Remember the last time you and few close friends stayed up too late at the Diner because no one wanted to leave? You didn’t need that grilled cheese with a side of pancakes but damn if it didn’t hit the spot! You laughed until you cried or cried until you laughed. Regardless of which lead to what, you left feeling a little more thoughtful, grateful, and actually full. Those are the best conversations we have in our lives, and the reason why Diner Talks with James exists. I’ll be your bearded bespectacled host, James Robilotta. I’m an author and professional speaker who talks to willing and unwilling audiences on the role that authenticity and vulnerability must play in life and business. I am a life coach with a Masters in counseling and 16+ years of improv comedy experience. Most importantly, I am a fellow human being with a fervent curiosity for others’ passions, relationships, insecurities, ambitions, patterns, and food quirks. So, come join me in The Diner. Slide into the booth, place your order, and tell me a story.
Https://www.jamestrobo.com/diner-talks-with-james
Gesamtlänge aller Episoden: 4 days 10 hours 59 minutes
episode 59: What Does it Mean to Show Up for Someone? with CEO Ercole Perrone
In the booth with me this week is the one and only Ercole Perrone (say it with a thick Italian accent or you’re doing this glorious name (and man) a disservice). This conversation was so good – it centered around the theme of being a better listener, leading and taking care of others with great empathy, and being a good human who stands up for other humans and has compassion for the mental health and personal growth of others...
episode 58: Divorce Sucks…Temporarily with "Our Happy Divorce" Authors, Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond
"Our Happy Divorce" authors, Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond slid into the diner booth with me this week. Divorce is never easy but these two have figured out a way to make it work for their son Asher. We started our conversation talking about how Ben and Nikki met, when the sparks flew, and what brought them from San Francisco to Tampa, Florida. Making friends in a new city is hard and resentment is a tough emotion to shake when it starts building...
episode 57: Rewrite the Definition of Success with Washington Post Best Selling Author Laura Gassner Otting AKA LGO
Buckle up, y’all because this episode is jam-packed with nuggets of wisdom that will stick with you long after listening. Today I kicked it in the booth with bestselling author, socially conscious entrepreneur, and speaker Laura Gassner Otting (aka LGO). We talked about finding what you love to do, defining success and what is enough for yourself, motivation vs. discipline, control, imposter syndrome, and a new way to think about confidence...
episode 56: What Living in China for 6 years and Leaving Your Dream Job Taught Life Coach, Geneviève Pépin
I don’t even know if there are diners in the Canary Islands, but I do know that this week’s guest, Geneviève Pépin, slid into this diner all the way from off the coast of Morocco. Geneviève and I started off discussing the magical foods that are poutine (because she’s from Quebec City) and arepas (because they are delicious). Then she told me about how she went from being a loner as a child who wanted to be an artist to getting lost in the corporate world...
episode 55: The Pursuit of Truth with Emmy-Nominated Reporter and Anchor, Joe Mauceri
Longtime friend and Emmy-nominated anchor and reporter, Joe Mauceri, slid into a Brooklyn diner booth with me for this episode! Joe and I talked about a few childhood memories and what kind of burger you’re allowed to order in a diner. After asking Joe what he wanted to be when he was a kid, we learn about the home videos where his on-camera experience started and it was very cool to hear how he went from there to being a journalism/broadcast major at Syracuse...
episode 54: How to Make Conversations Less Awkward with Networking Strategist and Speaker, Tollisha Joseph
This week in the booth is networking expert and Twix connoisseur, Tollisha Joseph. We spent our time talking about how to form relationships, how to stand out in a room full of people, and how to get out of our own way. We talked about boundaries and values, and she shared advice for looking to your past to help you figure out what you should do with your future...
episode 53: Gay Dad Life and Storytelling-time with Mike Ganino
In the booth with me this week is the storytelling, improv-loving, eggs benedict-hating, Mike Ganino. He’s lived 79 lives, and because he’s an efficient storyteller we got to hear about most of them. We talked about everything from his time as a flight attendant (including month-long layovers in Hawaii and dating for drinks), his leading role in a personal injury lawyer commercial, his evolution to public speaking, and his newest role as a stay-at-home dad...
episode 52: Why Women Need Women with Women’s Empowerment Speaker (and my wife!) Tina VanSteenbergen
It’s Diner Talks with James’ first birthday! To celebrate Tina VanSteenbergen, my badass wife, slid back into the diner booth with me! Tina is a professional women’s empowerment speaker and runs her own women’s conference called Persist. We started the way we always do, talking late-night foods. The last time Tina was on the podcast she was pregnant, now we have a baby, and I asked her how that feels. We then threw out the best and worst advice we got when she was pregnant...
episode 51: Women, Use Your Voice! with the Enigmatic Emcee and Potent Professional Speaker, Quinn Conyers
Quinn Conyers slid in the Diner booth with me this episode! She is an incredible Master of Ceremonies (emcee) and powerful public speaker who specializes in helping Black women find and use their voices. Quinn and I first bonded over our love of crabby fries. Then we learn how Quinn fell in love with being an emcee...
episode 50: How to Get Respect and Teach Respect in Relationships, Parenting, and Humanity with Mike Domitrz
This week incredible professional speaker, respect expert, and dear friend, Mike Domitrz is in the booth with me! Age has hurt Mike’s ability to do a lot of late-night eating so we quickly moved past that. We did bond over being in charge of the morning announcements in grade school and getting in trouble for something we said. Then Mike shared the moment he decided to drop his dream of Broadway and decided he wanted to be a family man...