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Artwork for I am Consciously Curious

I am Consciously Curious

Victor Chan
Chicago
Brennan's Gourmet Burger Shack
Honey Butter Fried Chicken
Zeitlin's Delicatessen
The Heavy Rotation
Ragadan
Da Local Boy
Onigiri Kororin
Crust Fund Pizza
Hogsalt
Sunday Dinner Club
A Pizza Pie
Professor Pizza
Umami-Q
Plants
SHFT Behavioral Health
Barbecue
Table To Table
Covid-19 Pandemic
Mikerphone

I am Consciously Curious is a Chicago based podcast that dissects passionate individuals in various industries. The goal is to share their stories to inspire you to cultivate meaning within your own space. If you are interested in coming on or know someone that would be great for the podcast, please message us on fb/ig: @iamconsciouslycurious

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes187Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
CareersEducationBusiness

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Artwork for I am Consciously Curious

Latest Episodes

What does it actually take to make Chicago more affordable, safer, and functional? Joe Holberg — political outsider, former teacher, Google alum, and tech entrepreneur — is running for mayor with a platform built around housing supply, fiscal discipl... more

In this episode, I pass the mic to Charles Wong of Umamicue and Episode 182. He hosts Shawn Smith of Heffer BBQ along with brothers Sam and Stephen Lee of K-TEX BBQ. They share their individual journeys into BBQ and where they’re currently at. They s... more

John Carruthers didn't set out to raise $100,000 for Chicago nonprofits. He just wanted to do something that felt useful when the world stopped making sense.

When the pandemic hit, John — a writer and lifelong pizza obsessive — felt the helplessness... more

YouTube

Yuta Katsuyama moved to Chicago to study design and business — and quickly noticed something missing: onigiri. What started as a personal craving became a brand now stocked on over 60 shelves across Chicagoland. Yuta talks about bridging Japanese foo... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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

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Recent Guests

Shawn Smith
Owner/chef at Heffer BBQ
Heffer BBQ
Episode: 185: Chicago BBQ Roundtable ft. Charles Wong, Shawn Smith, Sam and Stephen Lee
Sam Lee
Co-owner of K-Tex BBQ
K-Tex BBQ
Episode: 185: Chicago BBQ Roundtable ft. Charles Wong, Shawn Smith, Sam and Stephen Lee
Stephen Lee
Co-owner of K-Tex BBQ
K-Tex BBQ
Episode: 185: Chicago BBQ Roundtable ft. Charles Wong, Shawn Smith, Sam and Stephen Lee
John Carruthers
Writer and founder of Crust Fund Pizza
Crust Fund Pizza
Episode: 184. An Alley, A Cause, and Really Good Pizza ft. John Carruthers
Yuta Katsuyama
Founder of Onigiri Kororin, designer-entrepreneur
Onigiri Kororin
Episode: 183. Yuta Katsuyama: Folding Culture Into Every Rice Ball
Charles Wong
Founder/Owner of Umami-Q
Umami-Q
Episode: 182. Charles Wong on BBQ, Culture & What Comes Next
Holley Brandschaft-White
Licensed clinical social worker; co-founder of SHFT Behavioral Health
SHFT Behavioral Health
Episode: 181. You Don't Need a Crisis to Ask for Help — Holley Brandchaft-White, SHFT Behavioral Health
Tony Scardino
Founder of Professor Pizza (Chicago-based pizzeria brand)
Professor Pizza
Episode: 180. A Love Letter To Pizza in Chicago ft. Tony Scardino [Professor Pizza]
Anastasiia Bilousko
Attorney at AB Law, immigration lawyer and co-founder
AB Law
Episode: 179. Immigration Law ft. Anastasiia Bilousko, ESQ and Mia Isberto

Host

Victor Chan
Host of I am Consciously Curious; guides interviews and introduces guests.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 39 ratings
  • Victor is an wonderful host

    I am so impressed with Vitor and his fantastic podcasts. He really does his research, brings up such thoughtful and unique perspectives in his wonderful conversations. Highly recommend his podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lawrence Dunning
    United States4 years ago
  • Eye-opening and insightful passion igniter

    Love listening to Victor and his guests as they talk about their passion! It makes me question what *I * love to do, and think about what I want to learn next. I love the diversity of guests, and the open-ended nature of pondering the “what about”? Looking forward to what unfolds next!

    Thanks for sparking and igniting my fire!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SandiElaine
    United States7 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Diversity of guests and open-ended format spark curiosity and learning.
Quality of guests and topics inspires action and experimentation in listeners' own projects.
Listeners appreciate the host's preparedness and thoughtful questions.
The conversations emphasize mentorship, community, and practical lessons for small businesses.
Episodes feel authentic and human-centric, with a strong focus on culture and craft.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

180. A Love Letter To Pizza in Chicago ft. Tony Scardino [Professor Pizza]
Q: What's the plan for the frozen pizza initiative and broader distribution?
The plan involves leveraging existing brand strength to attract partners and investors, with an eye toward co-manufacturing, shelf life, and direct-to-consumer distribution through major retailers.
180. A Love Letter To Pizza in Chicago ft. Tony Scardino [Professor Pizza]
Q: What motivates the expansion beyond a single location?
Tony explains that growth is driven by a combination of personal passion, opportunities created through partnerships, and a desire to educate more communities about pizza through varied concepts and styles.
183. Yuta Katsuyama: Folding Culture Into Every Rice Ball
Q: How did the founders leverage incubators and local partners to build the business?
Participation in The Hatchery's programs and collaborations with local spots provided mentorship, kitchen space, interns, and distribution pathways that helped scale production, hire staff, and test new channels like farmers markets before expanding to wholesale partners.
183. Yuta Katsuyama: Folding Culture Into Every Rice Ball
Q: What was the turning point that made wholesale the primary growth path?
The realization that wholesale offered a scalable, repeatable route to reach many stores outweighed other experimental channels, prompting the team to cut the other models and focus resources on wholesale, which aligned with the founder's familiarity with Japanese convenience store packaging and consumer expectations.
183. Yuta Katsuyama: Folding Culture Into Every Rice Ball
Q: How did phase zero transition into a real business, and what catalyzed the change?
Phase zero evolved from a school project and incubator guidance into a full-time commitment when the co-founder's partner chose to join the venture, the venture caught early traction, and media exposure helped validate the model, leading to the decision to go all in on onigiri.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About I am Consciously Curious

What is I am Consciously Curious about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show spotlights diverse, hands-on founders, chefs, and operators shaping communities through food, hospitality, and culture. Episodes frequently center on bootstrapping, scaling small concepts, mentorship, and the politics of urban markets, with a strong emphasis on authentic storytelling, community impact, and cross-cultural influence. Notable angles include roundtable discussions with seasoned Chicago-area practitioners, mission-driven food projects, and conversations about sustainable growth, work culture, and humane approaches to leadership. The format often blends personal origin stories with practical lessons on operations, capital, partnerships, and navigating city regulations, making it a practical listen for aspiring guests and... more

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Which podcasts are similar to I am Consciously Curious?

These podcasts share a similar audience with I am Consciously Curious:

1. Joiners
2. The Chef's Cut
3. The Daily
4. Up First from NPR

How many episodes of I am Consciously Curious are there?

I am Consciously Curious launched 7 years ago and published 187 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 I am Consciously Curious?

Recent guests on I am Consciously Curious include:

1. Shawn Smith
2. Sam Lee
3. Stephen Lee
4. John Carruthers
5. Yuta Katsuyama
6. Charles Wong
7. Holley Brandschaft-White
8. Tony Scardino

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