postpartum anxiety, crying at Wegmans (apparently now a theme on this podcast), getting formula through WIC, applying for government assistance for childcare, the sleep struggles of the newborn era, and the upsides of returning to work after having a baby.

Check out Kat's business, Katboocha, online (they ship nationwide) or on Railroad Street in Rochester! And find Emily on Instagram at @servemethesky.

This is a production of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Behind the Glass

Murphys Rank The World

Crashing Out After Loss & Letting Yourself Hope Again (with Eboni Jones Stewart)

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Content warning: this episode contains discussion of infertility, miscarriage, and IVF. If those are sensitive topics for you, please take care while listening. If you'd like to skip that part, I recommend only listening to the first half of the episode, which ends around the 26 minute mark.

Eboni Jones Stewart, a librarian, professor, and bonus mom, joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a conversation about her path to becoming a stepmom (and why she rejects that term for herself), the complexities of navigating teens' smartphone use, and how Roblox is the absolute worst.

In the second half of the show, we talk about Eboni's experiences with infertility, miscarriage, and IVF. She shares some of the most unhelpful and infuriating advice she's received, what you can do for someone who has experienced loss, and what motivates her to keeps trying to have her own biological child despite all the hard parts of the journey so far.

Follow Eboni on Instagram at @misspearljones and find Emily at @servemethesky.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Murphys Rank The World

Behind the Glass

Capitalism Ruins Everything (with Ella Dawson)

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Author, podcaster, and sex & culture critic Ella Dawson joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a conversation about all the highs and lows of publishing your debut novel, the mental health impact of the post-publication adrenaline crash, and doing the work to process all those big feelings and keep moving forward. We also chat about Ella's podcast, Rebel Ever After, and the fun and fulfillment she's finding as she interviews other amazing, progressive romance authors.

In the second half of the episode, we dive into the world of social media and engage in some cathartic ranting about techno-optimists who don't realize the dangerous implications of their technologies, the rise of bad faith commenters, and some of the most egregious outrage algorithms. Ella also shares what she's learned about when to speak up and use her privilege and her platform, and when to shut up because the world doesn't need your voice right now.

For more of Ella and Emily's work, check out:

Ella's Instagram
Ella's debut novel, But How Are You, Really? in hardcover or ebook.
Rebel Ever After podcast
Ella's Patreon
Emily's Instagram
Serve Me the Sky Digital

This is a production of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Murphys Rank The World

Behind the Glass

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

275 - Podcast-A-Rama (LIVE from Fringe Fest!) - Pauly Guglielmo Show

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Recorded LIVE in front of an audience during The 2025 Rochester Fringe Festival, Pauly joins a panel of fellow Lunchador podcasts Matt Austin & Chris Lindstrom (Lunchador Founders), Emily Hessney-Lynch (It's A Lot), and Mike Huntone (Punches & Popcorn) for a fun-filled hour of ranking banter.

Mentioned in this episode:

Punches & Popcorn

The masters of Couch Potato style Mike Huntone, Jason Bills, and Dr. Dominic D’Amore take a deep dive into the best and worst of martial arts films.

Food About Town

Food About Town hosted by Chris Lindstrom, focusing on restaurants, food and drink of all kinds, and whatever topics I want to cover! https://foodabouttown.captivate.fm/

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that lifts everyone.

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Trying Not to Traumatize Our Kids (with Pauly Guglielmo)

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 08:15:00 -0400

Note: This is part two of a special two-part crossover episode! You can listen to the episodes in whatever order you like. Make sure to check out part one, Pauly's interview with Emily about her journey as an entrepreneur, on The Pauly Guglielmo Show. The episode should be available for you to download right in the It's a Lot feed!

Content warning: this episode contains discussion of infertility, miscarriage, and IVF. If those are sensitive topics for you, please take care when listening. If you'd like to skip that part, it starts around the 27 minute mark and ends around 39 minutes.

Food entrepreneur, podcaster, and dad of two Pauly Guglielmo joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a conversation about running a business while raising kids, paternity leave struggles, childhood trauma, how we're trying not to traumatize our own kids, and more. We also discuss his and his wife's experience with infertility, miscarriage, and IVF, and what that was like for him as a person and a partner.

Don't worry, this episode is not a downer! We also talk about the joys of parenthood, like going to Costco and Fringe Fest with your 6-year-old, buying them little toys just to make them smile, the pride you feel putting food on the table, and the fuck around find out parenting style.

Fact check: during the episode, Emily mentions that 1 in 8 pregnancies ends in miscarriage and notes that she'll fact check herself later. Per the Cleveland Clinic, about 15% of pregnancies end in miscarriage.

