StirredUp

Is Sustainability Dead? Let's talk Greenhushing, EPA Cuts, State of Cleaning up Toxic Communities

Have corporations tossed their ESG - sustainability goals out with the trash? Or are they just too scared to talk about it? 🌍🔥
In this episode of StirredUp, we’re challenging... I sustainability dead? 
While the world warms up, the corporate suits are cooling down and quietly scrubbing ESG goals from their websites and deleting goals that hold these highly influential companies to being good while doing good. 
🎥 Inside This Episode:Does Sustainability Matter? Why a single degree of global warming isn't just "nicer weather," it’s the trigger for simultaneous floods, droughts, and hurricanes that are already breaking our infrastructure.
The Rise of Greenhushing: We name names. From Coca-Cola to Walmart and BlackRock, corporations are playing a dangerous game of "Greenhushing"—dropping their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) targets to avoid political crosshairs.
The Political Backlash: How the recent surge in anti-ESG legislation and Republican-led pressure is forcing CEOs to choose between their climate promises and their stock prices.
EPA Under the Knife: With massive proposed budget cuts (some as high as 50% for 2026), the federal "backstop" for pollution is crumbling.
Toxic Legacies in St. Louis, MI: We take you to our own backyard. The Velsicol Superfund site in Michigan has been a toxic "cautionary tale" for 50 years. With years of cleanup still required, what happens when the funding dries up? Can a community ever be "safe" if the government stops looking?

The Subscription Economy: Why you no longer own your movies, heated seats, or software

The average American household now manages over six entertainment subscriptions alone—but the "leaks" don't stop at Netflix. We are now "renting" our office software, our car’s performance, and even our home security. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the $250 billion subscription economy. We explore why brands are desperate to turn every product into a monthly fee, how new "Click-to-Cancel" laws are fighting back, and what happens to your digital legacy when you stop paying the rent.

The Casino in Your Pocket: The Rise of Online Gambling

The house used to be a destination. Now, it’s an app on your home screen. 📱🎲
Today we pull back the curtain on the multi-billion dollar rise of the online gambling industry. It’s not just about luck anymore; it’s about high-level data science, psychological engineering, and a business model designed to keep you clicking.
 
But how did we get here? And who is it affecting the most? 
 
Since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling, the landscape of American gambling has undergone a radical—and dangerous—transformation. What used to require a trip to a neon-lit casino floor now happens silently on sofas, in office cubicles, and in college dorms. This episode explores the "perfect storm" that has turned mobile betting into a public health crisis, examining the wreckage of a multibillion-dollar industry built on the science of addiction.
 
Support the Show by Shopping with our Sponsors: 
 
Meet the World’s First Hair Deodorizer.
We’ve all been there—your hair looks great, but it smells like the airport, the kitchen, or the campfire. Dry shampoo can hide the oil, but it can’t erase the scent.
Introducing FreshSet, the first-ever hair deodorizer engineered to neutralize odors at the molecular level. Whether you need to:
Erase the "Travel": Step off a 6-hour flight and into a boardroom feeling (and smelling) like you just stepped out of the shower.
Kill the "Kitchen": Love the garlic shrimp, but don't want to wear it to the dinner party? One spray clears the air.
Reset the "Great Outdoors": Shake off the scent of the Michigan woods before your night out on the town.
Don’t just mask it. Neutralize it. StirredUp listeners can try it before anyone else. The first 50 listeners who use STIRREDUPPOD at checkout get free shipping and a free gift. 
Visit www.freshsethair.com use code STIRREDUPPOD at checkout. 
 
Other Sponsors
 Get 10% Off Google Workspace + Gemini AI
Work smarter, not harder. With Google Workspace you’ll have Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar—and now premium AI features with Gemini included.
–  Use our link to get 10% off your first year: https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/oL83 
 
The best hoodies and loungewear, hands down. Once you try Comfrt.com, you’ll literally never want to wear anything else.
– Grab 15% off your order with our link: http://comfrt.com/stirreduppod
 
 Ready to step into the leader you’re meant to be? Whether you’re moving into a bigger role, shifting from execution to strategy, or just feeling stuck, coaching can change everything.
– Work with certified coach Lisa Tarkington, trusted by thousands of leaders. Book your free consultation today at lisatarkington.com/coaching
 and mention this podcast for a special discount

