podcast

Jan 14

Steve Abramson

By Chrissy Bernal Art, Author, Film, Fun, Podcast, TV No Comments

Why do some stories stay with us forever, while others lose their magic?

This week on Here’s What We Know, we welcome screenwriter, author, and game show researcher Steve Abramson for a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about storytelling, Hollywood, game shows, and the stories that shape who we are.

Steve shares how a childhood viewing of Star Wars sparked a lifelong love of movies, what it is really like working behind the scenes in television and game shows, and why modern franchises often struggle to recapture the joy and clarity that once made them timeless. We also explore why villains are often more compelling than heroes, how pressure changes performance, and what our favorite stories reveal about our hopes, fears, and curiosity.

This is an honest, curious conversation about creativity, culture, and the simple power of a good story told well. If you love movies, game shows, pop culture, or thoughtful conversations that connect the dots between entertainment and real life, this episode is for you.

This episode is sponsored by:

(Be sure to tell them Gary sent you!)

In this episode:

Why stories matter
How Star Wars sparked a love for storytelling
Learning screenwriting before the internet
Sending a screenplay to Hollywood at 15
Why movie franchises lose their way
What Star Wars got right and where it went wrong
Why villains are more interesting than heroes
The reality of writing for television today
Behind the scenes of game shows
Why game shows are harder than they look
Knowing the answer vs performing under pressure
How pressure changes creativity
Why the stories we consume shape us
Passing curiosity to the next generation
Why great stories still matter

Quotations:

”I look at myself as a lawyer. I have to comb through every single question to make sure there are no multiple answers and that it’s worded correctly. Even one word out of place could change the whole meaning of it.” ~ Steve Abramson

“It changed the way I looked at every question from that point forward. You have to look at every angle and see if there’s a loophole anywhere.” ~ Steve Abramson

Bio:

Steve Abramson is a screenwriter, author, and television writer whose creative journey began at fifteen when he wrote his first screenplay and even managed to get someone at Amblin Entertainment to read it. After formally studying Film and Television at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Steve broke into professional television writing with credits including In a Heartbeat for the Disney Channel, story pitching for Star Trek, and writing for Survivor: Cook Islands. His career spans television pilots, network pitching, and extensive work on game shows, including Temptation, Boom, Million Second Quiz, and Funny You Should Ask. Alongside years in post production, Steve continues to create across media through projects like KnowItAllJoe.com and his children’s book The Bear in the Chair.

Guest Contact Info:

Website: https://steveabramson.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowitalljoe1977/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Knowitalljoe1977

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-abramson-a550204/

Jan 07

Love22

Jeff Burningham

By Chrissy Bernal Author, Podcast No Comments

What happens when the machines get smarter and we have to get wiser?

This week on Here’s What We Know, we welcome Jeff Burningham, author of The Last Book Written by a Human. We talk about AI, fear, failure, and the power of being present.

Jeff shares how building companies, losing a run for governor, and slowing way down changed how he sees success and identity. This is a human conversation about wisdom, humility, and staying grounded while everything around us speeds up.

If you are curious about AI but even more curious about what it means to be human, this episode is for you.

This episode is sponsored by:

(Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!)

License #: 679261

In This Episode:

Artificial intelligence and its impact on human identity
What The Last Book Written by a Human is really about
Why wisdom matters more than intelligence in the AI age
Fear, uncertainty, and how people are responding to rapid technological change
Doing versus being and how success can disconnect us from ourselves
Public failure and the lessons learned from losing a gubernatorial race
Leadership, ego, and redefining what success actually means
Presence, attention, and slowing down in everyday life
What makes human connection irreplaceable
How to stay grounded as technology continues to advance

Quotations:

“The key to doing ‘quote unquote successfully’ is actually being. It’s bringing your being, as much of it as you possibly can, to all of your doing.” ~ Jeff Burningham

“So my encouragement in the age of AI for all of us as intelligent machines is to continue to do more and more of what we’re used to doing. It is to make sure that we bring our whole being, our whole heart and soul, to every present moment and to all of our doing, whether that’s writing a book or podcasting or being a dad or building a business or doing the laundry. It doesn’t really matter what we’re doing as long as we bring our being into it; if we bring our being, it can be rich and fruitful and meaningful no matter what it is.” ~ Jeff Burningham

“Your existence, mine, and all of ours is a never-ending cycle of life, death, and rebirth.” ~ Jeff Burningham

“The future is a fiction. It never actually happens. It’s made up in our minds until we get there in the present moment.” ~ Jeff Burningham

“Everyone tries to avoid pain, but it is through that pain that we can transform.” ~ Jeff Burningham

Bio:

Jeff has started, run or been an early investor in over 15 companies in tech & real estate valued at over a billion dollars, lost a challenging race for Governor amidst COVID in his home state, is an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship, served on 20+ boards, lived in the Middle East & traveled to over 60 countries while earning two degrees.

He is a Founder and Chairman of Peak Capital Partners, a $5B+ real estate investment firm located in Provo, UT, which was named the 2nd fastest growing company in Utah and one of the 500 fastest privately held companies in the United States by Inc. Magazine. Jeff also launched Peak Ventures, which has three early-stage funds that back the brightest and most inspiring entrepreneurs in Utah and throughout the US. In 2014, Jeff was named The Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Mountain West Region.

