Red Bull: Risk Made Me Do It

Seeing Janet Jackson as a child in Houston changed everything for Arlan Hamilton. The music star looked like her and exuded confidence, and Hamilton came away believing that nothing was impossible. That belief was challenged when she abandoned a successful career in music to try and launch a career in tech. She talks about launching her Backstage Capital venture fund from a food court without a prospect of where to sleep that night, and how that prepared her for the roller coaster of the tech industry and life in general. 

Less than 2 percent of the companies funded by venture capital companies are run by African Americans, and the number of women founders has plateaued at 17 percent for the last four years. Next week's guest is looking to change all that. In this week's preview, we tease Arlan Hamilton's pivot from music tour manager to venture capitalist focused on funding companies started by women, people of color and members of the LGBT community. She's got an enormous task ahead. 

A fall down the stairs at the age of 30 changed Kimberley Chambers' life forever. We talk to the open-water swimmer and first ever woman to swim the treacherous passage from the Farallone Islands to San Francisco Bay. Stretching 30 miles it passes through the 'red triangle' where 38% of America's shark attacks take place. Recorded at San Francisco's South End Rowing Club, we talk to her about her relationship with sharks, and the allure of operating at the bleeding edge of risk. Her documentary on the attempt appears at the Mill Valley Film Festival this month. Trailer at https://www.kimswims.com/film/

Even as jellyfish tormented her, open-water swimmer Kim Chambers accomplished one of the rarest feats in extreme endurance sports when she completed the Ocean's Seven. Ahead of next week's full interview with her we let her tell the story of how she pulled off one of the most dangerous swims of her career. 

Former pro snowboarder Mike Basich has become a pioneer in the off the grid movement. He's built a self-sustaining 300 square foot home on 40 acres in Tahoe, guided by the philosophy that any creative endeavor is only worth it if you invest sweat equity (and not the Silicon Valley kind). He stops by the Red Bull podcast to talk about what it takes (physically and mentally) to live off the grid and how he pioneered the art of the action selfie - more than a decade before GoPro.

Snowboarder Mike Basich was taking action selfies before GoPro was even an idea. On this week's preview podcast we talk to him about his most epic one ever; a jaw-dropping 120ft jump from a helicopter.

A quick heads up to all friends of the pod that we've changed the name but are still bringing you the same tips, tricks and nuggets of inspiration from top performers from the worlds of adventure, culture and innovation. A rebranding of The Red Bulletin podcast, this week the preview talks about why we changed it.

Photographer Mark "Cobrasnake" Hunter built his first career as the world's premier nightlife photographer through his willingess to talk his way past velvet rope and connect with his subjects on the sweat-soaked dance floors of the world's most exclusive after-parties. But when the night life became too much, he reinvented himself as a fitness guru, and used the same enthusiasm and energy that made him a darling of dance floors to motivate people to move out of their comfort zone. We talk to the LA resident about the evolution of photography in the age of Instagram, and about building community (and the one thing he wishes he still had from his early success). 

Before Instagram, nightlife photography was ruled by Lastnights arty and Cobrasnake. Ahead of next week's guest, we take a trip down memory lane and gawk at the wool hats, wild patterned shirts, Pabst blue ribbon and the oh-so-NSFW imagery that defined the web sites of the two party photographers.