Shows
Raff's BrainRaff's Brain #85: Riffin' with Raff feat. Grauben Lara (@GraubenLara) YouTube Economics Influencer!Raff's Brain - Riffin' with Raff The YouTube Experiment: Lessons in Growth & Storytelling feat. @GraubenLaraDescription:🎙️ How do you grow a YouTube channel from scratch? In this episode of Riffin’ with Raff, Grauben Lara shares his experience building an educational economic channel, experimenting with different formats, and figuring out what works.We discuss the power of storytelling, the impact of YouTube Shorts vs. long-form content, and what really gets people to click and watch. Whether you're a content creator, marketer, or just curious about d...
2025-02-1413 minRaff's BrainRaff's Brain #69: Riffin' with Raff feat @GraubenLara's Big Idea: Turning Economic History into Viral Hits🎙️ Episode OverviewWelcome back to Raff’s Brain, the podcast about the things that fascinate and inspire host Rob Raffety. In this installment of Riffin’ with Raff, Rob sits down with his creative partner Grauben Lara to discuss their latest collaborative ventures in content creation.The episode dives into their exciting video project strategy, including brainstorming ideas, scripting, shooting, and promoting engaging, educational content. They also share their vision for leveraging platforms like YouTube to explore compelling topics such as economic innovation, technology, and brand stories. This episode is a masterclass in creativity, collaboration, and takin...
2025-01-1716 minRaff's BrainRaff's Brain #62: Riffin' with Raff feat. Grauben Lara, FEE Economic Marvels Video Essay Contest!Episode Summary:Host Rob Raffety is joined by Grauben Lara for an inspiring discussion about their latest creative project—a video essay submission for the Foundation for Economic Education's Economic Marvels Video Essay Contest. The duo takes listeners behind the scenes of their submission, which tells the fascinating story of Kleenex, tracing its origins back to a World War I innovation.Rob and Grauben discuss the challenges of scripting, shooting, and editing with minimal resources, all while juggling holiday travel and family commitments. The episode also explores their big-picture dreams, including plans for a...
2025-01-0720 minRaff's BrainRaff's Brain #50: Riffin' with Raff feat. Grauben Lara, Reason, FEE, Video Contests, and MORE!🎙️ Episode Summary:In this episode of Raff's Brain, Rob Raffety reconnects with returning guest Grauben Laura to reflect on his recent victory in the Reason vertical video contest about economic freedom. Grauben shares the story behind his entry, filmed in Zimbabwe, which led to winning the contest, prize money, and future content collaborations. The conversation evolves into brainstorming for another high-stakes contest—this time with a $10,000 prize—focused on exploring the economic marvels behind iconic branded products like Kleenex. Rob and Grauben hatch plans for a creative series diving into the fascinating stories of household products that have...
2024-12-1614 minRaff's BrainRaff's Brain #31: Riffin' with Raff feat. Grauben Lara, Reason Video Contest Brainstorm, Creative Comms, and More!Riffin' with Raff is the interview steam of Raff's Brain podcast. In today's episode, Rob interviews his friend and former colleague, Grauben Lara, about their shared interests in creative comms and digital media production. In particular, they brainstorm some ideas for entering a video contest sponsored by Reason.Raff's Brain is a show about things that are interesting to me, Rob Raffety.www.RaffsBrain.comCall the Raff's Brain Hotline!Pick a topic, make a statement, ask a question!571-408-8058Summary:In this episode of...
2024-11-0918 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtOpportunity and Innovation in the Prison System with Jason JonesMisunderstood and overlooked are the lives of those incarcerated. Jason Jones talks to me about the difficulties of living inside a prison and the resources we need to properly rehabilitate and make an impact on communities and individuals affected by prisons. If the current solutions aren’t really working, is it time to disrupt to innovate? Follow Zocayo on IG and Twitter Follow me on IG and Twitter: @graubenlara Follow Jason on IG Email: wearezocayo@gmail.com
2021-03-2941 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtThe Meaning of Life and Adventure with Maria AlvarezFulfillment in life, as in any adventure, is all about taking the first step. I talk to Maria Alvarez about how adventure can look different for anybody, and how it’s our own personal adventures that make for a life worth living. Follow Zocayo on IG and Twitter Follow me on IG and Twitter: @graubenlara Follow Maria on IG Email: wearezocayo@gmail.com
2021-03-1540 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtSubstance Abuse and the Path to Recovery with Vince HusemanWhat are the dominoes that lead to a lifestyle of abuse? Vince Huseman shares his story with me of how his love for music drew him into a dependence on drugs and alcohol, but also how he is now using that same love to help others recover from lives similar to the one he once lived. How important is community and our own willpower in attempting to lead a sober life? Follow Zocayo on IG and Twitter Follow me on IG and Twitter: @graubenlara Follow Vince on IG Email: wearezocayo@gmail.com...
