Before We Cheers: Emotional Truths Before the Toast

Connell Barrett has spent twelve years coaching men on dating. Psychology Today named him America's top dating coach for men. He's been on Today, Good Morning America, Access Hollywood, in Cosmo, Playboy, and Maxim. He's coached for The League and Tinder. He's worked with thousands of men in 17 countries.On this episode of Before We Cheers, we talk about the worst dating advice on the internet, why a firefighter can run into a burning building but can't say hi to a woman, what most men get wrong about being themselves, and the date Connell blew up on purpose.Connell's book Dating Sucks But You Don't is published by Simon and Schuster.This episode is brought to you by Athletic Brewing. 25% off plus free shipping for new customers. Terms and conditions and certain limitations apply.https://athletic-brewing-co.sjv.io/c/7278555/3848473/12298Chapters:00:00 Cold open00:45 Welcome02:30 Cuffing season and why most dating advice is wrong06:45 The friend zone, Putin, and the year Connell spent there10:13 The firefighter who can run into burning buildings but can't say hi to a woman14:30 Mystery and The Game era18:45 Interview mode and why men ask too many questions22:00 The Obsession question25:30 Brushstrokes of femininity and the false alpha paradigm30:00 The first date Connell blew up on purpose36:45 What he tells himself before every date nowFollow Connell:Instagram: @datingtransformationWeb: datingtransformation.comBook: Dating Sucks But You Don't (Simon and Schuster / Tiller Press)Before We Cheers is hosted by Zach Miller.Follow the show: @beforewecheersHost: @iamzcm

Dylan Forgione, aka Dylan DiGi, was a Yale junior transfer who soloed for the Whiffenpoofs, got the McKinsey offer in October of senior year, and walked into the consulting firm convinced he was going to be Jeff Bezos. 2 years later, he walked away from Mckinsey with his debt paid off, and started a fashion comedy account in Brooklyn.In this episode, Dylan and I talk about:- the Bozo cold open and the version of himself he thought he was going to be- soloing for the Whiffenpoofs at Yale- getting the McKinsey offer cold and what the firm actually does for a living- "experts at nothing but making money for corporations"- the PIP, the timing, and walking out elated- substitute teaching, fashion comedy on TikTok, and not being one thing- his mom announcing his sexuality to the family before he could- the toast: to the multifacetedness of human beingsFollow Dylan: @dylan.digiBefore We Cheers is a filmed podcast about people betting on themselves. New episodes drop Fridays.Follow the show:Instagram: @beforewecheersTikTok: @Iamzcm92YouTube: @beforewecheersHost: Zach Miller, @iamzcmProducer and editor: Katie SadlerRecorded at WTF Media Studios, SoHo, May 19, 2026

Today's beer: Athletic Brewing. New to Athletic? 25% off plus free shipping on two six-packs from the best-sellers. Terms and conditions and certain limitations apply.https://athletic-brewing-co.sjv.io/c/7278555/3848473/12298For 20 years Dan Wakeford ran the rooms that decided who America paid attention to. People Magazine. Us Weekly. Britney 2007. The Kardashians. Meghan and Harry. Every cover story you remember was either his call or the call of someone he hired.Earlier this year he walked away from all of it to start Celebrity Intelligence, his own newsletter, and bet on himself for the first time in his career.In this episode:00:00 The line that lands on him01:30 Running a newsroom of 30007:45 The ethics shift in celebrity journalism14:20 Why the Meghan and Harry story actually mattered21:10 Britney 2007 as the inflection point27:30 Leaving a giant title to start something new34:00 The mistakes that made him better37:45 What it costs to be the one the buck stops with44:30 The toastSubscribe to Celebrity Intelligence: https://celebrity-intelligence.comFollow Dan: @danwakeford and @celebrity.intelligenceBefore We Cheers is a filmed podcast about people betting on themselves. New episodes drop Fridays.Instagram: @beforewecheers and @iamzcmTikTok: @iamzcm92YouTube: @beforewecheersHost: Zach MillerEditor: Katie SadlerRecorded at WTF Media Studios, Midtown#DanWakeford #PeopleMagazine #UsWeekly #EditorInChief #CelebrityIntelligence #BeforeWeCheers #MediaPodcast

