Where Grief Meets Promise

Where Grief Meets Promise

Author: Curiosity Media May 18, 2026 Duration: 7:47

Cal opens this deeply personal episode of Big Questions with a flood of remarkable medical breakthroughs. 3D-printed windpipes. A pancreatic cancer drug that doubles survival rates. Nanotechnology clearing toxic proteins from the body. And he explains why he's sharing them: to balance the grief of losing his friend Sally, a highly-ranked senior tennis player taken too soon by gallbladder cancer. Out of that grief, Cal finds promise. From a man who rode a bike for 24 straight hours 25 years ago who's gone on to raise $31 million for cancer patients. To a vision of the future where technology doesn't kill jobs — it creates them. This episode is exactly what Cal is promising as his podcast evolves toward the Future of Work. Sunshine. Even through difficult times. It'll be a Central Park for the soul. See you every Tuesday.


For decades, Cal Fussman has built a remarkable career by asking the right things at the right time, drawing profound insights from icons like Muhammad Ali, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Serena Williams. That same genuine curiosity drives every episode of Big Questions with Cal Fussman. This isn't about quick soundbites or surface-level chatter. Instead, Cal creates a space where guests-from visionary CEOs and legendary coaches to groundbreaking artists-feel comfortable exploring the pivotal moments and hard-earned lessons that truly shaped their paths. You'll hear conversations that meander into unexpected places, often uncovering the personal philosophies and resilient mindsets behind public success. Produced by Curiosity Media, the podcast serves as a masterclass in listening and human connection, relevant for anyone interested in the intersections of business, creative careers, and lifelong education. Each discussion feels like a deep dive into a life fully examined, offering tangible wisdom for navigating your own big questions.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Big Questions with Cal Fussman
Podcast Episodes
Decoding The World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:24
Cal has a suspicion that the little-known K Economy explains more about where the world is headed than most of what you hear on the news. So he reaches out to one of the world's most masterful interpreters of geopolitics…
AI Takes Jobs. Byron Builds Them. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:06
We've all heard how AI has been eliminating entry level jobs. Byron V. Garrett has a different story to tell. He's a Time Magazine Visionary Honoree and CEO of Genesys Works, and he runs a draft day. Not for football. No…
Welcome To Authentic AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:45
For the first time, you can ask Cal what you want to know about asking better questions. About your next podcast. A business move. A personal situation. Cal will get back to you personally with the help of AI. AI Cal isn…
You Are Stronger Than Steel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:36
The change in front of all of us right now may be the most radical humans have ever faced. Who do you want guiding you through it? Courtney Harrison would be an intriguing choice. She's a rare breed of HR leader — one wh…
The AI Teaching Template [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:56
Every teacher struggling with AI use in the classroom needs to hear this episode. Jamie Metzl has a Ph.D. from Oxford, a law degree from Harvard, and has run 60 marathons. He spent nine years writing his first book. When…
Learn Faster. Remember More. (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:00
Cal resumes his conversation with Dr. David Bach, the Harvard-trained neuroscientist who is about to give you an opportunity to upgrade your brain. Dr. Bach is the founder of Optios. His company's work is unlocking a doo…
Your Job Just Got Bigger. So Did You. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:16
Charles Gaudet has coached thousands of CEOs over the years. Yahoo Finance has called him "The CEO Whisperer." In this episode, Cal asks him to turn what he's learned toward a big question: What can everybody do to prote…
YOUR BRAIN. YOUR GUT. YOUR EDGE. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:31
Graduation stages across America erupted in boos this spring when AI came up. That anxiety isn't just for new grads. It's felt by anyone wondering whether they still have a place in a world being reshaped by technology.…
Big Questions: The Future Of Work [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:24
In an age when AI has everyone asking what's next for humans, Cal goes looking for answers. He finds them in some unexpected places. A five-year-old girl who walked through a Transylvanian forest to save her sister's lif…
Old School Rules, New Age Tools. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:48
A professor at an elite university noticed something alarming: every student's work was flawless . . . and nearly identical. All of it generated by AI. So she did the unthinkable (for the students, anyway). She banned de…