2021-03-0145 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtGender Identity and Drag with Hayden ClayAs society changes, so do its views on gender and sexuality. I talk to Hayden Clay about their experience in drag performance and what we can learn about our own identity through that. What does it mean to come out? How does understanding and accepting ourselves change how we view those around us?  Follow Zocayo on IG and Twitter  Follow me on IG and Twitter: @graubenlara  Follow Hayden on IG  Follow Mia Vanderbilt on IG  Email: wearezocayo@gmail.com
2021-01-1840 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtLife as a First-Generation Immigrant with Tahra JirariImmigration in the US remains a controversial topic, but the children of those immigrants have to deal with the repercussions of both their parents’ actions and of the policies the government enforces. I talk to Tahra Jirari about her family’s journey from Morocco to the United States and how being a child of immigrants turned her into a translator, teacher, and lawyer for her parents early on.  Follow Zocayo on IG and Twitter Follow me on IG and Twitter Follow Tahra on IG and Twitter Email: wearezocayo@gmail.com
2021-01-0436 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtChanging the Narrative through Storytelling and Empathy with Kelsey RobertsHow is it possible to create friends out of the people we see as against our own personal beliefs? I talk to Kelsey Roberts about how experience is at the root of our beliefs, and how sharing those stories can help create a deeper understanding of the people around us, turning foe into friend. While our ideas of how to make the world better may not always align, each of our individual stories is a piece in solving the puzzle of the issues around us. Follow Zocayo on IG and Twitter Follow me on IG...
2020-12-2147 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtPoverty: Starving for Money and Relationships with Kim MartinezWhy does the richest country in the world still have so many people in poverty? I talk to Kim Martinez about her experience seeing poverty growing up and the many reasons why poverty still exists and may continue to be an issue for generations to come. While we give away many handouts to those in need, when was the last time we gave them a hand up? Follow Zocayo on IG and Twitter Follow me on Twitter and IG: @graubenlara Follow Kim on IG Email: wearezocayo@gmail.com
2020-12-0741 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtBlack Identity and Genealogy with Roemello LewisWhat does “black” mean and where does the label come from? Roemello Lewis joins me to talk about how learning about our history puts us in a better position to change our present and future. Are we overgeneralizing racial terms, thus limiting our potential? How important is our family history to our personal growth? What can we do now to better unify all people regardless of race and culture? Follow Zocayo on IG and Twitter Follow me on  IG and Twitter: @graubenlara Follow Mello on IG and Twitter Email: wearezocayo@gmail.com
2020-11-2329 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtPersons with Disabilities and Work Discrimination with Casey WitteWhy is it that in 2020, persons with disabilities are still overlooked both inside and outside of the workplace? Casey Witte shares his experience growing up and how our assumptions of other people limit their potential to succeed. What stereotypes do we have of people with disabilities that keep us from helping them achieve more? What laws are also currently allowing different treatment of people in the workplace? Where do these issues begin and what can we do to make a difference in the lives of others? Follow Zocayo on IG and Twitter Follow me on...
2020-11-0941 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtTokenism and Culture in the Film Industry with Liz LooMovies and TV are what unite people through pop culture, but can their portrayal of groups also be breaking us apart? I talk to Liz Loo about diversity in film and the changes that need to be made both on and off the camera to better tell the stories of all people. Proper diversity in film is a necessity, but when does pushing for diversity also become too much? What are the current standards in film that shape our stereotypes of the world? Â Follow Zocayo on IG and Twitter Follow me on Twitter a...
2020-11-0235 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtMars, Aliens, and Tech with Rohan ThatavarthiWhat’s up on Mars that NASA desperately seeks? Rohan Thatavarthi joins me to discuss the latest mission to Mars, what extraterrestrial life could mean, and how science plays a big role in our understanding of the world. Can what we learn from space change our lives forever?  Life on Mars could affect us both socially and mentally. Are we as important as we like to think we are? How can you relate the technological challenges space engineers face to our daily lives? As we start to learn more about space and the universe, our per...
2020-10-2635 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtHow Socialism led to the Fall of Venezuela with Daniel Di MartinoVenezuelans currently live in extreme poverty and homelessness, with their money losing its value every day, but it wasn’t always this way. Daniel Di Martino joins me to share his story of why he fled Venezuela and how the once fourth richest country in the world fell due to socialist policies.  With socialism on the rise through figures like Bernie Sanders and AOC, it’s important to examine the effects of generous policies that we may not immediately be aware of. Can we adopt a model like the highly praised Nordic countries? Could the U.S...
2020-10-1948 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtThe Stigmatization of Weed and Illegal Immigrants with Sonia ErikaWhat do marijuana and illegal immigrants have in common? Sonia Erika joins me to tell her story from naive undocumented student to eventual Harvard graduate and pro-weed activist. We dive deep into how her background influenced her work with communities, the facts about marijuana use, and how building strong businesses can positively affect the communities hurt by current drug laws. The legalization of marijuana isn’t as black and white as it may appear, and current systems may be making us worse off, both economically and in health. Do the laws in your state encourage business building an...
2020-10-1254 min
Zocayo: Breaking Barriers through ThoughtThe Value of Race and Diversity with Kenny XuIn the Asian American community, what do the words diversity and equality really mean? Kenny Xu joins me to discuss the effects of diversity promotion programs such as Affirmative Action and the race quotas at major universities like Harvard. While these programs are meant to help many communities, are they inadvertently hurting others, perpetuating hateful stereotypes along the way? Understanding the various views on diversity and inclusion programs is vital to developing systems that are beneficial to all. I challenge you in this conversation to think about how the issues the Asian American community faces relate to...
2020-10-0843 min