Celebrity photographer Zusha Goldin grew up in Crown Heights as one of 11 kids in a Chabad family, left the yeshiva system at 17 with no diploma, and built his career by writing a cold DM script and sending it to every celebrity he wanted to shoot. He has now photographed Selena Gomez, Sydney Sweeney, Ben Stiller, Bryan Cranston, Austin Butler, Samuel L. Jackson, and Sharon Osbourne at her own house.This is the full cold DM script he used at 18, the wave of online hate that hit after he was in Jerusalem on October 7, and how he launched his nonprofit Artists for Unity.Filmed in New York City at WTF Media. Hosted by Zach Miller, edited by Katie Sadler.Chapters0:00 Strangers in Washington Square0:56 Brooklyn, Crown Heights, Barclays3:27 Rejection vs reaction7:28 When this stopped being a hobby9:46 What yeshiva and Chabad actually mean12:24 Leaving the system at 1713:27 LA with nothing in his pocket. Then October 717:23 Pants on backwards, running to the shelter19:08 Coming home to the comments20:38 Artists Against Antisemitism21:57 Launching his own nonprofit23:20 The first yes. Sharon Osbourne's house. Meeting Ozzy25:54 What that much rejection does to you26:11 The DM script27:50 Before we cheers28:18 The Lana Del Rey CVS story31:01 Selena, Sydney, Cranston32:08 What he can't wait to make nextFollow Zusha on Instagram: instagram.com/zushagoldinFollow the show: instagram.com/beforewecheersWatch on YouTube: youtube.com/@beforewecheerspodTopics: celebrity photography, cold DM script, portrait photographer, New York photography, Crown Heights, leaving orthodox Judaism, Chabad, October 7 Jerusalem, Artists for Unity, NYC creative career

Liv Schreiber joins Before We Cheers in the NYC studio for episode 010.We get into following curiosity even when the path is unclear, the 1000 no's that come before any yes, what it actually takes to figure things out as you go, and why showing up for the people who showed up for you matters more than almost anything else.A note from Liv: she recorded this episode while what we thought was a kidney infection turned out to be appendicitis. She had already rescheduled once and refused to cancel again on her word. She is fully recovered now. We still cannot believe we captured this conversation.In this episode:How Liv ended up doing what she doesThe 1000 no's behind every visible yesFollowing curiosity as a working strategy, not a vibeWhat figuring it out actually looks like in real timeWhy integrity to your word compoundsThe toastFollow what you're curious about. It will figure itself out.Recorded at HOFF Studios, NYC.Host: Zach MillerGuest: Liv SchreiberSubscribe and follow Before We Cheers wherever you listen.Instagram: @beforewecheersTiktok: Iamzcm92Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyJCgRExqhTRHy0ShZo9ptANew episodes every Friday.

Danielle of Spicy Dan on handmade jewelry, the spicy gospel, and building a Brooklyn cult brand by hand. A 45-minute Before We Cheers conversation with Zach Miller.She started making jewelry by hand at age 9. Now Danielle runs Spicy Dan, the one-woman brand New Yorkers wear as everyday armor. Vintage materials. Small batch. Zero outsourcing. Built from an apartment, scaled through obsession.We get into:- The "spicy gospel" and why it's strategy not slogan- Dating while founding a one-woman jewelry brand- The night she almost shut the whole thing down- Why Austin rewired her but Brooklyn keeps her- What identity looks like when your inventory carries your nameForty-five minutes. No filler.Shop Spicy Dan: https://shopspicydan.comSpicy Dan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopspicydanZach Miller on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamzcmBefore We Cheers on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beforewecheersWatch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rUImeCbFKHwNew episodes every Friday.

Emotional truths before the toast. Lina Bradford and Connie Fleming join Zach Miller for a conversation about keeping your pilot light on.Follow the guests:Lina Bradford: @thelinabradfordConnie Fleming: @therealconniegirlFollow Before We Cheers:IG: @beforewecheersHost: @iamzcmTikTok: @iamzcm92

Nick Rizzo joins Before We Cheers to talk about work, identity, and what it feels like when everything you care about actually connects.We get into culture, creativity, and why the best work usually sits at the intersection of what you love.

