Rephonic
Artwork for Blue Sky

Blue Sky

Bill Burke
Optimism
Mental Health
Education
Social Media
Community Building
Leadership
Cancer
Mentorship
Philanthropy
Gratitude
Arts Education
Harvard University
The Optimism Institute
Resilience
Social Entrepreneurship
Artificial Intelligence
Homelessness
Storytelling
Technology
Climate Change

Hosted by Bill Burke, founder of The Optimism Institute, this weekly podcast will feature inspiring leaders, authors, researchers, and big thinkers who are taking on some of our world's toughest challenges with an infectious sense of optimism. Blue Sky takes its name from the meditation reminder that there's always blue sky above, sometimes you just have to get your head above the clouds to see it... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes171Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Health & FitnessSociety & CultureMental Health

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Blue Sky

Latest Episodes

Alan Murray has spent four decades studying American business — as editor-in-chief and CEO of Fortune, Washington bureau chief at the Wall Street Journal, president of Pew Research Center, and now founding president of the WSJ Leadership Institute. I... more

YouTube

Kathy Eldon's son, Dan Eldon, was a young photojournalist working for Reuters in Somalia when he was killed at just 22 years old while documenting a famine and its aftermath. Rather than let that loss define her, Kathy and her daughter Amy founded Cr... more

YouTube

What if optimism about climate change isn't naive — but necessary? In this episode of Blue Sky, Anne Therese Gennari, TEDx speaker and author of The Climate Optimist Handbook, shares the breakdown that led to her breakthrough: how years as an "angry ... more

YouTube

If even the letters "A-I" are enough to spike your anxiety, this episode is for you. In this conversation, host Bill Burke sits down with Dr. Mark Bloomfield — a Cambridge Judge Business School fellow who has spent over 15 years applying artificial i... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Hidden Brain
Hidden BrainHidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Recent Guests

Alan Murray
Founding president of the WSJ Leadership Institute; former editor-in-chief/CEO of Fortune; author
WSJ Leadership Institute; Fortune; Time Inc.
Episode: Human-Centered Capitalism: Alan Murray on Why Business Has Fundamentally Changed
Kathy Eldon
Founder of Creative Visions Foundation, journalist and author
Creative Visions Foundation
Episode: From Tragedy to Triumph: Kathy Eldon on Creative Visions Foundation and Finding Blue Sky After Loss
Anne Therese Gennari
TEDx Speaker, Author of The Climate Optimist Handbook, Creator of Hey Change
Anne Therese Gennari
Episode: Climate Optimism: How to Stay Hopeful Without Looking Away — with Anne Therese Gennari
Marc Bloomfield
AI expert, fellow at Cambridge Judge Business School
Cambridge Judge Business School; AI advisor
Episode: How to Use AI to Become More Human, Not Less — with Dr. Mark Bloomfield
Margo Walsh
Founder of MaineWorks, social employment innovator
MaineWorks / United Recovery Fund
Episode: Second Chances That Work: How Margo Walsh Is Transforming Lives Through Employment — and Changing Business in the Process — A Special Encore Presentation of Blue Sky
Marc Berman
Author of Nature and the Mind; Professor and Director, Environmental Neuroscience Laboratory
University of Chicago
Episode: Your Brain on Nature: Dr. Marc Berman on the Surprising Science of Nature's Impact on Attention Restoration and Optimism
Charles Kenny
Senior fellow at the Center for Global Development
Center for Global Development
Episode: Is the World Getting Better? The Economic Evidence Says Yes — An Encore Presentation with Charles Kenny
Kathryn Anne Edwards
Labor economist, independent policy consultant, co-host of Optimist Economy
Optimist Economy / The Optimism Institute
Episode: Optimist Economy Co-Host Kathryn Anne Edwards on Why America's Best Economy Is Still Ahead
Adam Mastroianni
Experimental psychologist and author
Experimental History
Episode: ENCORE PRESENTATION: Dr. Adam Mastroianni Explains How Your Brain Has Tricked You Into Thinking That Everything Is Worse

Host

Bill Burke
Host of Blue Sky, The Optimism Institute

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 77 ratings
  • Just what the mind and soul needed

    I have only listened to two episodes but I have a feeling I will be back for more blue skies! And thank you for having Kathryn Edwards on - I learn so much every time I hear her speak and I feel like everything is going to be ok when we have minds like hers to help understand and empathize with our current state of this economy and country.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    FI@55
    United States2 months ago
  • Interesting and Genuine Conversations!

    This show has such a wonderful collection of guests and you can tell that the host, Bill Burke, is genuinely interested and asks great questions that truly bring more depth to each conversation. I’m a big fan!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RA-UL1
    United States4 months ago
  • A smile and a fist bump!

