SummerEyes

Problem solving is a muscle - the more you practice, the stronger it gets.

Okay, so I'm back. But sometimes we each need to hear (and take) our own advice. Grateful for the record. GG

Looking back is only as good as the data it provides. Almost one year ago to the day, the very first episode of Bulletproof debuted. Let’s see how far we’ve come. Welcome to Bulletproof, a NEW midweek minisode from SummerEyes. In this series, Grace takes a temperature check on the week so far, identifies a lesson learned, and offers insights to tackle the rest of the week ahead. This week, it’s all about the next point, as Grace offers personal insights on how to reset and refocus if/when you already feel behind. Original air date: March 5, 2025

OOO = throwback to one of my favorite episodes, a summary of wisdom from Mellody Hobson as mined by Emma Grede, on her podcast, Aspire. I go back to this one all the time. Sometimes, the most powerful strategies aren’t complicated - they’re consistent. Cue this goldmine of an interview with Mellody Hobson, hosted by Emma Grede, and source of today’s episode. Mellody is known for her sharp leadership, grounded wisdom, and ability to execute with grace and power. In this episode, I dissect three powerful principles - simplicity, clarity, and honesty - that carry through her stories and success.

Spoiler: this isn’t about roses. It’s about doing future you a favor by intentionally and strategically building in moments of pause and clarity, so that - when you need it most - you remember what’s important in the first place.

It’s the Olympics! Summer Eyes style… to celebrate the love of sport and ultimate commitment to excellence, I’m sharing my top three themes from Milan Cortina and the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Getting defensive ain’t it… luckily, the secret to not getting defensive lies in those in between moments where you can build up your confidence and sense of self so that by the time you’re put on the spot, you’re cool, calm, and collective.

Today we’re exploring power, perception, and control with a deep dive into the next three sections of part one. All of these skills rely on practice and are broken down into the following categories: 1. Recognize your power2. Steady your nerves 3. Control your emotions

Live from a snowy and bitter cold NYC, today’s bulletproof minisode explores the magic of seasons, why lows equal highs, and how good always comes.

This week’s summary breaks down the definition of perception and why it’s important to separate emotion from truth. It tells the story of John D. Rockefeller, who got his start at the school of adversity and stress, and emphasizes the need for obstacles.

Conformity is tempting. Going along is easy. But setting the standard for yourself and then sticking to it? That takes time, effort, and a good old fashioned reminder.

Never skip what comes before one... Chapter 1, that is. Enter: the preface and introduction of The Obstacle is the Way, by Ryan Holiday. This one-two punch offers an origin story from Marcus Aurelius, seeks to redefine challenge, and tees up the structure of the rest of the book.

When life hands you flowers, you make the most of them… and, more importantly, you give yourself the tools, the time, and the space to enjoy the new view.

Starting here. Starting now. I’m summarizing a whole book from start to finish. Enter The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials Into Triumph, Expanded 10th Anniversary Edition. And what better place to start than at the very beginning. Ryan Holiday’s Reflections, Ten Years Later. Let’s summarize.

How much energy are you willing to sacrifice to fear? What could you accomplish if you reallocated that energy into embracing a new experience? What could you gain from the advantage of fresh perspective? Let’s explore.

Sometimes the greatest lessons emerge in the unlikeliest of places. Cue a Friday night set in New York City featuring Fred again.. and the top moments I can’t stop thinking about.

Sometimes support can be found in the most unexpected places… including past versions of you. Enter the Spotify daylist, a custom playlist that (usually) offers exactly what you need.

Today I’m going where this podcast has never gone before and summarizing an op-ed from one of the most powerful women in New York City. When it comes to advancing, Kathy offers her no frills advice and non-negotiables to get there.

How do you find calm amidst the chaos? How do you determine your own center and keep your composure, despite what your environment is telling you? Let’s explore.

Effectiveness begins with responsibility. Responsibility blossoms in the space between a stimulus and response. From self awareness and imagination to conscience and free will, Stephen Covey’s opening habit starts from the inside out, Be Proactive.

Happy New Years Eve!! Today’s bulletproof minisode is all about the power of privilege and, most importantly, what to do next.

We can’t look backwards and forwards at the same time. In this episode, I choose to look forwards. 2026 is a building year and I’m putting foundations first. From prioritizing my health to creating systems that support longevity and success, this upcoming year is about strengthening the base and playing the long game with intention.

A little grace goes a long way, especially this time of year. Consider this a gentle reminder to lead with kindness, patience, and understanding - because you never know what someone else is carrying.

We’re rounding out an epic 2025 with an epic Q4. Tune in and enjoy every minute.

Manifestation isn’t wishful thinking - it’s honesty, standards, and relentless prioritization. When your standards are clear and your environment aligns, the life you visualize becomes inevitable.

With only two weeks left in 2025, there is no time to waste. Here are the Top Five podcasts that reliably delivered in 2025.

One of the greatest tools in any athlete’s arsenal - and yours - isn’t the time in the gym or the hours on the practice court. It’s the mentality, the fortitude, and the words they use with themselves when they’re down. It feels good to be up. But it feels even better to rise.

Sabrina Ramonov is on a mission to teach 10 million people about AI. On this episode of SummerEyes, I break down her conversation on Hubspot’s Marketing Against the Grain podcast about how to approach AI with clarity, simplicity, and intention. In addition to the mindsets and approaches, Sabrina offers a live demo of two processes, including vibe coding a lead magnet using Lovable and repurposing and distributing one original piece of high quality content to 8 different platforms using n8n. This episode is a reminder that the best foundation for leveraging any new tool is curiosity, , clarity, and a willingness to build the basics before you automate them.

