12.20.17 | A gay, married, interracial Santa book that people love or hate, John’s Star Wars snowglobe, and LGBT Stories you may have missed are just a few of the topics covered on this edition of The Focus Group. Caught My Eye explores a cash stealing cat and a radio reporter who lost his voice. The Random Sample advises against careless hooking up through apps, and takes a look at gender neutral clothing.

12.13.17 | Theater Ambassador and host of the podcast Curtain Call joins us to share his theater picks should you find yourself in NYC this holiday season. But first, Venezuela is selling knock-offs of familiar brands, a freelance writer tricks Trip Advisor and his shed is named best restaurant in London, and Shop Talk explores a sporty manager that wants everyone to share her love of sport—or they will get dinged on their performance review.

12.06.17 | Tim and John welcome Career Coach Michael Mellen to the show as we steam toward 2018. Happy Birthday to Irv Robbins of Baskin-Robbins fame. We are still the only show in the universe that celebrates Business Birthdays. Why are there 31 flavors and what was the 31st?  Shop Talk explores a gay governed Palm Springs, don’t hang mistletoe at the Holiday Party, and China has a bike disposal problem.

11.29.17 | Join The Focus Group this week for The LGBT Business Spotlight brought to you by Admark360. Brian Roman profiles three varied businesses where each person left the comforts of corporate America and started their own venture. But first, Tim and John wish a Happy Business Birthday to Patrick Byrne from Overstock.com and Eugene Polley the inventor of the TV remote. John plays with a demonic Santa and Tim thinks eating Birthday Cake Oreos has a side benefit.

11.22.17 | Butterball Turkey Talk-Line Co-Director Nicole Johnson joins Tim and John to talk…turkey. Cooks can reach the Turkey Talk-Line via social media, by calling 1-800-BUTTERBALL, or texting their questions to 1-844-877-3456. Ad exec Donny Deutsch celebrates a Business Birthday, and John graduates from Animation Mentor.

11.15.17 | Listen, laugh, and learn this week with Tim and John as they address company boycotts based on celebrity, procrastination, gender neutral public announcements, and the lady things of Jimmy Choo. Robbie Rogers retires and Walmart gets dinged on the HRC Corporate Equality Index for 2018. In Shop Talk, the 8-hour work day is explored and while necessary in some professions, it is outdated for creative types. As John said, “I never came up with a great ad campaign sitting behind a desk!” By focusing on putting in the hours at work, rather than putting in the quality of work, we run the risk stifling creativity and imagination.

11.08.17 | Tim and John get their hands on two new, yet to be released, Oreo cookie flavors that will make their debut in 2018! Thank you to listener Chris and Mondelez for giving us the inside scoop. Former Speaker of the House, John Boehner letting down his guard caught John’s eye, Tim recommends skipping a safari for the zoo, and Steve Jobs schools us on how to respond to insults. It’s an embarrassment of riches for our Business Birthdays with three this week! You probably know one as a household name, but how about the other two? Happy Birthday to Milton Bradley, Tom Anderson, and Whip Jones.

11.01.17 | We’re all business. Except when we’re not, was never more revealed than with this week’s Focus Group. The Sea Witch Parade, a man with an unfortunate endowment, discounts at a restaurant based on female assets, and Tim Cook turns 57. Career Coach and author of Radical Candor, Kim Scott, talks leadership and hiring diamond cutters in the old Soviet Union. Enjoy.

10.25.17 | It’s a Random Sample show. Check-in to the VW Beetle Hotel—if you dare, the ugly sneaker trend, and androphiles are explored. What’s the flavor of the Mystery Oreo? Tim and John seem to think there is an orange tinge while the rest of the crew thinks Fruity Pebbles! Enter to win 50K with Oreo if you get it right. The Focus Group 2017 Listener Survey has launched and we would appreciate your feedback. Shop Talk looks at 4 Expressions to avaoid that make you look clueless at work.