Welcome to The Johnjay Van Es Podcast!

Episodes

Good Food Isn’t Enough. Here’s Why Some Restaurants Win
Feb. 20, 2026

Good Food Isn’t Enough. Here’s Why Some Restaurants Win

Getting fired from your own company can break you. For Sam Fox, it lit the fuse. In this episode, Sam shares how he bet on himself and went on to build 150 plus restaurants and a flagship hotel, including True Food, Flower Child, The Henry, and The Global Ambassador. We talk early hustle in Tucson,…
Separate Beds: The Weirdest Sleep Hack That Works
Feb. 13, 2026

Separate Beds: The Weirdest Sleep Hack That Works

A new haircut, a hard truth, and real care kick off a conversation about health, home, and heart. Blake shares her hysterectomy journey and why trusting your gut and finding a doctor who listens can change everything. We dive...
Meet the Poop Fairy Behind Modern Gut Health
Feb. 6, 2026

Meet the Poop Fairy Behind Modern Gut Health

Gut health gets way less weird once you start feeling better. We sit down with Marina, aka the Poop Fairy, and Steve to talk constipation, colonics, and why so many people feel tired, bloated, and stuck without realizing what...
Want Hollywood-Level Scripts? Learn From Director Ric Roman Waugh
Jan. 30, 2026

Want Hollywood-Level Scripts? Learn From Director Ric Roman Waugh

What if an action movie could make your heart race and actually hit you in the chest? We sit down with director Ric Roman Waugh, the stuntman-turned-filmmaker behind Shelter with Jason Statham, to talk about making action fee...
What You Think Is Healthy Might Be Hurting You
Jan. 23, 2026

What You Think Is Healthy Might Be Hurting You

Forget the shiny wellness trends . This episode with Dr. Daniel Pompa goes straight to the stuff that actually moves the needle. We pull apart hydrogen water hype, plastic-lined cans, and wellness marketing, then build a real...
Regeneration Is the NEW HEALTH HACK Everyone Misses
Jan. 16, 2026

Regeneration Is the NEW HEALTH HACK Everyone Misses

Want the real story on stem cell treatments? Dr. Rafael Gonzalez breaks down what actually works, what is marketing hype, and why the results come from signaling, not new organs. You’ll learn: What culture-expanded umbilical ...
Stop Chasing Quick Fixes and Start Training Your Brain!
Jan. 9, 2026

Stop Chasing Quick Fixes and Start Training Your Brain!

Pressure doesn’t disappear under the bright lights; it explodes. We chat with the Phoenix Suns’ performance psychiatrist about how players keep their cool, bounce back from injury, and avoid the flashy “quick fixes” that don’...
15-Year-Old Recker Eans Now Pop Star — Here’s How!
Jan. 2, 2026

15-Year-Old Recker Eans Now Pop Star — Here’s How!

What happens when a 15-year-old turns raw talent into a real music career without losing himself? We sit down with Recker Eans and his firefighter dad to hear the story from birthday drum kits to a Republic Records deal and a...
You Won’t Believe This Teen Went From Intern to President
Dec. 26, 2025

You Won’t Believe This Teen Went From Intern to President

She started as a 16-year-old HR intern just trying to pay for acrylic nails. Now she runs Phoenix Raceway. This episode is a full-throttle career story. Growing up in the West Valley, buying a condo at 21, learning money earl...
This Soul Food Is More Than a Meal — It’s a Statement!
Dec. 19, 2025

This Soul Food Is More Than a Meal — It’s a Statement!

From a family kitchen to iconic restaurants, Larry “Lolo” White shares how he turned home recipes into Lolo’s Chicken & Waffles and a growing hospitality empire. Hear stories from his record-label days, celebrity encounters, ...
The Secret Sauce Behind a Pizza Empire with Joseph Ciolli
Dec. 12, 2025

The Secret Sauce Behind a Pizza Empire with Joseph Ciolli

Build a global pizza empire without selling out, that’s the story of CEO, Joseph M. Ciolli, behind 50+ Grimaldi's locations and a clean-label sauce brand sold on Amazon, Walmart, and 5,000 stores worldwide. We dive into herit...
Gadgets Can’t Fix Health, But This Can!
Dec. 5, 2025

Gadgets Can’t Fix Health, But This Can!

