The Salad Bowl Podcast

What’s the difference between holding someone accountable and using your authority to take your frustration out on them? In this Side Salad, we explore how the line between discipline and anger can blur in leadership, parenting, and everyday relationships. Real discipline isn’t about making someone suffer for their mistakes; it’s about helping them learn, grow, and make better choices. Sometimes, the most important person we need to correct is ourselves. Before you hold someone else accountable, ask yourself: Am I trying to teach a lesson, or am I just letting my anger speak? 🥗

What if we stopped treating ourselves like smartphones? 📱

In a world that constantly encourages us to stay happy, remain productive, and become the “best version” of ourselves, we sometimes forget one important thing: we’re human, not machines.

In this Side Salad, Kev Thompson explores how social media and technology may have shaped our expectations of ourselves, why constant productivity can lead to burnout, and why it’s okay not to have everything figured out.

Life comes with sunny days and inevitable storms. The goal isn’t to eliminate the difficult moments, but to build the...

Grandma wasn’t just giving advice—she was passing down wisdom. 🥗

“Too dumb to be embarrassed.”

“Bless your heart.”

“Never argue with a fool.”

Funny? Absolutely. But underneath those sayings were lessons about self-awareness, compassion, boundaries, and knowing when to walk away.

Maybe Grandma was onto something. 👵🏾

What’s a saying your grandmother used to tell you? Drop it in the comments.

#GrandmasWisdom #LifeLessons #Wisdom #SelfAwareness #NormalizeAuthenticity

This Side Salad was inspired by a civilian friend who noticed the very real struggles veterans face when transitioning out of the military.

I told myself I’d stay away from military topics once I retired. But maybe I have one last thing to say to the people I left behind.

The uniform comes off, but the transition is just beginning. 🥗

#SideSalad #VeteranTransition #MilitaryTransition #NormalizeAuthenticity #Veterans

When I take a step back and look at the challenges I've endured in this life, one surpasses all of the rest. I'd say its the hardest thing...and may be the most rewarding ingredients of my life.

The Salad Bowl Podcast | Joel Hitchcock-Tilton | Growing Community from the Ground Up

What if a garden could change the way an entire city connects?

In this episode of The Salad Bowl Podcast, we sit down with Joel Hitchcock-Tilton, the visionary behind Paradigm Gardens, to explore how one idea rooted in purpose has blossomed into one of New Orleans' most inspiring community spaces.

From cultivating fresh food to cultivating meaningful relationships, Joel shares how creativity, sustainability, and a willingness to think differently have transformed an empty space into a place where people gather, heal...

We're conditioned to believe that life is one big competition—that for someone to win, someone else has to lose. But what if that's the real illusion?

In this Side Salad, I challenge the scarcity mindset that fuels comparison, rivalry, and the constant need to pick sides. From MJ vs. LeBron to Apple vs. Microsoft, we explore why greatness isn't a limited resource—and why someone else's success doesn't take anything away from yours.

Maybe the goal isn't to beat everyone else.

Maybe the goal is simply to become the best version of your...

Is it really not that deep? Or...

#considerthis

Can you serve your country for 20 years...and still feel weird chanting "USA"? This Side Salad isn't about questioning patriotism—it's about questioning what patriotism means. A little World Cup, a few American flags, and a whole lot of curiosity over certainty. Let's toss it around. ⚽🇺🇸🥗

This short idea could be an amplified look on "The Golden Rule".

This episode, The Salad Bowl Podcast does something a little different.

For the first time, the conversation is led by guest host Moriah Thompson, who sits down with Felice Gaddis-Sosa for an authentic discussion about the beauty, complexity, and power of sisterhood.

What does sisterhood really mean? Is it limited to blood relatives, or is it something we build through friendship, community, and shared experiences?

Together, Moriah and Felice explore the relationships that have shaped them, the lessons they've learned from the women in their lives, and why creating spaces for women to...

This Father's Day, we're serving up a special Side Salad dedicated to the fathers, father figures, and men who choose to show up every single day.

In this short but meaningful conversation, Kevin explores the often unseen weight of fatherhood, the importance of presence over perfection, and why fathers remain an essential pillar in families and communities. Using the lasting effects of the war on drugs and mass incarceration as an example—not as a conversation about race, but as a lens to understand a broader human truth—this episode examines what happens when fathers are absent and...