For more of Pauly and Emily's work, check out:

Pauly's Instagram
Guglielmo Sauce (or find it at Wegmans & other stores near you!)
Craft Cannery
Emily's Instagram
Serve Me the Sky Digital

This is a production of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

274 - Emily Hessney Lynch (Serve Me The Sky / It's A Lot Podcast) CROSSOVER - Pauly Guglielmo Show

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Pauly and Emily are both podcasters on The Lunchador Podcast Network, and also both entrepreneurs raising young families and juggling.. a lot. In this episode, you'll hear the first half of a conversation between Emily and Pauly in Pauly's style (interviewing Emily mostly about her entrepreneurial journey). Then, the episode fades and you'll be asked to switch over to the It's A Lot podcast (which should have also popped up in your feed automatically) to hear Emily interview Pauly in Emily's style (dealing with the fact that it's just a lot).

Mentioned in this episode:

Level Up Coffee Podcast

Level Up your coffee game. Wade Reed and Aaron Pascucci, two coffee professionals discuss coffee and the culture surrounding it. https://levelupcoffee.captivate.fm/

Mind of Magnus

Check out Mind of Magnus at magnusapollo.com, and leave him factoids at 585-310-2473! https://mind-of-magnus.captivate.fm

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that lifts everyone.

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Bouncing in the Bounce House in Your 40s (with Richard Colon & Quajay Donnell)

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Photographers, gallery co-curators, and dads Richard Colon and Quajay Donnell join host Emily Hessney Lynch for a conversation about photography, Rochester, community, and fatherhood. In the first half of the show, we discuss how photographing different parts of Rochester helped them get to know the city, their goals of prioritizing community over competition and uplifting underrepresented artists with Behind the Glass Gallery, and how normal it's become to meet people from the internet IRL.

During the second half of our conversation, we explore their different experiences of fatherhood during different decades of their lives, how other dads just *get it*, and how sometimes you just have to bounce in the bounce house, even in your 40s.

For more, check out:

Behind the Glass Gallery Instagram
Quajay's Instagram
Richard's Instagram
Behind the Glass Gallery podcast
Emily's Instagram

This is a production of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Murphys Rank The World

AI Could Never: Creativity & Humor in Social Media Marketing (with Jon-Stephen Stansel)

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Social media marketer and author Jon-Stephen Stansel joins host Emily Hessney Lynch to discuss his journey as a social media marketer, from government and higher ed days to his current work as a social media consultant in the entertainment industry working with brands like Invincible, Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, Hazbin Hotel, Sausage Party: Foodtopia, and Avatar: The Way of Water. We chat about the joy of getting to be funny and creative as a social media manager, some of the dark parts of the job that can impact your mental health, and how AI won't be able to do what social media pros do because it doesn't have something very human: taste.

In the second half of the show, we explore Jon-Stephen's life as a dad, including the ways he tries to do more than dads of past generations did, wanting his son to be bored sometimes, the struggle with deciding how much to share online, and more.

You can follow Jon-Stephen on LinkedIn or at @jsstansel on all other platforms. Check out his website here, and make sure to preorder his book The 10 Principles of Effective Social Media Marketing, or ask your library to add it to their collection! And find Emily on Instagram at @servemethesky.

This is a production of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Behind the Glass

Murphys Rank The World

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

If You’re a Dad, Go to Therapy! with Brendan Dabkowski

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 05:45:00 -0400

In this wide-ranging conversation, host Emily Hessney Lynch talks to Brendan Dabkowski, a freelance writer & editor, adjunct professor, and father of two. We explore what it was like for Brendan and his wife to have their second child during the COVID pandemic after moving to a new city, childcare struggles, screentime shame, and parent guilt. We also discuss joyful things like taking long bike rides with your kid and adding a new kitten to the family!

You can follow Brendan on Instagram at @causticacrostic and find Emily at @servemethesky. If you need an editor, check out Brendan's website.

This is a production of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Murphys Rank The World

Behind the Glass

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Becoming Your Own Biggest Advocate with Jayde Powell

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Freelance social strategist and LinkedIn influencer Jayde Powell joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a conversation about how her digital identity has evolved over time, the decision to pivot from social media management to strategy, forging her path as a freelancer, and getting her start as a LinkedIn influencer. We dive into the intricacies of brand deals, the frustrations of the limiting box of 'professionalism' that we're forced into at 9-5 jobs, keeping the majority of your life private even when you've created an authentic personal brand, and much more.

You can follow Jayde on LinkedIn or Instagram, and find Emily at @servemethesky.

There’s More to Me than Motherhood with Anoosha Syed

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Anoosha Syed, a children's book author/illustrator, artist, art educator, content creator, and mom joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a conversation about her career path, her content creation journey, and her experiences of motherhood so far. In this episode, we discuss the decision anxiety of having a limited amount of time to work while the baby is napping, the importance of knowing your why when it comes to social media, the tendency to spiral with mom guilt sometimes when you'd rather be working than watching your child, and more.

For more of Anoosha's work, check her out on Instagram and TikTok at @anooshadraws or on YouTube at @anooshasyed. Find Emily on Instagram at @servemethesky.

