Episodes

Behavioral scientist and bestselling author Jon Levy joins us to explore the science behind trust, connection, and influence. Jon is known for hosting the now-famous Influencers Dinner, a secret dining experience where strangers cook a meal together before discovering they’re sitting with Olympians, astronauts, Nobel laureates, and cultural leaders. The twist? No one is allowed to share their last name or what they do for work. In this conversation, Jon shares what hundreds of dinners and thou...

In this capsule conversation, Rachel Gillman Rischall and Jeana Anderson Cohen explore one of the most tender and rarely discussed relationship topics: friendship breakups and estrangement. Inspired by Hillary Duff and her recent reflections on estrangement in an interview with Anthony Mason, Rachel and Jeana unpack what it means to lose someone close to you — and not know how, or whether, to repair the relationship. Together, they discuss: How to tell the difference between a friendship wort...

(Catch full video episodes on The Connection Code with Rachel and Jeana's YouTube channel) In this clip from The Connection Code, Rachel and Jeana share the impact of friendship breakups and estrangements. Episode out everywhere March 4, 2026.

This week’s conversation had us thinking a lot about systems — how people track relationships, follow through on introductions, and stay intentional about connection in busy seasons of life. Our guest, Megan Roudebush (founder of keepwith), shares her approach to networking as a long game — one built on curiosity, follow-through, and respect. It’s a thoughtful episode for anyone who’s ever wondered: “How do people actually do this well?” “And how could I be more deliberate about it?” More t...

(Catch full video episodes on The Connection Code with Rachel and Jeana's YouTube channel) In this clip from The Connection Code, Megan Roudebush shares how curiosity, informational interviews, and intentional relationship-building helped her create a network without shortcuts or inherited connections. Episode out everywhere Feb. 25, 2026.

Content warning: This episode and clip discuss grief, the loss of a child and breast cancer. What does it really mean to be lucky? In this deeply moving episode of The Connection Code, we’re joined by author, grief writer, and patient advocate Kelly Cervantes, whose memoir The Luckiest challenges everything we think we know about fortune, success, and happiness. Kelly shares her extraordinary story on navigating motherhood, caregiving, and devastating loss while her husband starred in Hamilto...

Content warning: This episode and clip discuss, grief and the loss of a child.In next week's episode, we're lucky to sit down with Kelly Cervantes, whose memoir ⁠The Luckiest⁠ challenges everything we think we know about fortune, success, and happiness.Prepare for a moving and truly human conversation of high-highs and low-lows. Kelly shares her extraordinary story on navigating motherhood, caregiving, and devastating loss while her husband starred in Hamilton on Broadway and in Chicago.

On this episode of The Connection Code, it’s just Rachel and Jeana. We kick off the year with a “connection inventory”—a thoughtful, honest look at the season of connection they’re each in right now. From nurturing core relationships to following up without being annoying, this conversation spans friendship, networking, rituals, and the lessons we only learn by getting it wrong first. If you’ve ever wondered: How often should I follow up? How do I build relationships without feeling transacti...

What if community wasn’t something parents had to find after a baby arrives, but something they could build before? This week on The Connection Code, we’re joined by Georgia Kastaris, founder of Expecting Together, a prenatal social club designed to bring expecting parents together through education, connection, and shared experience. Inspired by the UK’s National Childbirth Trust, Georgia is reimagining how parents prepare for one of life’s biggest transitions—by forming small, intentionally ...

In this deeply resonant episode of The Connection Code, Jeana Anderson Cohen and Rachel Gilman Rischall sit down with Shabnam Mogharabi, entrepreneur, author, journalist, and co-founder of SoulPancake alongside Rainn Wilson. Shabnam shares her journey from traditional journalism to building one of the internet’s most uplifting corners, creating beloved series like Kid President, The Science of Happiness, and My Last Days. Together, the trio explore big questions about faith, purpose, rejection,...

In this deeply moving episode of The Connection Code, Jeana Anderson Cohen and Rachel Gillman Rischall sit down with Morgan Radford. She's an NBC News anchor, correspondent, Fulbright scholar, and debut novelist who joins for a wide-ranging conversation about purpose, connection, and the relationships that shape a life. Morgan describes journalism not as a job, but as a calling and a purpose, explaining why this difficult moment for the press is exactly the moment many journalists were “built f...

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of breast cancer, medical trauma, and serious illness. Please take care while listening, especially if these topics are close to home. In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Jeana Anderson Cohen and Rachel Gillman Rischall sit down with Dr. Carlie Thompson, a breast surgical oncologist, mother of two, and breast cancer survivor, to explore how life’s hardest moments can become catalysts for clarity, connection, and profound transformation....

Season 2 of The Connection Code kicks off with a heartfelt conversation between Jeana and Rachel reflecting on what Season 1 taught them about friendship, creativity, and community — and what they hope to build together in the year ahead. From personal connection goals and the surprising science of friendship to dream guests and real-life Connection Code gatherings, this episode sets the tone for a season rooted in intention, curiosity, and meaningful relationships. In This Episode: Season 1 Re...

