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Artwork for What It's Like To Be...

What It's Like To Be... with Dan Heath

Dan Heath
Child Development
Piano Teaching
Christmas Trees
Daycare
Military Justice
Bobsledding
Tennis
Summer Camps
Music Education
Early Childhood Education
Military Operations
Baking
Operational Law
Olympic Games
Covid-19
Ice Cream Truck Drivers
Secret Service
Stand-Up Comedy
Emotional Development
Love and Attachment

Curious what it would be like to walk in someone else’s (work) shoes? Join New York Times bestselling author Dan Heath as he explores the world of work, one profession at a time, and interviews people who love what they do.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes86Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
CareersBusinessSociety & Culture

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Artwork for What It's Like To Be...

Latest Episodes

Chanting bids to whip up a bidding war, shipping $750,000 of Magic: The Gathering cards by armored car, and knowing exactly when to bring the gavel down with Joe Bodnar, an auctioneer in New Jersey. How does he separate junk from treasure? And what d... more

Sleuthing through patient histories for the clue everyone else missed, asking patients about caves, scorpions, and shaman retreats, and sounding the alarm on a potential Ebola case with Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an infectious disease doctor. What annoys I... more

Loading the mail truck before the day begins, dealing with aggressive dogs and bad weather, and keeping a neighborhood connected by showing up every day with John Ayala, a retired mail carrier in Los Angeles. How did a golf club help him deliver pack... more

Digging line to redirect the country's fiercest wildland fires, sleeping in the dirt after a 16-hour day, and turning physical endurance into a public service with Ben Strahan, a hotshot crew superintendent in California. What does a wildfire sound l... more

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.

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People also subscribe to these shows.

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The Economics of Everyday Things
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This American Life
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Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio + Stitcher
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Snap JudgmentSnap Judgment and PRX

Recent Guests

Michael Rejent
Air traffic controller
FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)
Episode: An Air Traffic Controller
Linda Beall
Flight attendant, Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Episode: A Flight Attendant
Paul Drusch
Commercial airline pilot with decades of experience
Episode: An Airline Pilot
Murat Kogut
Aspiring NBA referee, son of Leon Kogut
Self/StoryCorps interviewee
Episode: (Bonus) From StoryCorps: "Sideliners"
Leon Kogut
Barbershop owner; Murat's father
Family member
Episode: (Bonus) From StoryCorps: "Sideliners"
Clarence Haskett
Stadium beer vendor known as Fancy Clancy
Self/StoryCorps interviewee
Episode: (Bonus) From StoryCorps: "Sideliners"
Jerry Collier
Friend of Clancy; fellow vendor
Self/StoryCorps interviewee
Episode: (Bonus) From StoryCorps: "Sideliners"
Red Klotz
Globetrotters coach and player
Harlem Globetrotters
Episode: (Bonus) From StoryCorps: "Sideliners"
Jodie Ferrari
Red Klotz's daughter
StoryCorps interviewee
Episode: (Bonus) From StoryCorps: "Sideliners"

Host

Dan Heath
Host of the show

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.6k ratings
  • I first knew Dan Heath from the podcast Choiceology and was sad when he departed. His audio manner is professional and so comforting. You'll enjoy him...just want to sit down and have a chat. Then, the content, the topic, is simple yet inviting. All of the jobs are interesting, but some (and some of the guests) are magnetic, like Santa Larry, Matt the Welder, and others. You won't not like this podcast!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    ithabise
    2 months ago
  • Brilliant!

    Love love love this podcast! Reminds me of the show How It’s Made which was one of my favorite ever.

    Do you take requests? Fashion Buyer or Fashion Management (My 18 yo is excited about these two careers)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    twocoolrivers
    Ireland2 months ago
  • Great work

    Great work

    Please do a paramedic (specifically the ones that work out of fire stations on ambulances)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Strigaformes Pizzaria
    United States3 months ago
  • Binge worthy

    So glad I found this show. This FEEL GOOD informational listening adds a boost to my day.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CJEagleheart
    United States3 months ago
  • suggestion for an episode about what it’s like to be a Phd student

    Thank you for great episodes. I especially loved the episode of the elementary school teacher. Ms Kilgo’s experiences were amazing and the episode urged me to listen. How about doing an episode about Phd student. What’s it like to be a Phd student?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Idk bruh pls don’t take
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

The show broadens imagination by revealing everyday experts behind familiar roles.
Episodes feel practical and heartwarming, with meaningful takeaways.
Guests are consistently engaging and the conversations feel human, not scripted.
Listeners praise the host's thoughtful questions and warm interviewing style.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#21
United States/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#11
Canada/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#38
United Kingdom/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#143
Canada/Business
Apple Podcasts
#85
Italy/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#168
Australia/Business/Careers

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

An Airline Pilot
Q: How do you feel about the stereotype that pilots just push a button and ride autopilot?
That view is far from accurate; pilots physically fly the aircraft, especially during challenging weather or precision approaches, and autopilot is a tool used within a broader set of skilled, hands-on tasks.
An Airline Pilot
Q: What is your typical rhythm with air traffic control when you're cruising over the ocean?
You check in at every waypoint and hand off smoothly between controllers as you cross borders, with frequent frequency changes and precise readbacks to confirm you're understood and on the right route.
A Flight Attendant
Q: What is a word or phrase that only someone from your profession would be likely to know, and what does it mean?
The term bid or bidding refers to how flight attendants bid for their schedules based on seniority, and it determines which trips you end up with, including the worst cases like seven short flights in a day.
A Clinical Ethicist
Q: What's the most challenging part of balancing patient wishes with family dynamics?
Determining which version of the patient's wishes is authentic can be difficult when family members disagree; we try to triangulate through patterns of past decisions and the patient's expressed values to infer what they would want.
A Clinical Ethicist
Q: What does a typical ethics consult look like from start to finish?
We identify the decision maker, review advance directives, assess whether there is substituted judgment, consider legal hierarchies, and then present a reasoned recommendation to guide the care team while acknowledging the patient's values and limits.

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 What It's Like To Be...

What is What It's Like To Be... about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show shines a light on a wide spectrum of real-world jobs, from high-stakes careers like air traffic control and piloting to caregiving, ethics, and trades. Guests share tangible, behind-the-scenes details about daily routines, decision-making under pressure, and the human moments that make each profession meaningful. Listeners can expect practical insights, authenticity, and a recurring emphasis on the personal journeys, challenges, and pride that come with doing important work well. A notable strength is the host's thoughtful, respectful questioning and the way episodes connect disparate fields through common themes like teamwork, safety, and purpose.

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Which podcasts are similar to What It's Like To Be...?

These podcasts share a similar audience with What It's Like To Be...:

1. Sidedoor
2. The Economics of Everyday Things
3. This American Life
4. Freakonomics Radio
5. Snap Judgment

How many episodes of What It's Like To Be... are there?

What It's Like To Be... launched 3 years ago and published 86 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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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.

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What guests have appeared on What It's Like To Be...?

Recent guests on What It's Like To Be... include:

1. Michael Rejent
2. Linda Beall
3. Paul Drusch
4. Murat Kogut
5. Leon Kogut
6. Clarence Haskett
7. Jerry Collier
8. Red Klotz

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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