Some of Anoosha's books that we mention in the episode include:

The Salt Princess
Lost Stick
That's Not My Name
Look! Babies Head to Toe (illustrated by Anoosha Syed; written by Robie H. Harris)

Also mentioned in the episode: Peekaboo Lion, by Camilla Reid; illustrated by Ingela P. Arrhenius.

This is a production of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Behind the Glass

Murphys Rank The World

Part 1: Expectations for 2 Under 2 with Kat Eddy

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 05:45:00 -0400

Business owner and mom Kat Eddy joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for an honest conversation about her expectations for being a parent of two under two. In this installment, we dive into how she envisions life with two kids under age two, how she and her partner will divide the labor, how her relationship with her eldest will change after the baby arrives, and more. In the fall, we'll check back in for a Part 2 covering the reality of her life with two under two!

In the second half of the episode, we dive into the story of Kat's business baby, Katboocha, her craft kombucha brewery located in Rochester, NY. We explore the hurdles of opening your own brick and mortar business, how maternity leave works when you run your own business, the weird, unexpected things that come up along the journey, and beyond.

Check out Kat's business, Katboocha, on Instagram at @katboocha and stop into the booch bar on Railroad Street to try their kombucha! Not in Rochester? No worries--they ship nationwide! Visit katboocha.com to learn more. Find Emily on Instagram at @servemethesky.

This is a production of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Behind the Glass

Murphys Rank The World

Cultivating Curiosity & Community with Jackie Ortiz

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Marketer, content creator, and artist Jackie Ortiz (she/they) joins host Emily Hessney Lynch to discuss all things social media in 2025. What do people actually want to see when they're online? How do you find and share stories that resonate with your audience? Where do you even start when teaching yourself to create engaging videos? And the biggest question of all: what happens when you anger the birding community online? Jackie has navigated a career in social media for many years and shares their insights and their journey in creating travel and food content for fun outside of their day job at a genetic testing company.

Find Jackie on TikTok at @otherjackieo and find Emily at @servemethesky.

This is a production of the Lunchador Podcast Network; our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Murphys Rank The World

Behind the Glass

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Ditching the Expected & Embracing Your True Self with Christy Roushey

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Artist and mom Christy Roushey joins host Emily Hessney Lynch for a conversation about leaving her engineering career to be a stay-at-home mom and how much it rocked her identity to deviate from the prescribed path. Learn about how she moved through those feelings of being lost and isolated to teach herself new skills, embrace her true self, and launch her own business. We also discuss how to be a good friend, being the memory keeper in your family, how important it is to have mental health support when you're a parent, talking to your kids about race and sexuality, and more.

Find Christy on Instagram at @the.house.of.roushey or visit her website; find Emily at @servemethesky.

This is a production of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Murphy's Rank the World

Behind the Glass

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order!

https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Behind the Glass

Murphys Rank The World

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Social Media Nostalgia & Getting Back to Our Teenage Selves with Kristen Felicetti

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Host Emily Hessney Lynch is joined by author Kristen Felicetti to discuss the one year anniversary of her debut novel, Log Off, social media nostalgia, and what the future of social media holds. They reflect on past eras of social media like LiveJournal and Myspace and muse about what it would take for a new social media platform to take the world by storm. Kristen also shares one of her favorite parent tropes, insights on getting in touch with your teenage self when writing a teenage character, and reflections on book marketing.

Find Kristen on Instagram at @kris10felicetti and Emily at @servemethesky.

This is a production of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Behind the Glass

Performative Posting, Sensory Overwhelm, & the Pressure to be Present with Alaina Brubaker

Tue, 27 May 2025 06:00:00 -0400

In our inaugural episode of IT'S A LOT, host Emily Hessney Lynch chats with therapist Alaina Brubaker about the complexities of social media and parenthood. We discuss Alaina's daughter's fake podcast at age 4 and the conversations they had around online privacy and consent, how it feels weird to be called "mom" sometimes, why it's worth discussing the highs and lows of parenting, performative posting, the sensory overwhelm of parenting littles, the pressure of being 100% present for every moment of every day, and more.

Find Alaina on Instagram at @alaina_talks_therapy and Emily at @servemethesky.

This is a production of the Lunchador Podcast Network. Our logo was created by Tenderchomps Art.

Mentioned in this episode:

Murphys Rank The World

Behind the Glass

Joe Bean Coffee - Coffee that Lifts Everyone

Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.com

Coming Soon: It's a Lot, a podcast about things that are a lot

Thu, 22 May 2025 16:00:00 -0400

Coming soon, wherever you get your podcasts...

It's a Lot is a podcast about things that are a lot. We dive deep on social media, parenthood, and beyond--things that can be maddening, all-consuming, and also weird and wonderful.

Tune in for honest conversations with parents, social media experts, authors, content creators, and more. We aim to explore hard topics with openness and nuance, while also finding the humor along the way.

New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Hosted by Emily Hessney Lynch; find her at @servemethesky on Instagram or at www.servemethesky.com. Our logo was created by Tim Lynch of Tenderchomps Art. We are a proud member of the Lunchador Podcast Network in Rochester, NY.