In this episode, Zach sits down with Corin Christian to talk about fashion as identity, confidence during fashion week, and the idea of style as a form of protection.They get into how personal style evolves, what it means to show up in high-pressure environments, and how clothing can shape the way you move through the world.

Forget reinvention—Dianne Brill invented becoming.Before influencers, before nightlife had PR teams, before self-confidence became content… Dianne Brill lived it.On this episode of Before We Cheers, host Zach Miller sits down with the iconic model, muse, designer, author, and entrepreneur who Andy Warhol crowned “The Queen of the Night.”Dianne turned 1980s New York into performance art. She understood that fashion wasn’t vanity—it was authorship. And today, she’s here to talk about the real power behind beauty, self-presentation, confidence, and living boldly in a world obsessed with labels.In this episode, Dianne shares:- What NYC was really like in the ’80s—cheap rent, wild creativity, no “cash = cool” mentality- How she met Keith Haring and Andy Warhol on the same nightlife circuit- What reinvention actually means (and why she was doing it before anyone called it that)- Why confidence—not money—creates true cool- How fashion became her language, her armor, and her art- Her early struggles growing up in Tampa and finding her people in New York- Behind-the-scenes stories about Danceteria, Details Magazine, Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat & more- Why being unforgettable matters more than being perfectTIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Intro: Dianne Brill, queen of self-confidence and NYC nightlife00:46 – Dianne on fashion, value, and attention01:05 – Reinvention and becoming unforgettable04:52 – Freedom and experimentation in 70s/80s NYC07:26 – Living in sublets, hotels, and creative freedom09:24 – Fashion in childhood: standing out in Tampa12:21 – Transition from conservative hometown to NYC nightlife13:26 – Meeting Keith Haring and first clubs15:22 – The Cable Building: Downtown NYC creative hub16:32 – Meeting Andy Warhol and the creative ecosystem21:34 – Collage of influences: Marilyn Monroe and fashion inspiration24:11 – Personal style vs. designer labels31:52 – Fall on Mugler runway: grace under pressure33:27 – Reinvention: performing and choosing your stage34:41 – Fashion as self-expression and lifting the spirit36:32 – Reading the room: acting, Meryl Streep comparison37:16 – Drag Race Germany & Global All-Stars experiences

When a song sneaks up on you — when you’re humming along and suddenly it hits deeper than you expected — that’s Gatlin’s superpower. The Nashville- and LA-based musician behind The Eldest Daughter, her debut album that turns faith, family, queerness, and self-discovery into a southern coming-of-age story, joins me for an honest, vulnerable, and funny conversation about the power of self-expression, letting go of expectations, and remembering why you started in the first place.What You’ll Hear: - How Gatlin’s upbringing in Florida shaped her perfectionism and art- Why she finally decided to write without a filter- Her spiritual evolution and relationship with faith- The surreal moment she saw herself on a Times Square billboard- Queer line dancing, healing, and finding love through music Learn more about Gatlin: https://www.gatlinmusic.com/Check out Gatlin's album "Eldest Daughter": https://www.dualtonestore.com/products/the-eldest-daughter-vinylpre-order?srsltid=AfmBOoq56nO_xzjZKRPROOR9NnqSHvFrszlqSqpZyIMkSw_zcavacszpFollow Gatlin on social media: https://www.instagram.com/gatlinTimestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Gatlin and Her Music Journey02:11 The Significance of Release Week04:53 Exploring Themes of Family and Identity06:47 The Impact of Times Square Billboard08:57 Songwriting and Personal Healing11:29 Sin and Syntax: A Game of Meaning13:38 Faith, Pride, and Personal Beliefs14:27 Navigating Relationships and Family Dynamics17:12 The Role of Florida in Gatlin's Music18:45 Queer Line Dancing and Community21:36 Life Lessons from First Experiences22:53 The Connection with Fans and Performance24:38 Protecting Loved Ones and Personal Growth27:23 Final Thoughts and ReflectionsSubscribe to Before We Cheers: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeforeWeCheersPodSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3OZIoSMsDb46cYCOT8RDuBApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/before-we-cheers-with-zach-miller/id1840704944