    Bill’s podcast is part inspiration and part instigation! Examples of people doing good and a reminder we can do the same. From every vantage point and walk of life, Bill’s guests find and stoke the fire of optimism.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LoveWins727
    United Statesa year ago
  • Educating Enlightening Uplifting and Inspiring!!!

    A podcast needed now more than ever! Bill is a fantastic interviewer who hand picks guests who are beaming optimism despite the challenges they have had to overcome. His guests have turned tragedy into triumph not only for themselves but for the highest good of all. Bill also takes exquisite care to edit every episode to ensure one of the finest podcast listening experiences I’ve ever had. Be educated and enlightened, uplifted and inspired! I’d give it 10 stars if I could!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Marymcpoet
    United States2 years ago
  • A new spin on optimism!

    I LOVE Bill’s interviewing style. The way he breaks away to provide anecdotes or information in the interviews helps me learn so much.

    He’s certainly helped my 2024 be way more optimistic!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    HollandOats
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Interviews feel uplifting yet practical, not just aspirational.
Listeners appreciate actionable takeaways and careful editing that keeps the flow engaging.
Guests are diverse and inspiring, with thoughtful questions from the host.
The host exudes genuine optimism and adds depth to conversations.

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
Stuff You Should KnowiHeartPodcasts
This American Life
This American LifeThis American Life
The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion
Sword and Scale
Sword and ScaleSword and Scale
Behind the Bastards
Behind the BastardsCool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Determined Society with Shawn French | Adversity & Mindset
Determined Society with Shawn French | Adversity & MindsetShawn French | Adversity & Determination Expert
The Viall Files
The Viall FilesNick Viall

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Your Brain on Nature: Dr. Marc Berman on the Surprising Science of Nature's Impact on Attention Restoration and Optimism
Q: Why is nature more beneficial than urban environments for attention restoration?
Nature provides softly fascinating stimuli that engage involuntary attention without overloading directed attention, allowing cognitive resources to replenish. Urban settings, with harsh, constant stimulation, tend to deplete attention rather than restore it.
Your Brain on Nature: Dr. Marc Berman on the Surprising Science of Nature's Impact on Attention Restoration and Optimism
Q: Can you describe the walk-in-the-park studies and what you learned from them?
We designed a rigorous test where participants performed a demanding attention task, then walked in nature or urban settings, and later retook the task. Nature walks improved performance by about 20%, regardless of mood changes, showing a direct cognitive benefit beyond mere pleasant feelings.
Optimist Economy Co-Host Kathryn Anne Edwards on Why America's Best Economy Is Still Ahead
Q: Why should childcare be a federal priority if it's costly?
Because the long-term benefits to earnings, labor participation, and community health far outweigh the upfront costs, and private or local funding cannot capture all the broader gains.
Optimist Economy Co-Host Kathryn Anne Edwards on Why America's Best Economy Is Still Ahead
Q: What makes Optimist Economy different from other policy discussions?
It combines rigorous economic analysis with an optimistic frame to show practical paths forward for policy that benefits families and workers.
Optimist Economy Co-Host Kathryn Anne Edwards on Why America's Best Economy Is Still Ahead
Q: How did you end up focusing on unemployment insurance and policy advocacy?
Her pandemic work on unemployment insurance broadened her profile, leading to roles as a Bloomberg columnist and a public-facing policy advocate.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Blue Sky

What is Blue Sky about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A collection of conversations anchored in optimism explores leadership, health, technology, social impact, and personal resilience. Episodes feature physicians shaping cancer care, authors examining constraints and creativity, social entrepreneurs chartering volunteer programs, mental fitness and parenting experts, disability rights advocates, and leaders driving burnout reduction, second-chance hiring, and community empowerment. The common thread is practical optimism: actionable insights, real-world stories, and frameworks listeners can apply in work and life. A distinctive element is the blend of high-stakes healthcare progress, humanitarian innovation, and everyday wellbeing, all framed through an authoritative yet hopeful lens that emp... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Blue Sky?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Blue Sky. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Blue Sky and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Blue Sky get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Blue Sky, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Blue Sky?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Blue Sky, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Blue Sky have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Blue Sky has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Blue Sky?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Blue Sky:

1. Hidden Brain
2. TED Radio Hour
3. The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
4. Freakonomics Radio
5. Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta

How many episodes of Blue Sky are there?

Blue Sky launched 3 years ago and published 171 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Blue Sky?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Blue Sky?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Blue Sky from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Blue Sky?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Blue Sky. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Blue Sky?

Recent guests on Blue Sky include:

1. Alan Murray
2. Kathy Eldon
3. Anne Therese Gennari
4. Marc Bloomfield
5. Margo Walsh
6. Marc Berman
7. Charles Kenny
8. Kathryn Anne Edwards

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days