What if one of the greatest forms of generational wealth we can pass down to our children isn't money, but health, confidence, and resilience?

In this heartfelt Side Salad segment, Kevin Thompson reflects on an unconscious bias he discovered within himself as a father. Like many dads, he easily envisioned future bonding experiences with his son—sports, music, and becoming "gym partners." But it led him to ask an important question: Why didn't I naturally imagine the same experience with my daughters?

This episode explores fatherhood, parenting daughters, gender socialization, health and wellness, and the re...

🌈 SIDE SALAD: Pride, Belonging, and the Space Between 🌈

For this special Pride Month Side Salad, Kevin stands in front of Café Lafitte in Exile—one of the oldest continuously operating gay bars in America—to explore a question that reaches far beyond sexuality:

What's the difference between fitting in and truly belonging?

Using the history of Pride, the legacy of the Stonewall Riots, and his own experiences growing up hearing people refer to a section of Bourbon Street as "the gay side," Kevin reflects on how distance, misunderstanding, and labels can prevent us from seeing...

In this episode of The Salad Bowl Podcast, Kevin sits down with Pritam Rai, better known as Razif, for a powerful conversation about resilience, identity, and the pursuit of purpose.

Razif shares the incredible story of his family's journey from refugee camps in Nepal to building a life in the United States. Along the way, he reflects on the challenges of adapting to a new culture, serving in the military, embracing his Muslim faith, and finding his voice as a content creator and influencer.

Together, they explore what it means to belong, how faith shapes...

What happens when ignorance is no longer protected by silence?

In this powerful Side Salad segment from The Salad Bowl Podcast, we dive into the difference between being “non-racist” and truly anti-racist in today’s culture. As conversations around racism, bias, accountability, and social responsibility continue to evolve, this episode challenges listeners to rethink what it means to confront harmful behavior without losing their humanity in the process.

Inspired by ideas from How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, this discussion explores systemic racism, individual prejudice, the power of education, and why making ignora...

There’s a lot I’m still learning about this—and I’m open about that.

“Boys will be boys” is the conversation, but I don’t want it to end with a phrase—we need to unpack it.

If you live in spaces where boys are being shaped every day—educators, teachers, coaches—I’d value your perspective. What does that phrase get right? Where does it miss? And what responsibility do we carry in defining it moving forward?

This isn’t a statement—it’s an invitation.

We think “The Talk” is coming one day…

A single conversation we have to get right.

But the real one?

We won’t even be there for it.

One day, your child will sit across from someone they love…

and answer a question that will define everything:

“What was it like being raised by you?”

That answer is being written right now—

in the small moments we overlook.

So when they tell your story—

will it sound like safety… or something they ha...

Season 2, Episode 5 of The Salad Bowl Podcast features Brent Dorrough—a man whose story is rooted in discipline, growth, and an unwavering commitment to becoming better than he was yesterday.

In this episode, we sit down with Brent to unpack the layers that shaped him—from his upbringing and early influences to the defining moments that tested his character and sharpened his perspective. Brent brings a grounded, real-world lens to what it means to navigate identity, responsibility, and purpose in today’s ever-evolving landscape.

This conversation isn’t about fitting into a mold—it’s about unders...

In this episode of The Salad Bowl Podcast, I sit down with someone who doesn’t just talk about leadership—he lives it. Zach Gonzalez is the kind of man who understands that what you carry in silence often shapes how you show up in every room you enter.

We start at the foundation—his upbringing in New York—and how the environment he was raised in helped shape his mindset, his edge, and his perspective on responsibility. From there, we step into the present, where Zach opens up about his growing family and the real weight that com...

Who builds the statues—and who never gets a chisel?

In this Side Salad segment from The Salad Bowl Podcast, we examine how power shapes history: who writes textbooks, who’s called “heroic,” and whose voices are left out of the national narrative.

This episode argues for a richer, more honest story of America—one made of many perspectives rather than a single monument. We explore colonization, slavery, Indigenous erasure, and gendered histories, and why adding context doesn’t erase truth—it deepens it.

Perfect for listeners interested in history, social justice, education reform, and cu...

What does it mean to truly show up as yourself in a world that constantly tries to define you?

In this episode of The Salad Bowl Podcast, Kevin sits down with Shawon Clark for a powerful conversation about leadership, personal identity, resilience, and the experiences that shape how we move through the world.

