The Paesanos Podcast

Four years ago, Sarah and Brandon Arant moved into a van with their three dogs. Since then, they became the couple behind @LivingInAdvance, a popular “van life” account that has amassed over 125,000 followers and millions of views between Instagram and YouTube alone.

But today, Sarah and Brandon are in the process of selling their van and announcing some major life transitions - all through social media. This episode explores what it's like to be an influencer around one main topic, and how to navigate self-imposed responsibilities to your followers (and essentially your career) when life takes a different path.

If you want to follow their story beyond this podcast, you can find Sarah and Brandon on Instagram and YouTube. Or check out their website at livinginadvance.com.

Internet culture is all around us. It affects the way we communicate, the way we find relationships, the way we work - and for the purpose of this episode with Lieutenant Joe Torrillo, the way we perceive and learn about history. Lieutenant Torrillo was buried twice on the morning of September 11, 2001. In this conversation, he shares his incredible story - and also discusses how the internet has perpetuated and spread conspiracy theories about what happened that day.

As a retired FDNY Lieutenant, Joe now travels the world as an inspirational speaker in front of audiences of all sizes. He serves as a mentor for men and women in the armed forces and works with schools, corporations, and organizations to deliver thought-provoking speeches and ideas.

You can learn more about his story and his work - and inquire about speaking engagements - by visiting JoeTorrillo.com.

It’s impossible not to admire the work that Tara McGowan has done in her short career so far. In just over 10 years, she’s built and executed multiple successful digital strategies on a national scale; first for President Obama’s reelection campaign in 2012, then Hillary Clinton’s 2016 bid for the presidency, and then in 2017 when she founded ACRONYM, a nonprofit organization building online infrastructure for progressive movements.

Out of ACRONYM grew Courier Newsroom, where Tara now devotes her full focus on tackling the nation’s information divide.

In this episode, we had a chance to talk about the evolution of modern journalists, her take on the future of media in this country, and some of the challenges we face as a democracy with the erosion of access to local news.

Follow Tara McGowan on LinkedIn, Twitter / X, Instagram, and even Threads.

David Ebeltoft is a screenwriter whose work has been hailed as "suspenseful," "emotionally-driven," and "decidedly chilling." These phrases may also be used to describe the current situation in which screenwriters and actors find themselves. David joins the Paesanos Podcast to talk about the evolution of streaming and how the internet completely changed the film and television industry.

David's films have earned enthusiastic reviews from The New York Times, Variety, and The Village Voice. His most recent project, BLOOD FOR DUST, starring Scoot McNairy and Kit Harington, premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival. You can learn more about his work at DavidEbeltoft.com or by finding him on Instagram and Facebook.

Franz Nicolay is the keyboardist for one of my favorite bands, The Hold Steady. He also plays piano and accordion for The World/Inferno Friendship Society and produces music as a solo artist.

Franz is the author of two books: The Humorless Ladies of Border Control and Someone Should Pay For Your Pain. He’s written countless articles for publications like Spin, VICE, Slate, and The New York Times, and he’s a professor at Bard College and Columbia University.

In this episode, we talk in depth about topics like virtual songwriting, pandemic projects, the war in Ukraine, and the history of music on the internet. If you're not already a fan of Franz's work, you can find all of his books, articles, and musical projects on his website here: www.franznicolay.com.