How To Host With Ease

How To Host With Ease

Author: Peach Fish Projects September 2, 2025 Duration: 39:24

Krystina used to host gatherings all the time. Then came kids and the pandemic, and the parties ground to a halt. She's feeling a renewed urge to bring people together—specifically her inspiring, badass female friends—but every time she starts to plan something meaningful, she balks. On this episode: How To!'s Courtney Martin connects Krystina with Katherine Goldstein of the Substack and podcast The Double Shift. Katherine shares what she's learned from her new project, The How To Find Your People Club, including a guiding principle: Don't overthink it.

More from The How to Find Your People Club: 8 Ways to Embrace "Deep Casual Hosting" (So You'll Actually Do It)

More Advice for the "Deep Casual" Hosting Movement!

A Research-Backed Method to Ramp Up Our Social Skills

A Nitty-Gritty Guide to Finding a Community That's Right for You

If you liked this episode, check out How To Throw a Party They'll Remember and How To Find Friends in Unexpected Places.

Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sophie Summergrad. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer.

This episode is for Slate Plus members. Join now to unlock it—plus other exclusive How To! bonus episodes and ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the How To! show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus for access wherever you listen.


How To! with Mike Pesca is a podcast that operates on a simple, powerful premise: everyday people have complex, real-world problems that need solving. Each episode begins with a listener's specific dilemma, whether it's navigating a unique family dynamic, improving a personal skill, or protecting vulnerable loved ones from modern threats. Host Mike Pesca then connects that individual with genuine authorities-practicing attorneys, medical doctors, seasoned entrepreneurs, published researchers, and other accomplished experts-to provide actionable, credible advice. The conversations are structured yet organic, moving from the personal story of the problem to a practical exploration of solutions. You'll hear the caller's situation unfold, the expert's breakdown of the issue, and a collaborative path forward. This isn't abstract self-help; it's a direct application of specialized knowledge to tangible human challenges. The podcast thrives on specificity, tackling questions you might not even know how to ask, let alone who to ask. By focusing on one person's story, it uncovers insights and strategies that resonate far beyond the individual case, making expert guidance accessible and relatable. The tone is curious, empathetic, and grounded, prioritizing depth and utility over generic inspiration. Listening feels like being part of a focused, productive consultation where real questions meet real answers.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

How To! with Mike Pesca
Podcast Episodes
How To Send Your Kid to College (and Keep Your Distance) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:35
Jennifer is about to send her oldest child off to college in the fall—and her kid isn't the only one who's anxious about the transition. On this episode of How To!, host Carvell Wallace and Jennifer talk with Christine S…
How To Repair Your Stuff [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:25
Think of all the broken stuff you're storing in your home. A blender that won't blend? A bike without brakes? A buttonless blouse? Resist the urge to buy new stuff—and listen to this How To! episode instead! Courtney Mar…
How To Discover Your Kink [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:18
Lily wants to have satisfying sex that plays to her core desires, but lately it's been hard to describe to potential partners exactly what she wants. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Dr. Danielle Har…
Quick Fix | Challenge #4: Spring Cleaning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:47
Can advice from a podcast actually make your life better? How To! producer Rosie Belson is putting previous advice to the test. This month: How to make cleaning a breeze—or a little less awful, at least. Featured How To!…
How To Get a Great Haircut [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:29
Are you stuck in a hair rut? On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings on Alana Lucia Balestrino, hairstylist, barber, and founder of the Brooklyn-based studio Baddies. Alana explains how to work with a stylist…
How To Parent With a Disability [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:52
At least 10 percent of parents in the U.S. are disabled, but Andrea can't seem to find parenting advice on disability and accessibility. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Jessica Slice, author of the…
Living at Odds | 4. A Quiet Fight for LGBTQ Rights [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:46
Our series Living at Odds concludes with a special episode of Slate's ⁠Death, Sex & Money⁠. Host Anna Sale returns to her native West Virginia to talk with the state's only full-time lobbyist for LGBTQ rights. Andrew Sch…
Living at Odds | Bonus: How To Find an Ancestor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:02
In this exclusive Living at Odds bonus episode: Kellie Farrish tells Courtney Martin about the research tools and techniques she uses while helping people uncover information about ancestors lost to history. Farrish, a r…
Living at Odds | 3. Making Amends for Ancestors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:21
In the third installment of our series Living at Odds, How To!'s Courtney Martin examines what it's like being in conflict with your family history. She talks with ancestors of the famous names in Plessy v. Ferguson, the…
Living at Odds | 2. An Education in Opposition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:47
In the second installment of our series Living at Odds, former How To! host Amanda Ripley returns to talk with two public school officials in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who found themselves at loggerheads upon their very first mee…