Shawon shares his journey—diving into the moments that tested him, the lessons that built him, and the perspective he’s gained along the way. From navigating life’s challenges to understanding the responsibility of leadership and influence, this episode explores what it mea...

What happens when positivity becomes a shield from truth?

In this Side Salad, we unpack a quiet cultural habit: choosing comfort over honesty. From personal relationships to conversations about racism, immigration, leadership, and societal problems, the pressure to “stay positive” can sometimes silence the truth that growth requires.

Is optimism helping us heal — or helping us avoid?

In true Salad Bowl fashion, this episode challenges the idea that harmony comes from smoothing over uncomfortable realities. Real unity isn’t artificial. It’s built on honesty, courage, and the willingness to face difficult truths head-on.<...

What if the most dangerous person in the room

isn’t the one holding the weapon…

but the one holding the microphone?

This Side Salad connects an ancient fable to social media culture, political polarization, and the power of digital amplification.

Listen carefully.

In this Side Salad, I challenge the reflex to reduce people to labels.

What if the “liberal,” the “illegal,” the “piece of…” or the stereotype you casually assign doesn’t tell the full story? What if the person you’ve minimized excels in ways you’ve never considered?

This episode asks a harder question:

What does it say about our character when we choose dehumanization over curiosity?

Sometimes labels protect our comfort. But dignity requires something deeper.

A short reflection on character, projection, and the discipline of seeing people as human.

In this special episode of The Salad Bowl Podcast, I’m sitting down with someone who isn’t just a guest — he’s one of my bestest friends, my brother in life, and someone I’ve been proud to know for nearly 20 years: Brandon Mitchell. This conversation hits different because Brandon and I don’t just talk… we reflect. We challenge. We laugh. We unpack what it really means to become a man, a leader, and a champion — in every sense of the word. Brandon shares his perspective on:

🏆 What it means to truly win in life

🔥 Becoming a c...

In a world full of influencers and misinformation and before you let someone’s words shake your confidence, your clarity, or your sense of self—pause.

In this Side Salad, we unpack a truth most of us learn the hard way:

position does not equal qualification.

From bosses and parents to leaders, pastors, friends, and celebrities, we’re often taught to trust the loudest voices in authoritative spaces. But what happens when confidence masks insecurity… or access gets mistaken for insight?

This episode challenges you to consider the source without dismissing the mess...

Girl + Boy Doesn’t Equal Sex is a Side Salad conversation that challenges one of the most quietly damaging assumptions in our workplaces and social spaces: that the mere presence of different genders automatically introduces sexual tension.

In this episode, we step into the Human Resources lens—not to police behavior, but to examine human dynamics, boundaries, and professionalism at their core. We talk about why mature, high-functioning teams are built on trust, respect, and clarity—not suspicion or avoidance—and how projecting sexual narratives onto everyday interactions undermines cohesion, inclusion, and performance.

This conversation is for l...

In the journey of podcasting, I’ve learned something unexpected.

If your goal is views, comments, and engagement, the obvious move is to sit across from someone with a large following. That makes sense in today’s world. But I’ve also learned that some of the most compelling, meaningful stories don’t come from people chasing attention at all.

This episode is one of those moments.

I sat down with Terrence Lestelle—a 75-year-old attorney, athlete, and thinker. He doesn’t look like me. He didn’t grow up in my generation. He isn’t build...

What happens when we stop talking about generations—and start talking to them?

In this Side Salad, I step into a conversation that’s been quietly waiting its turn: a conversation across generations. From Baby Boomers and Gen X, who carried the weight of survival and sacrifice, to Millennials shaped by transition, to Gen Z and Gen Alpha redefining awareness and emotional fluency—this episode is a pause, a thank you, and an invitation.

This isn’t about blame.

It’s about bridges.

It’s about acknowledging the foundations laid before us, the ques...

Season Two starts now. 🥗✨

In a world that wants us to blend in, The Salad Bowl Podcast exists to remind us:

You don’t have to dissolve who you are to belong.

Different stories.

Different experiences.

Different flavors—still whole, still necessary.

This isn’t about telling you what to believe.

It’s about asking better questions.

Listening deeper.

And showing up as your full self—without apology.

2026 is the year we normalize authenticity.