Boost your heart health with simple, science-backed habits that actually work. Preventive cardiologist, Dr. Jack Wolfson, shares how sleep, clean food, movement, stress management, and toxin reduction improve heart function a...
The Van Es Couple Reveals the Secret That Keeps Them Solid
Nov. 28, 2025

The Van Es Couple Reveals the Secret That Keeps Them Solid

Phones crashed, callers vanished, and even a Disneyland giveaway went sideways— but Johnjay Van Es and his wife, Blake, turned chaos into laughs and real talk. We dive into life at home, rescue dogs, LovePup Family Fest, and ...
Is Content Overload Killing Real Learning? Let's Find Out with Pardis Mahdavi
Nov. 21, 2025

Is Content Overload Killing Real Learning? Let's Find Out with Pardis Mahdavi

We kick off nervous and end up in one of our boldest chats yet. Our guest, Pardis Mahdavi, has stared down traffickers, survived 33 days in detention, and spent 18 hours in a sealed shipping container with 31 women. She break...
Better Questions = Real Trust. Here’s Why!
Nov. 14, 2025

Better Questions = Real Trust. Here’s Why!

Chris Tuff went from rock bottom to a life built on better questions, saved asks, and everyday courage. We get into fun, practical tips for actually connecting—why “saving your asks” beats the LinkedIn spam, how a quick video...
Radio Host Turned Wellness Fairy Godmother. Here’s the Story!
Nov. 7, 2025

Radio Host Turned Wellness Fairy Godmother. Here’s the Story!

What if half the “food” in your pantry is actually just keeping you tired and craving more? Let's unpack that. From leaving pop radio to starting Culture Apothecary, we share the real-life health wake-up that changed everythi...
Would You Hire for Culture Fit Over Credentials?
Oct. 31, 2025

Would You Hire for Culture Fit Over Credentials?

What if hiring your next CEO started with a real conversation instead of a job post? Max Hansen, co-founder of Y Scouts, shares how he turned recruiting into a purpose-driven adventure, matching leaders to roles that actually...
What Happens When You Challenge Your Body and Mind Daily?
Oct. 24, 2025

What Happens When You Challenge Your Body and Mind Daily?

The Foundry: Hot Yoga, Sweat, and Community A tiny hot studio, a stubborn dream, and a community forged in 105 degree. This is how Nicole built The Foundry, a yoga network where people come to sweat, heal, and start over. We dive into first classes that feel impossible, the discipline of the 26 and…
Not Your Average 21-Year-Old: Building Habits, Not Hype
Oct. 17, 2025

Not Your Average 21-Year-Old: Building Habits, Not Hype

What do you get when a 21-year-old skips college, gets married young, and starts building a life from pure purpose? A story that’s equal parts guts, growth, and gratitude. We talk about how a move to Molokai shaped everything...
From Rehab to Rebrands: The Comeback Story You Didn’t Expect
Oct. 10, 2025

From Rehab to Rebrands: The Comeback Story You Didn’t Expect

Joe Polish: Recovery, Marketing & the Business of Being Human What if the same principles that heal trauma could also build great businesses? Entrepreneur and recovery advocate Joe Polish shares how connection, not competitio...
What Do You Gain from Thousands of Hikes If Not Fitness?
Oct. 3, 2025

What Do You Gain from Thousands of Hikes If Not Fitness?

Restaurateur Craig DeMarco (Postino, Le Grande Orange) has logged 4,600+ hikes up Camelback Mountain, not for fitness, but as a daily meditation that shaped his approach to parenting, partnership, and community. In this episo...
How Close Are We to Training the Body to Kill Cancer?
Sept. 26, 2025

How Close Are We to Training the Body to Kill Cancer?

What if your immune system already knows how to fight cancer, if only it could see it? In this episode, immunotherapy pioneers Dr. Matt Halpert, Dr. Dan Rubin, and Dr. Rafael Gonzalez explain how their breakthrough at Immunos...
My Sister’s Job Is Way Cooler Than I Thought
Sept. 19, 2025

My Sister’s Job Is Way Cooler Than I Thought

Elvia Van Es Oliva didn’t just “break into” reality TV; she built a whole career out of it. From her very first job as a temp on Rescue 911 to interviewing Steven Spielberg and eventually running shows for Gordon Ramsay’s stu...
Are We All Just Zombies in Disguise?
Sept. 12, 2025

Are We All Just Zombies in Disguise?

What if you’re being zombified right now, by your phone, your gut microbes, or even your dog? Dr. Athena Aktipis, the “Zombie Professor,” breaks down how unseen forces influence our thoughts and behaviors in ways we don’t rea...