$266k Per Second: The Super Bowl Ad Math

The game is over, the confetti has settled, and the CFOs are finally waking up from their cold sweats. For Super Bowl LX, the price of a 30-second spot hit a record-breaking $8 million to $10 million. That breaks down to roughly $266k per second. Yeah. We break down the "all-in" cost of a Super Bowl spot—which often tops $20 million once you add in A-list celebrity fees and $5 million production budgets.We discuss how brand maximize that crazy expensive price tag and which brands extract the most value. 
Support the Show by Shopping with our Sponsors: 
Meet the World’s First Hair Deodorizer.We’ve all been there—your hair looks great, but it smells like the airport, the kitchen, or the campfire. Dry shampoo can hide the oil, but it can’t erase the scent.Introducing FreshSet, the first-ever hair deodorizer engineered to neutralize odors at the molecular level. Whether you need to:Erase the "Travel": Step off a 6-hour flight and into a boardroom feeling (and smelling) like you just stepped out of the shower.Kill the "Kitchen": Love the garlic shrimp, but don't want to wear it to the dinner party? One spray clears the air.Reset the "Great Outdoors": Shake off the scent of the Michigan woods before your night out on the town.Don’t just mask it. Neutralize it. StirredUp listeners can try it before anyone else. The first 50 listeners who use STIRREDUPPOD at checkout get free shipping and a free gift. Visit www.freshsethair.com use code STIRREDUPPOD at checkout. 
Other Sponsors Get 10% Off Google Workspace + Gemini AIWork smarter, not harder. With Google Workspace you’ll have Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar—and now premium AI features with Gemini included.–  Use our link to get 10% off your first year: https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/oL83 
The best hoodies and loungewear, hands down. Once you try Comfrt.com, you’ll literally never want to wear anything else.– Grab 15% off your order with our link: http://comfrt.com/stirreduppod
 Ready to step into the leader you’re meant to be? Whether you’re moving into a bigger role, shifting from execution to strategy, or just feeling stuck, coaching can change everything.– Work with certified coach Lisa Tarkington, trusted by thousands of leaders. Book your free consultation today at lisatarkington.com/coaching and mention this podcast for a special discount

American Fitness: As Seen Through America's #1 Gym – Planet Fitness

It's fair that America's health culture is more complex that what one single gym can represent, but the gym that represents America, the number one gym in the country, is Planet Fitness. 
With nearly 3,000 locations and over 20 million members, Planet Fitness isn't just a gym it’s the primary source of how many Americans experience exercise. 
But is their "Judgment Free" philosophy truly about inclusion, or is it a calculated marketing strategy designed to keep the masses paying for a service they rarely use?
In this episode, we peel back the purple curtain to explore:
Planet Fitness publicly claims their members visit 6 to 7 times a month and at a bill of about $10/ month, even if unused, it's not going to break the bank. 
Their competitor is not the glitzy gym down the street or even the couch, it's the person unwilling to just walk in the door. That's why Planet Fitness claims they serve controversial choices like pizza and bagels - to be approachable to those who find comfort in that invitation. 
Planet Fitness' use of these "low-stakes fitness" to eliminate "gymtimidation" works. It has built them a $6 billion empire.
Is Planet Fitness the hero that made fitness accessible to the 80% of Americans who hate the gym? Or is it a brilliant subscription trap that thrives on our best intentions and our most frequent absences?
Support the Show by Shopping with our Sponsors: 
Meet the World’s First Hair Deodorizer.
We’ve all been there—your hair looks great, but it smells like the airport, the kitchen, or the campfire. Dry shampoo can hide the oil, but it can’t erase the scent.Introducing FreshSet, the first-ever hair deodorizer engineered to neutralize odors at the molecular level. Whether you need to:Erase the "Travel": Step off a 6-hour flight and into a boardroom feeling (and smelling) like you just stepped out of the shower.Kill the "Kitchen": Love the garlic shrimp, but don't want to wear it to the dinner party? One spray clears the air.Reset the "Great Outdoors": Shake off the scent of the Michigan woods before your night out on the town.
Don’t just mask it. Neutralize it.
StirredUp listeners can try it before anyone else. The first 50 listeners who use STIRREDUPPOD at checkout get free shipping and a free gift. 
Visit www.freshsethair.com use code STIRREDUPPOD at checkout. 
Other Sponsors Get 10% Off Google Workspace + Gemini AIWork smarter, not harder. With Google Workspace you’ll have Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar—and now premium AI features with Gemini included.–  Use our link to get 10% off your first year: https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/oL83 
The best hoodies and loungewear, hands down. Once you try Comfrt.com, you’ll literally never want to wear anything else.– Grab 15% off your order with our link: http://comfrt.com/stirreduppod
 Ready to step into the leader you’re meant to be? Whether you’re moving into a bigger role, shifting from execution to strategy, or just feeling stuck, coaching can change everything.– Work with certified coach Lisa Tarkington, trusted by thousands of leaders. Book your free consultation today at lisatarkington.com/coaching and mention this podcast for a special discount
 

Is Private Equity Deleting the American Dream?