Guest Contact Info:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffburningham/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeff.burningham.252321/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-burningham-15a01a7b/

Dec 31

Love24

Will Jones

By Chrissy Bernal Music, Podcast No Comments

This week on Here’s What We Know, we’re ending the year with a bang in this episode of Once Around the Country as we welcome singer-songwriter Will Jones! Join us for a relaxed, honest conversation that wanders through bluegrass roots, songwriting, fatherhood, and the beauty of keeping things simple.

Will shares stories from growing up in Cana, Virginia, playing in a family bluegrass band tucked into the Appalachian Mountains, learning music before most kids learn multiplication tables, and waking his dad up singing gospel songs at six years old. Those early porch-front, small-town moments still shape how he writes and performs today.

We also explore the grind of the road, lessons learned from nearly empty rooms, moments with artists like Josh Turner, Laney Wilson, Ashley McBryde, Jon Pardi, and Zach Brown, and how faith, family, and years of persistence have shaped his perspective.

This episode is funny, reflective, and deeply human. It is about staying rooted, showing up honestly, and finding joy in the journey, even when it is messy.

This episode is sponsored by:

(Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!)

License #: 679261

In This Episode:

Bluegrass roots and Appalachian beginnings
Learning music before learning math
Writing songs from real conversations
Fatherhood, family, and finding balance
Fixing old trucks between shows
Playing live with no tracks, no safety net
Lessons from empty rooms and long roads
Why honesty still wins in country music

Quotations:

“Part of entertaining for me is getting to know the people that I’m singing for and letting them get to know me.” ~ Will Jones

“If you want people to get to know who you are, you have to be yourself, and you have to be unapologetic about being who you are and being yourself. And once you realize that you have the complete freedom to do that and sing exactly how you sing and write the songs you want to write and be exactly who you are, then that lifts all the weight off the shoulders for me. I mean, that gives you the ultimate freedom as a creative person to really start to have fun with your music and your content and everything you’re doing.” ~ Will Jones

“Every bit of the inspiration that I pull from for writing songs and doing what I do, I guess you would say, my why, you know, in this life, it goes to my family, my wife and my two-year-old and my soon-to-be newborn baby, you know, my faith in Jesus.” ~ Will Jones

Bio:

Will Jones is a country artist raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains and based in Nashville. A seasoned performer and songwriter, he blends mountain grit, soul, and timeless storytelling into a sound all his own.

His sound is a love letter to the past and a firm handshake to the future—carving his own lane in country music.

Guest Contact Info:

Website: https://willjonescountry.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willjonesofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillJonesCountry/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@willjonesofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCD_ZJSvhqWmy967s-_iaSg

Dec 24

Love37

Steve Griggs

By Chrissy Bernal Art, Business, Personal Growth, Podcast No Comments

This week on Here’s What We Know, we’re joined by Steve Griggs, founder of Steve Griggs Design, who has earned a reputation as one of New York’s most respected landscape designers, known not just for his designs but for how he shows up for the people he serves.

We’ll explore where he came from, how he found his calling, and why the work he does is more art than architecture. We also get into college football rivalries, pricing creative work, learning the hard way, and what it really means to be “the guy” people trust when things get complicated.

This episode is relaxed, funny, honest, and full of those little moments that remind you why experience still matters and why good work always starts with caring. Tune in now

This episode is sponsored by:

(Be sure to tell them Gary sent you!)

In this episode:

Why creating outdoor spaces is really about people, not projects
The difference between talent and experience
The truth about pricing creative work and saying, “it costs what it costs”
How to think about money when the work is personal
Why execution matters more than the idea
What decades of doing the hard jobs teach you
Becoming the person people trust when things get hard

Quotations:

“My canvas just happens to be your backyard. That’s pretty much the best way to put it.” ~ Steve Griggs

“There’s a difference between an architect, designer, and artist. I like to put myself in the artist category.” ~ Steve Griggs

“The richer they get, the more frugal they are. They want value. They don’t mind spending the money, but they want to know they’re getting a deal. They want to know its value.” ~ Steve Griggs

“I always say, do it once and do it right.” ~ Steve Griggs

“I’m not one of those guys who says, ‘I’ll give you a 12-month warranty. I give you a lifetime.” ~ Steve Griggs

Bio:

Steve Griggs is not your typical landscape designer. He has been getting dirt on his hands since he was 16, cutting grass to earn extra money and learning the value of hard work early on. That work ethic carried him through advanced landscaping studies at Mississippi State University and SUNY Cobleskill College of Environmental Design and Horticulture.

At 25, Steve founded Steve Griggs Design after working alongside his father in the industry, where he absorbed core values that still guide his work today: make no excuses, keep your promises, respect the deadline, and always deliver for the client. When he saw those principles missing in much of the industry, he chose to do things differently.

That commitment to a customer-first approach has earned Steve a reputation as one of New York’s most respected landscape designers, known not just for his designs but for how he shows up for the people he serves.