One year since posting the very first episode of the SummerEyes podcast, I’m going back to the start with my journal entry from December 3, 2024. This data point isn’t about romanticizing the past. It’s about celebrating where we are today and all the experiences we’ve had since.

This one hits different. Let this summary of Natalie Dawson’s interview, hosted by Steven Bartlett on the Diary of a CEO podcast, serve as a reminder of the power you (read: we) hold as active listeners and content consumers. Let us not mistake outward success as a guarantee of quality. Let us be present and proactive in thinking for ourselves and engaging on a deeper level. Please enjoy responsibly.

Unlearning is essential in order to reconcile the past. It means breaking unhelpful feedback loops and releasing what’s irrelevant in order to move on and look forward with a clear line of vision. Tune in for three steps to unlearning. #StayBulletproof

This Origins episode is all about gratitude. Through the lens of my own experiences at B/SPOKE Studios, I spotlight some lessons learned under the broader theme of how your experiences have the power to shape the person you are today. And for that, I am grateful. #CreatedToImproveLife

Today’s bulletproof minisode explores what it means to break down a circumstance into its simplest parts as a way to process a situation and keep moving forward. It’s about stripping away excuses, seeing things for what they are and how you feel, and asking what’s next?

Being proactive is great, but it doesn’t mean that being reactive is necessarily bad. Reacting well is a skill. Meeting the moment takes practice. It’s a skill to take the realtime data and feedback and maximize your response accordingly. In a landscape where things are constantly changing and with so many demands on our time, we can only plan so much. With a nod to Malcolm Gladwell’s David & Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants, this episode explores the value of responding well.

How do you move when you get rattled? Thrown off? Knocked out of alignment? Today’s bulletproof minisode is all in service of future you. More specifically, it’s about front loading these decisions so that when the time comes and you’re rattled, you’re also armed with a choice that you’ve already made with a clear head and intention. Stay bulletproof.

Today’s episode dives back into the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, summarizing the stories, observances, and keys that creating a persona and captivating an audience can unlock to a create a life of intention and untapped potential. From Julius Caesar to Abe Lincoln, we explore the power of image and presence as a means to an end and most importantly the roles that choice and agency - particularly within the confines of societal norms - still play in today’s world.

Your words and what you say are entirely up to you. You don’t owe them to anyone. Sometimes restraint, or holding back, is more powerful than any lengthy explanation ever could be. Because when you choose simplicity over excess, clarity over ego, energy over anticipation, you choose yourself.

Disclaimer: no milk - or tears - were spilled in the making of this episode. This episode summarizes a candid conversation with Christina Tosi, the founder of Milk Bar, and Rebecca Minkoff on her podcast, SuperWomen. Milk Bar is a late night bakery that changed the landscape of the sweet treat industry. Christina’s advice is relatable, kind, yet anything but sugar coated. Tune in for themes and through lines that run through their insights on innovation, getting started, and navigating the messy middle.

Debating yourself takes time. Talking yourself out of good decisions already made takes time. What happens when you don’t give yourself a choice?

The Pain Pleasure Balance, as originally explained by Dr. Anna Lembke, is a framework that offers practical applications beyond the world of addiction. From perspective and agency to timing and urgency, this episode explores how and why this tool comes in handy when you’re feeling overwhelmed or powerless.

We can’t control others responses or reactions. So why prioritize them over our own metrics of success? Let’s find out…

Honesty is a form of respect, for both yourself and others. It’s a skill to prioritize your truth and it’s a skill to communicate it with the world. Today’s episode summarizes a chapter called Radical Honesty from Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence by Dr. Anna Lembke. This deep dive explores the neuroscience behind why honesty is so painful in the short term and so worth it in the long term.

We always figure it out. We always get to where we need to go - even if that requires a mental pause. The trick lies in finding patterns that escalate these learnings and propel you to the next step. Sometimes the answer is obvious. And other times, it helps to let the oxygen in…

This book, Campaign of the Century, by Irwin F. Gellman, redefines what it means to win, lose, and lead. Through the lens of one of the most pivotal elections in American history, it offers reminders of personal accountability, the restless drive that defines greatness, and the importance of perspective - especially when the truth depends on where you’re standing.

If you find yourself wondering, is it worth it? Does it even make a difference? The answer is probably yes. Putting in the time always comes back in your favor. From personal tasks to professional pursuits, preparation reveals itself in your confidence. It’s a skill and it always makes a difference.

From confidence in comedy to her blossoming music career, Kristen Wiig is offering a peek behind curtain and sharing some of the wisdom that got her to where she is today. Tune in for key takeaways from a very intelligent conversation between two very funny women.

What do you do when you don’t feel like yourself? When even the most normal and basics tasks seem harder than they should? How do you navigate a rut? Tune in for three tactics - and one bonus mindset shift - that I employ when things just feel off. Happy Bulletproof Wednesday!

Cue one of my favorite times of year - the quarterly look back. From embracing the role of time as a marker of experience and consistency to stretching for goals you never thought possible, I’m breaking down my top takeaways and learnings from an eventful Q3, 2025. Join us on Instagram (and threads!) for more insights that enlighten, ignite, & inspire.

Can you believe? Bulletproof is thirty, flirty & thriving. Today’s very special minisode celebrates with a look back at the reason we’re all here and the special place it holds in the SummerEyes universe.Join us on Instagram for more insights that enlighten, ignite & inspire.

Some words stick with us long after we hear them. From Joe Mazzulla to Winston Churchill, here are a handful of impactful quotes that not only shifted my perspective in the moment, but that have continued to serve ever since.