Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino

Friday, October 23, 2026

Adoptee, Author, Podcast Host & Community Founder Anna Jinja on Identity & Finding Your Self-Worth

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series. On this episode, we talk with Anna Jinja — adoptee, author, podcast host, and community founder — about adoption, identity, healing, self-discovery, and learning to embrace our inherent worth.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, raised in Iowa, and now based in Ohio, Anna’s journey as an international adoptee has shaped her lifelong exploration of identity, belonging, home, and human connection. Having experienced the pain of rejection and the peace that can come with self-acceptance, she shares a deeply personal perspective on what it means to find your place in the world.

Anna is the author of Adopting Grace and host of The Anna Jinja Show. Through stories, music, poetry, and community, she creates spaces that remind people they are worthy, loved, and welcome. Her years of community involvement and nonprofit advocacy, alongside personal and professional challenges, have helped shape her belief that healing begins when we choose ourselves and recognize our own inherent value.

This is a conversation about the complicated journey toward self-acceptance, the search for identity and belonging, and the power of sharing our stories to help others feel less alone. Anna is an incredible guest with a story worth hearing.

More Anna Jinja:
🌐 Website: https://www.annajinja.com/

For More Famous Interviews: Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgi6GpDDDrc_PgOzaERGbLQ Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-with-joe-dimino/id1660256991
Subscribe via Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7j92QDS13LXgajPt80X2dh

The Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b

Co-Founder of Venture Up David Lengyel on Teamwork, Leadership & Building High-Performing Teams

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series. On this episode, we talk with David Lengyel, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Venture Up, and an expert in leadership, communication, and team performance.

What can a Fortune 500 company, a military unit, a healthcare organization, and a small business learn from a simple team challenge? David Lengyel has spent more than 40 years helping organizations answer that question.

Since 1983, David has worked with more than 8,000 corporate clients, including Google, PayPal, McKinsey, and the US Navy, helping teams strengthen communication, build trust, improve collaboration, and perform at a higher level. Through Venture Up, he has worked with more than 500,000 participants and thousands of teams, exploring what makes people succeed together, overcome challenges, innovate, and achieve shared goals.

Beyond the boardroom, David is also a world-class mountaineer whose adventures have given him a wealth of experience and perspective on teamwork, resilience, leadership, and human potential.

We dig into the lessons organizations can learn from team challenges, what separates high-performing teams from struggling ones, and how better communication and trust can transform the way people work together.

More David Lengyel:
🌐 Venture Up: https://ventureup.com/

The Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b

Founder & Author Mike Swigunski on Building a Dream Life, Remote Business & Financial Freedom

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series. On this episode, we talk with Mike Swigunski — founder, online entrepreneur, investor, TEDx speaker, and #1 bestselling author — about building a business, achieving financial freedom, and creating a life on your own terms.

Mike is focused on helping millions of people “Earn From Anywhere.” As employee #4 at Empire Flippers, he helped scale the company into a 100-person remote team and the world’s largest curated marketplace for buying and selling online businesses, playing a key role in facilitating more than $120 million in acquisitions.

He has also founded Global Career and Dividends and built multiple six-, seven-, and eight-figure remote companies while traveling to more than 100 countries. Now based in Prague, Mike shares insights on remote work, online entrepreneurship, investing, and what it takes to design your own version of a dream life.

We get into his remarkable journey, the opportunities of location-independent business, and the mindset behind building a life with greater freedom and flexibility.

More Mike Swigunski:
🌐 Website: https://globalcareerbook.com/

The Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b

Coach & Author Nathalie Cordell on Reinvention, Self-Discovery & Awakening the Sleeping Queen

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series. On this episode, we talk with Nathalie Cordell — former corporate pharmaceutical leader, psycho-spiritual coach, and author — about reinvention, self-discovery, women's leadership, and finding your way back to yourself when life changes everything.

After 20 years climbing the corporate ladder in the pharmaceutical industry, Nathalie reached a point where she no longer wanted to keep climbing. She wanted to discover whether she could fly instead. That decision led her to retrain as a coach and earn an MA in Psychosynthesis Leadership Coaching, opening a new chapter devoted to helping women navigate life's transitions and reconnect with who they truly are.

Through her coaching and her book, Awakening the Sleeping Queen, Nathalie supports women in the messy middle of life as they question old expectations and discover new possibilities.