In the Season 1 finale of The Connection Code, Jeana Anderson Cohen and Rachel Rischall sit down with film producer Jolene Rodriguez, CEO of Broken English Productions and one of Variety’s “10 Producers to Watch.” Jolene’s story is a testament to what happens when connection meets courage, from keeping her intern badge and showing up at Sony Pictures until she earned a job, to building a career anchored in generosity, inclusion, and heart. She opens up about the loss of her twin sister Julie an...

This week on The Connection Code, Jeana and Rachel sit down with Carla Piñeyro Sublett — former CMO of IBM, recovering tech executive, and founder of Co-Effect, where she helps people and organizations find more human-centered ways to work. Carla shares her remarkable story of walking away from a high-powered tech career, taking her family offline for a year to reconnect, and rediscovering her purpose, “to be in service of humanity.” She opens up about her “100 first dates” experiment that help...

What happens when connection goes wrong? In this episode of The Connection Code, Jeana Anderson Cohen and Rachel Gillman Rischall swap stories about their biggest connection pet peeves — from transactional networking emails and unfulfilled promises to the dreaded “we should grab coffee” that never happens. But this isn’t just a vent session. Together, Jeana and Rachel explore what these missteps can teach us about being better friends, colleagues, and connectors. Expect laughter, self-awareness...

James Beard Award–winner Jason Hammel, chef/owner of Chicago’s beloved Lula Cafe, joins us to unpack what hospitality really is (“empathy in action”), how a restaurant keeps its soul for 26+ years. We also touch on why showing up for staff, guests, and himself matters more than ever. We talk about teaching “service grammar” vs. cultivating a culture of generosity, the forest-like networks that sustain teams, and the art of building connection beyond the table - from Pilot Light’s food-education ...

In this episode of The Connection Code, Jeana and Rachel sit down with Chef Joe Flamm,Top Chef winner, restaurateur, and lifelong South Sider, whose career and character are defined by one word: authenticity. Joe shares his journey from dropping out of college to culinary school, grinding in Chicago’s toughest kitchens, and ultimately winning Top Chef and opening acclaimed restaurants like Rose Mary and il Carciofo. He opens up about the friendships forged on the line, the mentors who shaped hi...

In this episode of The Connection Code, Jeana and Rachel sit down with the incomparable DJ Blatner, registered dietitian, sports nutritionist, bestselling author, and self-described joy evangelist. DJ shares how she hit rock bottom despite outward success, and how reframing joy as a skill set, not a mindset transformed her life, work, and relationships. Together, we explore: Why joy is a nutrient—and how to “dose” yourself daily with play, gratitude, and self-care How DJ’s “Joy GPS” system k...

What does it take to build trust in just six days? Lindsay Shookus knows. After two decades producing Saturday Night Live, she’s mastered the art of forging deep bonds quickly with some of the most high-profile guests in entertainment. In this episode of The Connection Code, Jeana and Rachel sit down with Lindsay to talk about the “camp counselor” side of SNL, her evolution into executive coaching and public speaking, and the powerhouse community she co-founded—Women Work F#cking Hard. You’ll h...

In this episode of The Connection Code, Jeana and Rachel lean into a back-to-school mindset to explore the lessons we’ve learned about friendship over the years. From middle school buttons that reminded us of “the friends we’ve yet to meet” to the adult reality of friendship seasons, group dynamics, and the roles we play in our circles, this conversation gets candid about belonging, wayfinding, and why it often takes a leader to bring people together. We also share stories of A+ friends who sho...

What happens when a connection fails—and what do we learn from it? In this special episode, Rachel and Jeana welcome Rachel’s sister, Laura Engelbret, a fluent Spanish speaker and longtime English Language (EL) teacher, who shares her powerful story of moving to Oaxaca, Mexico after college. What began as a dream of adventure turned into one of Laura’s hardest moments of rejection—but also a turning point that shaped her career, her resilience, and her philosophy on connection. Laura takes us f...

In this episode of The Connection Code, we sit down with Tim Huelskamp. He's the CEO and co-founder of 1440, creator of a thriving Jeffersonian dinner series, and one of the most generous connectors we know. Tim shares how his upbringing shaped his curiosity, why “closing the loop” is one of the most powerful (and underused) networking habits, and the intentional ways he curates gatherings to spark meaningful relationships across industries. From his company’s vision to blend knowledge with in...

In this episode of The Connection Code, Rachel and Jeana sit down with the brilliant and refreshingly candid Rebecca Jarvis, Chief Business Correspondent for ABC News, host of The Dropout, and executive producer of the Emmy-winning Hulu series of the same name. From her roots in Minnesota to the national stage, Rebecca shares the winding path that led her to where she is today — including a tough first job in investment banking, a bold career pivot into journalism, and the behind-the-scenes gri...