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Artwork for Blue Sky

Blue Sky

Bill Burke
Optimism
Mental Health
Education
Social Media
Community Building
Leadership
Cancer
Philanthropy
Mentorship
Gratitude
Arts Education
Resilience
Harvard University
The Optimism Institute
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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes178Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureHealth & FitnessMental Health

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Artwork for Blue Sky

Latest Episodes

Educators John Holdridge and Lowell Libby join Bill Burke to talk about the Can We? Project, a Maine-based initiative launched in 2018 that teaches high school students the mindset and skills needed for constructive dialogue across political, social,... more

Sam Demma had his sights set on a professional soccer career from age five — training in Italy at 13, playing for one of Canada's top club teams by 17 — until three major knee injuries and a torn labrum ended that dream in his final year of high scho... more

YouTube

Comedian, speaker, and humor coach Mike Goodwin joins Bill Burke for this special summer encore presentation of a classic Blue Sky episode. Mike shares how a difficult, sometimes volatile childhood in Camden, South Carolina sparked his lifelong insti... more

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In this Blue Sky conversation, host Bill Burke sits down with Melissa Connelly, CEO of OneGoal, a national organization working to ensure every young person can pursue education beyond high school. Melissa's path to this work started long before her ... more

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Recent Guests

Mike Goodwin
Comedian, speaker, humor coach
Self-employed / Public appearances including America's Got Talent, Dry Bar Comedy, Lifetime, BET, Amazon Prime
Episode: The Comedian's Mindset: Mike Goodwin on Laughter, Optimism, and Resilience, a Special Encore Presentation
Theodore R. Johnson
Author; Navy veteran; journalist and public thinker on race and democracy
New America; author of If We Are Brave
Episode: Ted Johnson: "I'm the Product of Optimism" — Race, Democracy, and the Courage to Believe in America
John Wood
Founder of Room to Read and Ugo
Room to Read; Ugo
Episode: "Carnegie with a Yak": John Wood's Journey from Corporate Executive to Global Educator, a Special Encore Presentation
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

Host

Bill Burke
Host of Blue Sky; founder of 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 States3 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 States6 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 States2 years 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.

Listeners describe the host as genuinely curious and engaging, with deep questions that elicit thoughtful insights.
Audience notes the discussions help translate complex topics into everyday relevance.
The show is praised for uplifting, actionable conversations and high production quality.
Guests are carefully selected to share practical optimism across diverse fields.

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ted Johnson: "I'm the Product of Optimism" — Race, Democracy, and the Courage to Believe in America
Q: Could you tell us about where you grew up and how your upbringing influenced your work today?
Johnson describes a North Carolina upbringing with close ties to a Black church and an environment that shaped his views on race, education, and service, setting the stage for his later focus on democracy and national identity.
"Why Not Me?" — Lee Woodruff on Turning Tragedy Into Purpose, a Special Encore Presentation
Q: What drove the rapid formation and direction of the Bob Woodruff Foundation?
They leveraged their public platform to identify what veterans and families needed, created a flexible, collaborative model to fund best practices, and stayed nimble enough to pivot toward food insecurity during COVID while maintaining support for veterans with injuries and infertility services.
"Why Not Me?" — Lee Woodruff on Turning Tragedy Into Purpose, a Special Encore Presentation
Q: How did you tell your kids about their father's injury while you were overseas and dealing with the shock?
She prioritized honesty at a level appropriate for each child, avoided overwhelming them with details, and framed the situation around love, belief in recovery, and managing expectations, which helped them cope without erasing their fear or sadness.
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.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Blue Sky

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

A weekly show that spotlights leaders, researchers, authors, and thinkers who pursue big challenges with optimism. Episodes often center on social impact, education, climate, technology, and responsible leadership, blending personal narrative with practical takeaways. Listeners can expect thoughtful conversations that translate complex ideas into actionable insights, with a consistent thread of hopeful, impact-driven perspectives and real-world examples of progress.

A notable edge is the host's mission-driven framing: optimism as a skill and a driver for change, which shapes guest selection and conversation style. The format tends to mix personal journeys with policy, business, and societal implications, making it useful for professionals ... more

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How many episodes of Blue Sky are there?

Blue Sky launched 4 years ago and published 178 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Blue Sky?

Recent guests on Blue Sky include:

1. Mike Goodwin
2. Theodore R. Johnson
3. John Wood
4. Alan Murray
5. Kathy Eldon
6. Anne Therese Gennari
7. Marc Bloomfield
8. Margo Walsh

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.

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