Her transformation was shaped by deeply personal challenges. A leadership role that should have felt like the pinnacle of success instead amplified her self-doubt. Then, when both her mother and sister were diagnosed with cancer within six months of each other, the deadlines and ambitions she had pursued for years suddenly seemed less meaningful.

From her home base in the UK, Nathalie shares the experiences, questions, and turning points that reshaped her life and inspired her work. We explore her dreams, her philosophy, her writing through Soul Seeds on Substack, and the courage it takes to redefine success and live more authentically.

It's an inspiring conversation about resilience, purpose, identity, and the possibility of beginning again.

Learn more about Nathalie Cordell:
https://www.cordellcoaching.com/

The Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b

Saxophonist & Educator Dr. Justin Pierce Interview | Sway (2026) | Dallas Jazz, Saxophone & Musical Journey

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with jazz saxophonist and educator Dr. Justin Pierce! We dive into his debut 2026 album, Sway, and explore his journey through the world of jazz, from his musical roots to building a career centered on performance, education, and connection.

Based in Dallas, Justin brings together some of the area's most accomplished jazz musicians in an ensemble built on world-class talent, musical versatility, and Texas hospitality. With more than 15 years of experience and hundreds of performances across the country, Justin Pierce Music specializes in transforming ordinary events into unforgettable celebrations.

We talk about the inspiration behind Sway, his life as a saxophonist and educator, the Dallas jazz scene, the art of live performance, and the experiences that have shaped his musical path. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation about jazz, dedication, and the power of bringing people together through music.

🎧 Discover the album, Sway:
http://justinpiercemusic.com/sway

For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/
Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkc
Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2

The Home of Neon Jazz: http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER

Writer/Actor/Director Jeff Ryan on Acting, Filmmaking & His 2026 Comedy MOOCH

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series. On this episode, we talk with Jeff Ryan — Writer, Director, and Actor — about his life dedicated to filmmaking and his new 2026 feature film, MOOCH, an offbeat golf crime comedy packed with absurd situations, questionable decisions, and a coming-of-age story that takes the scenic route.

Set against the suburban New Jersey golf scene, MOOCH follows Shane, played by Jeff Ryan, a nearly 30-year-old man who remains the oldest caddy at his local golf club. He's mastered the art of getting by without quite growing up. But when a botched theft involving $400 unexpectedly lands him a job digging up dirt for a charismatic New Jersey nightclub owner, Shane finds himself pulled into amateur investigations, broken relationships, and increasingly complicated situations.

Equal parts heartfelt and absurd, MOOCH blends golf, crime, comedy, friendship, and ambition into a story about the messy, unpredictable road toward adulthood.

In our conversation, Jeff takes us inside the making of MOOCH, shares insights into his work as a writer, director, and actor, and reflects on his creative journey and dedication to film. We explore the ideas behind the movie, its distinctive characters, and the experiences that have shaped his career.

It's a spirited conversation about independent filmmaking, unconventional storytelling, and creating something that doesn't quite fit the usual mold.

Learn more about Jeff Ryan and MOOCH:
https://www.moochfilm.com/

The Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b

Writer Lana McAra: 50+ Books, One Million Copies & a Life in Publishing

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series. On this episode, we talk with Lana McAra — Publisher, Author, and Ghostwriter — about the craft of writing, the business of publishing, and what it takes to build a lasting career as an author.

Lana is an award-winning, internationally bestselling author and ghostwriter whose work spans more than 50 books and over one million copies sold. As the founder of Vendela Publishing, she works with writers who want to develop sustainable careers, connect with readers, and build an audience beyond the ever-changing algorithms of the digital world.

With more than two decades of experience teaching fiction writing and speaking to authors about the business of publishing, Lana brings a wealth of practical knowledge to the conversation. But her own journey began unexpectedly. An advertisement she happened to answer changed the direction of her life, setting her on a path she never anticipated.

We explore her remarkable story, the lessons she's learned in the publishing industry, the realities of building an author career, and how writers can navigate the changing landscape of books, readers, and publishing opportunities.

Whether you're an aspiring novelist, an established author, or simply fascinated by the stories behind successful creative careers, this conversation offers inspiration, experience, and plenty of wisdom.

Connect with Lana McAra:
Website: http://lanamcara.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lanamcarapage/

The Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/

Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b