Not melting down.

Showing up...

The Final Project of 2025

As 2025 comes to a close, this Side Salad marks the final offering of the year for The Salad Bowl Podcast—a quiet, intentional pause before Season 2 begins in 2026.

In this deeply reflective episode, we explore the parts of ourselves we rarely put on display: procrastination, jealousy, ego, lust, negativity—the inner patterns that shape how we show up long before anyone else notices. Not as moral failures. Not as flaws to shame or hide. But as signals.

This conversation challenges the idea that growth starts with fixing ourselves. Instead, it a...

In this Side Salad segment, Kevin sits with a thought that’s been showing up in different corners of life: what happens when our deepest passions quietly turn into moral platforms?

We all know what it feels like to be committed to something—our work, our faith, our identity, our cause. But sometimes that very commitment becomes a measuring stick we use to judge others, even when we don’t mean to. And when conviction starts sounding like superiority, the line gets blurry fast.

In this episode, Kevin explores the subtle ways passion can elevate us and...

In this episode of The Salad Bowl Podcast, Kev sits down with his little brother-in-law, Jamal Gaddis — a man whose story is far more interesting than any “Most Interesting Man in the World” commercial.

Jamal opens up about his journey from Washington University undergrad to discovering his passion for biology, the moments that shaped his worldview, and his commitment to giving back to students around the globe. From classrooms abroad to life in Brazil, Jamal’s perspective is layered with curiosity, humility, and purpose.

This episode explores identity, adventure, service, culture, and what it really means to...

This Side Salad is about a word many use, many avoid, and almost everyone has feelings about.

Kev steps into a quiet, honest examination of his own relationship with the N word—its history, its evolution, and the contradictions in how it shows up in his life today.

This episode isn’t about judgment or rules.

It’s about awareness.

About honesty.

About asking the questions we don’t always slow down to ask.

If you press play, do so with openness.

Some conversations aren’t clean or...

In this Side Salad, Kev explores one of life’s simplest but most overlooked truths — happy people aren’t mean. From the co-worker with the cold shoulder to the stranger who snaps at you in line, mean behavior often says more about someone’s unhappiness than it does about you.

Through real-life reflections and grounded wisdom, Kev unpacks how joy and cruelty can’t coexist — they’re oil and water. So the next time someone tries to chip away at your good day, remember: their meanness isn’t your mirror. It’s a reflection of how heavy their own heart real

In this episode of The Salad Bowl Podcast, Kev sits down kneecap to kneecap with Chris Thobaben — a husband, father, Marine Corps Officer, business owner, and supply chain consultant — for a powerful, human conversation that peels back the layers of what connects us all.

Chris opens up about his origin story and the winding path that led him to love, fatherhood, and purpose. Together, we explore his family’s journey through adoption, the challenges and beauty of raising both white and Black children under the same roof, and how those experiences have shaped his understanding of leadership, compas...

What can a frozen bird, a cow, and a cat teach us about life? More than you’d think.

In this short but powerful Side Salad, Kev breaks down The Parable of the Bird and the Poo — a story that reminds us not to procrastinate, not to mistake help for harm (or harm for help), and to recognize when it’s best to just stay still and trust the process.

Because sometimes life drops a little bull crap on you — but that doesn’t always mean it’s the end. Sometimes, it’s just the uncomfortable wa...

In this Side Salad, Kev challenges the modern American habit of choosing political loyalty over common decency. From Democrats dismissing good ideas because they came from Republicans, to Republicans rejecting progress just because it was voiced by a Democrat — he calls out the dangerous game of treating politics like a team sport where no one wins.

As the government shutdown leaves hardworking Americans furloughed, unpaid, or laid off, Kev reflects on what this moment reveals about our leaders’ inability to handle conflict amicably. This isn’t about left or right — it’s about maturity, empathy, and remembering that progr...

🎙️ Most people know Miles Williams as the calm, thoughtful star of Married at First Sight: New Orleans — but for me, he’s much more than that. Miles is a true friend, “Uncle Miles” to my kids, and someone whose layers deserve a deeper look.

In this episode, we go far beyond reality TV and step into the real life and heart of Miles Williams. We talk about his upbringing, his experience navigating fame and vulnerability on MAFS, and how he’s grown from it all. Miles opens up about the aftermath of the show, what life looks like now, and h...