PODCAST · society
Friends Next Door
by FND
Fireside chats with Dan, Mia, Thomas, and Kuan on career, culture, and relationships. The best conversations happen when different perspectives and backgrounds come together, so stop by to listen if you're ever in need of a Friend Next Door.
Episodes
-
Season Finale: 2025 Highs and Lows! | S6E35
As another year is coming to a close, let's take some time to reminisce about the good and the not-so-good things that we experienced this year. How was 2025 for you? Do you have any year-end rituals like Dan does? Share any and all great tips with us! As always, if you have a burning question,...
-
Friendship Through the Decades | S6E34
There's always that friend who's down for anything, whether it's grabbing a simple dinner or trying out something new. And then there's that friend who's always willing to hear you vent. They don't need to give you a solution, but they're there and that's enough. What kind of a friend are you?…
more -
Main Character or Background Character Energy? | S6E33
In the spirit of keeping up with the times, Dan, Kuan and Mia discussed their understanding of main character energy. To those who are chronically online, we're sure you've heard about this. Be the start of your own movie. You're in charge of creating your own story. Forge your own path. Do we...
-
Ugh, We Have to be the Adult in the Room Now? | S6E32
Have you ever looked around the room and realized that... you're now the adult in the room? That it's time to take control of the situation to avoid any unwanted consequences. Do you like being the adult in the room or do you wish that sometimes someone would just help you figure things out? As...
-
Does Time Go Faster as We Age? | S6E31
It's December 2025. WHERE did the year go? We used to say this jokingly but we're dead serious now. We used to wait forever for school year to end, for Christmas to arrive, for our vacation to finally start.. whatever it may be! Do you guys also feel like time somehow flies faster as we age? Is...
-
Am I Rootless or just Replanting? | S6E30
We've spent time talking about "home" and "where you're from" on this podcast. On this episode we dive deeper into how important roots are. If you spent your life moving around, you may be struggling to answer the 'where are you from' question. Your childhood memories may have been formed at your...
-
My Brain Made Me Buy It.. or Was It My Heart? | S6E29
Out of the many relationships we juggle everyday, our relationship with money isn't something we regularly think about. Because what for? I make money, I spend money, end of story. But on this episode, we dive a bit deeper into what money means to us and how it shapes our life. As always, if you...
-
Friends Who Travel Together, Stay Together? | S6E28
Friends - listen to this episode before that travel plan makes it out of the group chat. Traveling solo allows you to learn about yourself. Traveling with friends helps you learn more about each other so there's definitely a lot to look forward to. How important is it to travel with the right…
more -
What Gives You Hope in Humanity? | S6EP27
The world certainly isn't perfect. Sheesh, okay stating the obvious there. But in the midst of all the chaos that is this imperfect world, there are moments where people show up with a simple gesture of kindness, and that is enough to tell us that humanity is still worth rooting for. As always…
more -
Cash Me If You Can | S6E26
Are we in the age of monetization? If you say no.. we love that for you. It's obvious that we're now living in a 'monetization of everything' era. On one hand, it presents a great opportunity for people who are willing to put themselves out there to gain some extra cash (or make a serious…
more -
Confidence: 10/10, Qualifications: Working On It | S6E25
Are you someone who's constantly punching above your weight? Whether it’s dating someone way out of your league, landing a job you “weren’t qualified” for, or winning a trivia night with nothing but guesses and blind confidence, you're swinging hard, aiming high, and surprising everyone…
more -
What is the Cost of Perfection? | S6E24
This episode is a followup to our "Optimizer/Maximizer" episode, talking more about the cost to perfection and if humans are even meant to achieve that. We talk through the fine line between striving to do a good job, what it really it takes to get to the "top" or "perfection", and what type of...
-
Are Limits Real? | S6E23
THE LIMIT DOES NOT EXIST!! Or does it? On this episode we talk about limits, both internal and external, and especially having a limited mindest. Take a listen and let us know what you think :) As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: [email protected] IG:...
-
You've Been Labeled! Now What? | S6E22
Have you had a label that stuck and was hard to shake? What about defining others as just "the X guy" or "that Y girl". Why are labels a thing and when are they helpful -- are they ever helpful? We dive into this and more on this episode, stick around and let us know what you think :) As always…
more -
Trends: YOLO, FOMO, or Just NO? | S6E21
When's the last time you called a friend, read a book, asked a live person for a recommendation? On this episode, Dan, Mia, and Kuan talk about the way we communicate with eachother and the world around us. We call out old trends that need to make their way back (spoiler alert: not everyone…
more -
Ask a Friend: Thomas in the Hot Seat! | S6E20
We're bringing back the hot series with Thomas - finally rounding it out :) Did you miss the previous episodes in this series? Don't forget to check out Dan's, Kuan's, and Mia's earlier this season as well! As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: [email protected]…
more -
What Gives with "Happy Wife, Happy Life"? | S6EP19
We're continue Part 2(!) of marriage talks with marriage levels novice, intermediate, and veteran. On this episode, we get into does "happy wife, happy life" really work and how many votes do you really have when it comes down to making decisions -- is it a 50/50 split or does it end up being…
more -
Long Term Goals, Marriage Edition, Who Dat?? | S6E18
Long term planning is not easy to begin with when you're single. Add a spouse in that equation, the conversations become that much more interesting! How do you approach these topics? Do you talk about them when you're dating, or is that too early? We have a special friend joining us on this...
