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How To! with Mike Pesca

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You've got questions. We find answers. We all need advice, but it's not always clear who to ask. Each week, Mike Pesca invites a listener on the show to tackle a real problem, like protecting our elderly loved ones from scammers, emigrating as a throuple, and speaking without saying "um" - all with help from world-class experts: attorneys, doctors, entrepreneurs, authors, researchers - who actuall... more

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Latest Episodes

Comedian and Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! panelist Paula Poundstone splits her time among a grueling tour schedule and a chaotic home life, but she wants to find the focus necessary to manage her household staff and stop letting her deep aversion to c... more

Originally Aired on Oct 12, 2021 On this episode of How To!, the second in a two part-series, Dan Christensen, a bus driver in Portland, Oregon, and Matt Smith, a crisis intervention trainer and the co-founder of Aegis Training Solutions, are back to... more

Ofra splits her time among a number of hobbies in her retirement, but she wants to stop feeling rudderless and find the focus necessary to write a book of observational humor based on her twenty-year career as a psychotherapist. Enter David Epstein, ... more

India splits her time between contract production and agency work, but she wants to stop prioritizing other people's projects to scale her personal brand. Enter Simone Stolzoff, workplace researcher and author of The Good Enough Job, who advocates fo... more

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Recent Guests

Matt Smith
Crisis intervention trainer who travels the country teaching de-escalation
Conflict Interruption Training
Episode: How To Keep Cool in a Crisis
Dan Christensen
Bus driver in Portland who deals with unruly passengers
Portland, Oregon transit system
Episode: How To Keep Cool in a Crisis
David Epstein
Author of Inside the Box, How Constraints Make Us Better
HarperCollins? (author of Inside the Box)
Episode: How Constraints Make Us More Creative
Ofra Bejas
Retired psychotherapist exploring turning ideas into creative output
Episode: How Constraints Make Us More Creative
India Wittgen
Brooklyn-based content creator, podcaster, video producer
India Wittgen (India Corps, the brand)
Episode: Should I Choose Passion or a Stable Job?
Simone Stolzoff
Author of The Good Enough Job and How To Not Know; self-employed writer
Author and consultant
Episode: Should I Choose Passion or a Stable Job?
Dr. Marisa G. Franco
Professor and New York Times bestselling author of Platonic, Unmaking Friends
University of Maryland
Episode: How To Make New Friends as an Adult
Ross Novy
TV director and AI production tools user aiming to learn about wine
Independent/TV industry
Episode: How To Get Into Wine
Joel Stein
Writer and columnist, The Corrupt Wine Writer on Substack
Substack: The Corrupt Wine Writer
Episode: How To Get Into Wine

Host

Mike Pesca
Lead host, known for interviewing listeners and guiding expert-driven problem solving.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 2.6k ratings
  • Wine

    The episode about wine was one of the worst episodes! They never really answered the question “how to get into wine.” It was more of a question from someone who really didn’t care about wine and was annoyingly glib the entire time. Mike Pesca did not direct the conversation well at all. I miss Charles Duhigg!!

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Ce Ce1
    United Statesa month ago
  • Moving episode with Nancy Rommelmann

    Very important episode about a harrowing issue as technology evolves that makes predatory behavior towards the elderly increasingly easier

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JacquelineLapine
    United States4 months ago
  • Pesca is a Master of the Form

    I’m a huge Mike Pesca fan, and How To! has been a great addition to his work. I’ve enjoyed every episode so far. Pesca brings the same sharp interviewing skills, curiosity, and humor that make his other projects so good, and he manages to turn practical questions into insightful conversations. It’s informative, entertaining, and consistently well done. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys smart, thoughtful interviews.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    S. Jaeger
    United States4 months ago
  • From fave podcast to not my jam

    Longtime listener won’t be continuing to listen with Pesca at the helm. Appreciated the thoughtful and measured past hosts very much but this new style isn’t for me.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Canadianstarrynight
    Canada5 months ago
  • Great info

    This show has great information. The hosts were especially informative and open to new ideas. It was really great to listen to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Valouris
    United States10 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise practical, insightful interviews and diverse topics that translate into real-life tips.
Some reviews note strong opinions or ads can be off-putting to certain listeners.
Many appreciate the host's thoughtful, balanced approach and the mix of experts and real-world stories.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Constraints Make Us More Creative
Q: What is the general thesis of your book, and can you illustrate it with a non-intuitive example?
Epstein explains that people overvalue freedom and undervalue constraint, which can focus energy, unblock progress, and clarify where to apply effort; a non-intuitive example is how Nest used literal box constraints to force prioritization.
How To Make New Friends as an Adult
Q: What jumped out to you as action items for Steven right now?
Dr. Franco highlights that Steven can build agency by taking small, proactive steps to initiate, shift settings, and repot, while leveraging his existing skills to organize social interactions, turning introversion into a transferable social skill set.
How To Get Into Wine
Q: What's a practical starting point for someone new to wine?
Start with a defined price point, ask staff for recommendations within that range, and focus on wines from approachable regions; avoid assuming more expensive equals better.
How To Ditch Your Distractions Once and For All
Q: What about for the photo book and other projects—do you think timeboxing could help?
Helena agrees it could help, especially if she starts with one attainable block of time early in the day and uses it to move a meaningful project forward.
How To Ditch Your Distractions Once and For All
Q: Let's just start easy. Can you tell us why specifically you reached out to us?
Helena explains she wants to finish personal projects that matter to her—like a photo book—yet keeps getting distracted by smaller tasks and decisions, plus the challenge of balancing work and parenting.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About How To!

What is How To! about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on practical, real-world problems solved with expert guidance. Episodes mix listener questions with interviews from professionals across fields—from sports coaching and burnout recovery to elder scams, immigration, and mental health—delivering actionable tips, frameworks, and nuanced perspectives. A notable strength is the eavesdropping-therapy vibe: conversations blend personal anecdotes with research-backed advice, making complex topics approachable and applicable to daily life. A recurring edge is the curated roster of guests who combine lived experience with professional expertise, creating a practical, multi-disciplinary toolkit for listeners who want clear takeaways they can implement.

A standout aspect is the breadt... more

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Which podcasts are similar to How To!?

These podcasts share a similar audience with How To!:

1. Life Kit
2. Hidden Brain
3. A Slight Change of Plans
4. The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
5. 10% Happier with Dan Harris

How many episodes of How To! are there?

How To! launched 7 years ago and published 398 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 How To!?

Recent guests on How To! include:

1. Matt Smith
2. Dan Christensen
3. David Epstein
4. Ofra Bejas
5. India Wittgen
6. Simone Stolzoff
7. Dr. Marisa G. Franco
8. Ross Novy

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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