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Gladness & Hunger with Leanne W. Smith
Author/Professor Leanne W. Smith sits down with key individuals to mine the magic of their vocational stories. Inspired by Frederick Buechner who said the key to a career satisfying to both soul and pocketbook was to find “where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet," this podcast is geared to writers, students, story lovers, and anyone seeking inspiration for their own vocational journey.
As a fiction writer and business professor at Lipscomb University with a heart to teach students how to build sustainable careers that actually feed their soul, Smith's deep gladness is in sharing messages of hope and inspiration like these.
Episodes
38 episodes
Grace Knetter: “A Passion to Deliver Care”
Some know their vocational callings early in life. This is true for Grace Knetter, the only student I’ve ever had in business class with the dream to become a registered midwife. Young, but already deep into the preparation for her vocational c...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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29:54
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Douglas T. Bates, III: "Mankind has been his Business"
Doug Bates is a lawyer in a long line of lawyers dating back to just after the Civil War. Doug and I met when we each wrote columns for the Hickman County Times. He called me to be on his annual radio program one Christmas, and I’ve lo...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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30:09
Demetria Kalodimos: "Searching for Hidden Treasure"
Demetria Kalodimos is a familiar name and treasured voice in Nashville. She joined WSMV in 1984 and became the longest-running evening news anchor in its history. A career journalist and storyteller, Demetria is also a documentarian and musicia...
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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43:46
Mary O’Donohue: “Because of You”
Ever wondered how to get your content into the media? Then you’re in for a treat because this episode of Gladness & Hunger features Mary O'Donohue, a media insider. Tune in to hear basic media strategies sure to help you get your work out t...
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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35:34
Tony Bancroft: “Iron Sharpening Iron”
If you’ve ever enjoyed a Disney movie, you’re going to love hearing from today’s guest, Tony Bancroft. Chances are Tony, former Disney animator who now directs Lipscomb’s thriving animation program, and his twin, Tom, had a hand in bringing som...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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32:43
Patrick Chappell: Curiosity & Connection
How many guys do you know who were once in a band, took a turn at stand-up comedy, continues to be a popular local DJ, and has a long tenure of service as a minister? Patrick Chappell is one interesting gentleman! Raised by a tight-knit group o...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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34:20
Season Five: “Roles of Influence”
How important is it that we hold high the flags of our own influence? The birth of a grandchild has me revisiting this question. In this episode I talk about Walt Whitman who said, You are here. Life exists. The powerful play goes on, and y...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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9:41
Steve Taylor: “Artful Impact”
Are you an artist seeking to build a career with longevity and impact? Steve Taylor, an American singer, songwriter, record producer, music executive, film maker, assistant professor, and actor has done just that. Steve is known for projects li...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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35:18
John McCord: “The Completion of a Good Work”
A wise man once told me and my husband that we would look back on the early years of our working lives as among the most special. And he was right. John McCord, now a minister in Texas, and his family were integral to the truth of that predicti...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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35:14
DJ Farris: “Honoring Place & Family”
Do the spaces we occupy—where we live and do business—matter? DJ Farris believes they do. DJ is a realtor, avid outdoorsman, and lover of history. He says, “My study of history has taught me the importance of place, home, and family. These thin...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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34:48
Dr. Earl Lavender: “To be Fully Trained”
Ever known someone who could run 100 miles in a single day? This was my first introduction to Earl Lavender in 1985 when he ran as a fundraiser for Lipscomb Athletics. Though Earl has had wide influence in the U.S. and abroad, in both biblical ...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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36:59
Joe Ivey: “Strategy, Influence & Active Disremembering”
It's natural to wonder how you'd take it if you received a terminal diagnosis. In November 2023, Joseph M. Ivey found out. Joe has an impressive resume, having led several organizations, served on boards, and contributed his expertise to a numb...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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40:11
Bonnie Blaylock: “Writer, Podcaster, Beekeeper”
If you've ever wanted to know more about keeping bees, the history of pack-horse librarians in Appalachia, or where to find some motherly wisdom, you'll want to listen to this episode. It’s my honor to talk with Bonnie Blaylock, author of L...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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30:35
Season Four: “Amy Cuddy, the Sabbath & an old Accounting Ledger”
What do Amy Cuddy, the Sabbath, and an old accounting ledger have in common? As Season 4 of Gladness & Hunger is launched, I'm reminded of the critical nature of stories, how important it is to observe Sabbath, particularly as a act of reme...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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21:03
Dave & Sydney Clayton: “Ripples of Love”
What does it look like to build a life that creates ripples of influence far beyond your immediate circle? My husband Stan and I met Dave and Sydney Clayton, of Ethos Church, when they were undergraduates at Lipscomb—even then, they were influe...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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45:39
Marianne Richmond: “Writing for the Unique Everybody”
Creating work that resonates with millions is rare. Marianne Richmond, children's author and illustrator whose books have sold in the millions, learned to listen for commonalities. Coming out of a painful childhood, she discovered that while we...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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34:54
Dr. Jan Harris: “Contributing a Verse”
What does it mean to be fully present with another person? I've long admired Dr. Jan Harris—English professor, poet, and Fellow for Faculty Wellbeing at Lipscomb. In this episode, we talk about poetry, writing, and Jan's remarkable gift for pre...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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33:10
Vivi Radiro: “A Witness of Resilience”
Some stories change you. Vivi Radiro's journey from a dirt-floored hut in Kenya to cancer research is one of the most sacred stories I've ever recorded. In this episode, Vivi shares how pain became purpose and what it takes to pursue impossible...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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26:53
Dr. Richard Goode: “Pursuing the Life of the Mind”
Sometimes education becomes a bridge to the seeming impossible. When a student suggested Richard Goode visit Death Row, it planted a seed that grew into the LIFE program (Lipscomb Initiative for Education) at the women's prison in Nashville. Re...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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32:50
Garrett Dickerson: “The Plan & The Purpose”
What does it look like to find your singular calling after exploring multiple paths? I first met Garrett Dickerson when he was a student. Now, several years, a graduate degree, and multiple career lanes later, he's laser-focused on one thing: f...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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30:40
Honoree Corder: “A Marketing Mastermind”
What if one conversation changed the trajectory of your career? When Mark Victor Hansen told Honoree Corder at a conference that she needed to write a book, she took his advice—and never looked back. Now an author, TEDx speaker, and publishing ...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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32:45
Kenneth Robinson: “A Lifelong Learner”
Ever felt torn between what you're known for and what truly lights you up? Kenneth Robinson is one of four brothers who played college football—three went pro—but what he loved most was reading quietly at home. In this episode, Kenneth shares h...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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29:54
Season Three: "Sun After Rain"
We all go through seasons where the storms keep coming. In this episode, I'm stepping out of my comfort zone to share a tough season in my own story. Over the past five years, I've weathered storms I never expected. If you've faced recent storm...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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14:55
Dawn Petchell Luepke: “A Kingdom-Centered Strategist”
Every one of us has superpowers, but we don't always know what they are. Petchell Luepke, a Gallup certified career coach, helped me discover mine and she can help you learn how to discover yours, too. Petchell taught me, for example, to pair m...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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40:51
Rob Touchstone: “Turning Coffee into Water”
What happens when your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger—or in this case, thirst—meet? Rob Touchstone has spent the last decade living into this question—co-founding The Well Coffeehouses, launching a Business as Mission program, and no...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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38:38