-
Are You a Maximizer or an Optimizer? | S6E17
The world is your oyster - that's what they say right? With that in mind are you someone who takes every opportunity and makes the most of them? Or are you someone who may not be all gas and no brakes, but rather prefers optimizing your current situation? There's obviously no right or wrong...
-
Would You Throw Out 37% of Your Options? | S6E16
When it comes to making a major decision in life, one naturally turns to a math formula. Just kidding. But it is entirely possible that some people subscribe to the idea that mathemathical principles can be applied to some of our approaches to life. Would you agree? As always, if you have a…
more -
How Likely Are You to Get Scammed? | S6E15
Skepticism. What image comes into mind when you hear this word? Does it carry a positive or a negative connotation? And what about healthy skepticism.. does it change your perspective of whether this is something we need as we go about life? And most importantly, does it help you to not get...
-
Trust the Process. But for How Long? | S6E14
Trust the process. It's not about the destination, it's the journey. If you've heard some version of these advice, have you ever stopped and pondered how long you're supposed to be in the process? What are you supposed to learn in the process? What does the goal or destination look like? Wow,...
-
Are You a Materialist? | S6E13
Spoiler alert: if you haven't seen the movie and want to go see it, come back to this episode after! But if you're ready to discuss the classic question of 'do you choose love or money?', listen on. We go beyond the surface level of money and love, so hope you all enjoy this episode! As always…
more -
Why Is My Commute So Long? | S6E12
As more 9-to-5ers are returning to office, commuting is becoming a bigger part of our life. You're then reminded of how commuting feels like a time and energy drain.. until you're hearing that there are benefits to it? Really? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email:...
-
Labubu, le what what? | S6E11
If the word Labubu has come out of your mouth in a recent conversation, congrats, you're in on the latest trend all over socials. Trends come and go so fast these days it's hard to keep up! Are you one of those people who are always in the know? As always, if you have a burning question, find us...
-
Are You Team DINK? | S6E10
Don't we just love acronyms? DINK (Double Income, No Kids) isn't a new concept, but this trend seems to be on the rise with our generation. As with anything trending online, the pros and cons are very much polarized but we can safely say that no matter which camp you're on, there's room for...
-
Ask a Friend: Dan in the Hot Seat! | S6E9
Last but certainly not least on this Ask a Friend series.. Dan's hot seat episode! Interesting to see how there are STILL new things we learned about each other even after all these years. Would you try something like this with your friends? As always, if you have a burning question, find us…
more -
Mastering the Art of Doing Nothing | S6E8
Do you like doing nothing? How good are you at doing nothing? You would be surprised by how these seemingly simple questions may actually not be that simple. As you will probably hear in our discussion, not everyone has the same understanding of what doing nothing means for them. As always, if…
more -
Ask a Friend: Kuan in the Hot Seat! | S6E7
Part 2 of FND putting each other in the hot seat! It's Kuan's turn this time :) Catch up on Mia's turn in Episode 5! As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: [email protected] IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas: @mundane_photos
-
When Overwhelming Self Doubt Rears Its Ugly Head... | S6E6
Everyone deals with a sense of self doubt and not knowing if you're doing the right thing sometimes. Totally normal. How do you cope if it cripples you, though? Let's talk about it. As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: [email protected] IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan:...
-
Ask a Friend: Mia in the Hot Seat! | S6E5
When you've known someone for years and years, how much do you really know about them? We'll find out as we decided to try something new this time - dedicating an entire episode on asking each other our burning questions. We'll take turns putting each other in the hot seat and Mia will kick us…
more -
From I to We: Identity After Marriage | S6E4
Fresh off her wedding (catch up on this on our first episode this season!), Kuan is elaborating on her thoughts around maintaining a sense of self while forming a new unit - husband and wife. While this concept is often thought in this context though, this is also something we go through at work...
-
The Concept of Belonging to a "Tribe" | S6E3
As social creatures, we all have the desire of belonging to a tribe, a community. Whether it is being surrounded by like-minded people, those with shared hobbies, or other fans of the same Kpop group (ehm). We like to be surrounded by "our people". But how do we find them? And how do we maintain...