The parties. The chaos. The photos you won’t believe. Terrel Phelps, aka Disposable Relly, shows NYC like you’ve never seen it. He’s the photographer and creative force behind Bodega Flowers, capturing everything from wild East Hampton summer parties and NYC nightlife to quiet street scenes and authentic, human moments.In this episode of Before We Cheers with Zach Miller, Terrel takes us behind the lens of his journey—from a personal passion project to a thriving creative community—and shares the stories, lessons, and moments that shaped him.They dive into:-How COVID sparked a creative renaissance and forged lasting friendships-The evolution of NYC’s social scene through his photography-Finding your own voice and building something meaningful from scratch-Iconic snapshots from parties, clubs, and art shows you’ve definitely seen but didn’t know the story behindTimestamps: 00:00 – Introduction02:00 – Weekend vs weekday event life & sleep schedule03:47 – Maintaining relationships in NYC nightlife04:17 – Growing up: middle school & high school basketball rivalry10:05 – Nostalgia: Facebook groups & buying tickets pre-COVID11:10 – First camera & taking photos for myself12:34 – COVID era: making friends & street photography14:50 – Mentorship & photography advice from Jeremy Liebman16:06 – NYC career pipelines & kids learning online18:49 – AI, technology & modern student life20:42 – Instagram: portfolio vs gallery experience23:15 – Bodega Flowers & favorite photos31:23 – Disposable camera photos & East Hampton adventures35:04 – Segment: Snapshot or Skip – pop culture flashback41:11 – Closing cheers: never give up

Step into the world of Andrew Werner, one of New York’s most celebrated photographers and visual storytellers. From capturing the energy of NYC nightlife to photographing celebrities and designing luxury accessories with Fleur’d Pins, Andrew opens up about his journey, his creative philosophy, and what it truly takes to see the world through a unique lens.  He joins Before We Cheers with Zach Miller to reveal the stories behind his work, the risks that fueled his creativity, and the defining moments of his career. Along the way, Andrew shares hilarious and candid experiences working with Bulgari and making appearances on the Real Housewives of New York, showing how staying authentic—and embracing humor—can transform even the most high-stakes, luxury-filled settings into a space of genuine connection.TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Intro & Setting the Stage 03:00 – Who is Andrew Werner?04:28 – Early Fascination with Photography 06:08 – Evolution of Andrew’s Gear09:50 – Nightlife Photography & Social Access15:19 – Mastering the Art of Photography in Nightlife16:53 – What’s in the Bag? 18:24 – Capturing the Perfect Shot 20:48 – Diversifying Portfolio & Learning on the Fly 23:08 – Bulgari & Serpenti Necklace Story 26:25 – Being a Guest vs. Photographer33:07 – Photography as Social Lubricant 35:13 – The Birth of Fleur’d Pins 37:55 – Variations & Meaning of Fleur’d Pins39:09 – Why Style & Presentation MatterSee Andrew's work here: https://www.andrewwernerphotography.com/Learn more about Fleur'd pins: https://www.fleurdpins.com/Subscribe to Before We Cheers: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeforeWeCheersPodSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3OZIoSMsDb46cYCOT8RDuBApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/before-we-cheers-with-zach-miller/id1840704944

Before We Cheers is a podcast about celebrating the moments that happen before the spotlight hits—the small, messy, unforgettable experiences that shape our lives. In this solo episode, host Zach shares why he created the show and how life in the in-between—the diners after Little League, late-night meals with friends, and even a simple toast—has always mattered to him.From growing up in New York and experiencing the electricity of concerts, to realizing how easily we forget to celebrate the everyday, Zach reflects on identity, memory, and the importance of noticing life’s quiet milestones.On Before We Cheers, guests from all walks of life—artists, photographers, tastemakers, and culture-shapers—share the stories that never make headlines, and at the end of each episode, we raise a glass. Because the best celebrations happen before the toast.

Before We Cheers is a podcast about what happens in the moments before celebration. The breath before the toast. The text you almost sent. The version of you that’s still deciding if it belongs.Hosted by Zach Miller, this show explores identity, memory, reinvention, taste, and emotional truth through solo episodes, guest interviews, and cultural commentary. It’s not about spiraling or being unwell. It’s about paying attention to the quiet stuff before the loud moments.If you’ve ever cried in the Uber, reconsidered your aesthetic, or saved a voice memo you never sent, you’re in the right place.Because before the performance, there’s a pause.And Before We Cheers, we let it out.