Turn on any news station or scroll through social media, and you’ll hear the same warning: Foreign adversaries, specifically China, are quietly buying up the heart of America—our farmland.
The story goes that they are snatching up the soil to control our food supply and compromise our national security. But is that actually what’s happening? In this episode, we follow the paper trail to find a different reality. While the headlines scream about China, the data shows they own less than 1% of foreign-held land. The real "landlords" of the American countryside? Our closest allies. We dive into why countries like Canada and the Netherlands are pouring billions into American timber and renewable energy.
But watch out. While we were looking at the cornfields, we missed what was happening on our own streets. Last year, a staggering 1/3 of all single-family homes sold didn't go to families—they went to investors. Institutional Investors from Wall Street are playing a different game than your local "mom-and-pop" landlord and they are cornering the "starter home" market, effectively deleting the first rung of the property ladder for an entire generation.
The Big Question: Are we witnessing the birth of a Lease-Only Society? As homeownership rates for young families stall, we ask the hard questions: Is the American Dream being "pivoted" into a subscription service? Does this new model provide "professional management," or is it a massive wealth extraction from local communities to global shareholders?
Join us as we pull back the curtain on the new owners of America. It’s not a conspiracy, it’s just business. But that doesn’t mean it’s good for you.
 
Support the Show by Shopping with our Sponsors: 
Meet the World’s First Hair Deodorizer.
We’ve all been there—your hair looks great, but it smells like the airport, the kitchen, or the campfire. Dry shampoo can hide the oil, but it can’t erase the scent.
Introducing FreshSet, the first-ever hair deodorizer engineered to neutralize odors at the molecular level. Whether you need to:
Erase the "Travel": Step off a 6-hour flight and into a boardroom feeling (and smelling) like you just stepped out of the shower.
Kill the "Kitchen": Love the garlic shrimp, but don't want to wear it to the dinner party? One spray clears the air.
Reset the "Great Outdoors": Shake off the scent of the Michigan woods before your night out on the town.
Don’t just mask it. Neutralize it. StirredUp listeners can try it before anyone else. The first 50 listeners who use STIRREDUPPOD at checkout get free shipping and a free gift. 
Visit www.freshsethair.com use code STIRREDUPPOD at checkout. 
 
Other Sponsors
 Get 10% Off Google Workspace + Gemini AI
Work smarter, not harder. With Google Workspace you’ll have Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar—and now premium AI features with Gemini included.
–  Use our link to get 10% off your first year: https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/oL83 
 
The best hoodies and loungewear, hands down. Once you try Comfrt.com, you’ll literally never want to wear anything else.
– Grab 15% off your order with our link: http://comfrt.com/stirreduppod
 
 Ready to step into the leader you’re meant to be? Whether you’re moving into a bigger role, shifting from execution to strategy, or just feeling stuck, coaching can change everything.
– Work with certified coach Lisa Tarkington, trusted by thousands of leaders. Book your free consultation today at lisatarkington.com/coaching
 and mention this podcast for a special discount

Surprise! Pop-in Visit Spilling the Thanksgiving Party Tea

We had a few too many laughs to have a proper send off so we dropped into the studio for some last-of-the-season laughs and to spill some tea from the thanksgiving parties we both hosted. See you Feb 6 for SEASON 3 and stay tuned for some LIVE drop in visits until then.

End of Season 2 - Happy Holidays!

We're taking a break in December and will be back early next year. 

End of Season 2 Party: Jessica and Heather talk Donald Trump and Epstein, Kids, Family & Just Chill

It’s the Season 2 sendoff and Jess & Heath are fully unhinged (in the best way). From Trump and Epstein to kids, families, and the little things that keep us sane—this episode is part gossip, part therapy, and part “clink if you’re tired.” Kick back, pour something strong, and join the chaos.

The Scam Economy: Bigger Than Hollywood, Faster Than AI, and Somehow Unstoppable

The global scam economy is now a trillion-dollar industry—spanning call-center crime rings, AI-powered fraud, romance scams, crypto schemes, money-mule networks, and full-blown international operations that law enforcement can’t keep up with.
In this episode of Stirred Up, Jessica & Heather break down how scams became one of the world’s most profitable industries, why it’s nearly impossible to regulate.
Support the Show by Shopping with our Sponsors: 💼 Get 10% Off Google Workspace + Gemini AIWork smarter, not harder. With Google Workspace you’ll have Gmail, Drive, Docs, Calendar—and now premium AI features with Gemini included.👉 Use our link to get 10% off your first year: https://referworkspace.app.goo.gl/oL83 
🔥 The best hoodies and loungewear, hands down. Once you try Comfrt.com, you’ll literally never want to wear anything else.✨ Grab 15% off your order with our link: http://comfrt.com/stirreduppod
🌟 Ready to step into the leader you’re meant to be? Whether you’re moving into a bigger role, shifting from execution to strategy, or just feeling stuck, coaching can change everything.💼 Work with certified coach Lisa Tarkington, trusted by thousands of leaders. Book your free consultation today at lisatarkington.com/coaching and mention this podcast for a special discount