-
Age Gap in Relationships: What Works and What Doesn't Work? | S6E2
Some people say that the rule to determining a socially acceptable age difference in relationships is to half your age and add seven. This goes both ways - up and down. Whether or not you believe in this is of course up to each individual, but let's talk about age gap in relationships and what…
more -
Someone Got Married...Guess Who?! | S6E1
After a long, long break... we're finally back in your ears! Lots of things happened in the last few months and we have so much to catch up on, but FIRST! One of us is a newlywed, so naturally we want to hear all about the process and how she (ehm, Kuan) decided to take the leap. As always, if…
more -
The Dos and Don'ts of Meeting the Parents | S5E27
Meet the Parents - now that sounds like a scary movie. To those who are natural charmers, lucky you. Those who are void of the social butterfly genes, don't worry because at least we can trade stories, and tips! And unfortunately, this will be our last episode of Season 5! We have to end the…
more -
Are We the Average of the Five People Around Us? | S5E26
You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Have you heard of this saying before? Well, Mia hasn't until recently. Once she gave it a thought, there's some truth to it but to what extent? Let us know what you think once you give it a listen! As always, if you have a…
more -
Underrated or Overrated? | S5E25
Is New York overrated or underrated? On this episode, we're just going to have a fun conversation on things that we think are underrated or overrated. And ooobviously, the things we say are highly subjective :). If you feel so inclined, though, feel free to share your thoughts if you disagree! As...
-
Millennials, Are We Experiencing a Midlife Crisis? | S5E24
If you're an older millennial listener, would you agree that we're entering our midlife crisis era? It may not look the same as what we imagine a midlife crisis would look like, with a red sports car or anything, but some of the signs are hard to ignore. Regardless, we're not saying it's a bad...
-
Are We Normalizing MicroAddiction? | S5E23
Ahh we sure do like to come up with a label for everything, don't we? In this case we think it is the best way of explaining the term in a succinct way, but in standard FND fashion, we'll dive into the concept, what we mean by that and why we think it is becoming normalized. As always, if you…
more -
Social Advice to Our Younger Selves | S5E22
If you could go back to your 14-year-old self, what advice would you give in order to thrive in social situations? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: [email protected] IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas: @mundane_photos
-
Is it Too Late to Apologize? | S5E21
We're totally dating ourselves by asking this question, but do you think sorry is the hardest word to say? Are you the type to immediately apologize once you made a mistake? And if it's the other way around, how good are you at accepting an apology? Let's figure this out together. As always, if…
more -
Personal and Social Boundaries - How Flexible Are We? | S5E20
Let's talk about boundary - what are things that you're willing and not willing to do in social settings? Have they changed throughout the years? A simple example would be Mia, who never would've wanted to go to any horror-themed activity, risking her beauty sleep to go a haunted hotel themed...
-
The Magic Ratio of Relationships | S5E19
Is there such thing as a perfect formula for relationships? Or a way to figure out whether a relationship is bound to last? On this episode, we dive into how to create and maintain long-lasting relationships. As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: [email protected]...
-
Is Effortlessness a Myth? | S5E18
When you see people who make the things they do look easy and effortless (*cough* Steph Curry), what comes to your mind first? Do you think of the countless hours they spend on perfecting their craft? Probably not.. so let's take some time to discuss! As always, if you have a burning question…
more -
Is Social Media Still Social? | S5E17
Who here still remembers the early days of social media? How did we feel when we first used our social media accounts? Now compare those feelings to today - do you think they still serve as a social tool or have they transformed into something else? As always, if you have a burning question, find...
-
It's a Money Thing! | S5E16
What are some of the things you'll gladly pay for, even when they might be considered pricey? Conversely, what are things you'd refuse to pay based on your principle? Money is always an interesting topic, so this time we're diving into how each of us spend our hard-earned dollars. We understand...
-
HYPE - When We Buy In vs. When We Do Not | S5E15
We're living in a time when so many things can easily get hyped up (thanks social media!). When we see it all around us, do we easily buy into it? If not, how do we manage? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: [email protected] IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan:...
-
Small Fish or Big Fish - What Would You Rather Be? | S5E14
Whether you're a small fish in a big pond or a big fish in a small pond, both come with their own perks. Have you thought about what you'd rather be? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: [email protected] IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa…
more -
Is the Corporate Grass Greener on the Other Side? | S5E13
Calling all job hoppers out there! We're joined by Thomas this time to discuss our experience with changing jobs as we advance our career, and we're definitely not the only ones strategically moving to another job as a way to keep growing professionally. What are the criteria do we use to…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
Loading reviews...
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Friends Next Door have?
Friends Next Door currently has 186 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Friends Next Door about?
Fireside chats with Dan, Mia, Thomas, and Kuan on career, culture, and relationships. The best conversations happen when different perspectives and backgrounds come together, so stop by to listen if you're ever in need of a Friend Next Door.
How often does Friends Next Door release new episodes?
Friends Next Door publishes regularly with 186 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Friends Next Door?
You can listen to Friends Next Door on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Friends Next Door?
Friends Next Door is created and hosted by FND.
URL copied to clipboard!