Heartbreak & Hot Pot: a memoir

Heartbreak & Hot Pot: a memoir

Heartbreak & Hot Pot: a memoir is about my tumultuous journey through the last few years of my life. Why will you enjoy this tale? I am sharing a very vulnerable, heart-wrenching, sometimes funny story about how life can go drastically wrong. BUT, with all the bad things that happened I was able to lose unwanted pounds through an unusual dietary change featuring a dish I ’discovered’ while in China. It’s a side benefit of the heartbreak. I hope you enjoy getting a very up-close look into the mind of someone working through challenges and trying to improve every day. This is adapted from a book I wrote. There will be 20 episodes. I will publish an episode or two every week. Diving into this tale you’ll learn about loss of a loved one, loss of love, loss of a business, a restraining order (!) and how I created a new brand of hair salons, as well as many side journeys into my life. I hope you enjoy. If you have any questions or have feedback please email me at kevin@hotpotforlife.com

Episodes

November 18, 2023 17 mins

Hello!  It's time for the last episode, Episode Twenty.  How fitting that it is also the last episode alphabetically.

Our final episode takes a look at (maybe) leaving this world, the work of Sufjan Stevens, and then gives us two epilogues.  

We find out about another Hot Pot journey, dreams of a new love, exploring feelings for 'dumpy' Lori, and then a look at what the Hell I Should Do.

Then we wrap things up - until next time.  B...

Mark as Played

Hi!  I hope you're getting something out of all these recordings.  I know I did.  It's pretty cathartic to spend time recounting all of these events.

Episode Nineteen spends some time dwelling on time spent in my hair salons, then explores finding a new marketing position at the age of 57.

We touch on Alligators, Nietzsche and living on your own (and how that aids or takes away from personal evolution).

I hope you enjoy!  Take care...

Mark as Played
November 18, 2023 20 mins

Episode Eighteen.  We're getting close to the end of this Audio Book.  It has twenty chapters.

I hope you're enjoying, and are having a wonderful day!

In this episode we'll finish up with Luke the Thief, then explore such topics as great friends, Dan and the talent show, and preparing to leave Minnesota (and deciding where to go for the next part of my life).  I hope you enjoy!

Mark as Played

Welcome back.  I hope you're enjoying this tale.  The book of this tale should be published soon.  Very excited!

In Episode Seventeen I'll take you into the end of celibacy with some romance and then rejection.

And then we journey into the tale of the Thief.  My own personal slice of evil from a small Minnesota town.  You'll learn how to scam

someone as trusting as me (never again, he says).  We will also journey back to my scrambl...

Mark as Played

Hi listeners!  Welcome to Episode Sixteen!

In this episode we take a look at some nice people, the people you hopefully run into often in your life.

We also encounter how former employees can stop being friends (or friendly) and transition to an adversarial relationship.

Finally you'll hear about my second scramble in the time I had running this business to make payroll (or suffer the consequences from the State of MN).

I hope you ...

Mark as Played

Greetings listeners!  Thank you as always for spending time with me and listening to my tale.

This episode takes us into my world after the drastic change in our business.

We get to learn about how rapidly people can change when circumstances go sideways.

There's also an interesting story about drinking wine... too much wine.

Thank you for listening, and please share with a friend (or with anyone you vaguely know, for that matter)!

...
Mark as Played
November 11, 2023 24 mins

Hi everyone!  It's time to go to court to defend our freedom from the franchise.  Did we succeed?

Listen and learn.  This is the harrowing journey of a small company trying to do what it can to survive in the face of COVID, hiring problems and

a franchise system that is broken.  Completely broken.

Thank you for listening.  Please share with a friend if you enjoy the tale!  Thanks!

Mark as Played

Hi!  I hope you're enjoying the podcast.  We have a little ways to go yet.  

Episode thirteen takes us back to the business after the judge has released us from the Fantastic Sams franchise contracts.

This is one of the most exciting parts of the 'business' tale.  We create a new brand!  SOTA Styles Salon!  It's hard to believe we made it to this exciting juncture, and we were going to make the most of it!  We had a wonderous platf...

Mark as Played
October 29, 2023 27 mins

Join me as I recount a most amazing part of my journey.  It's the part where my ex-fiancé tries to file a restraining order against me!  Through the process we get a glimpse inside the mind of my former love.  And it's not pretty.  I hope you enjoy this odd tale.  Oh - and remember, I do not want to kill dogs.  I love dogs.  You'll understand soon.

Mark as Played
October 23, 2023 21 mins

Hello!  Episode Eleven takes us back into the world of COVID and its effects on our business and lives.  The episode also spends time looking into the world of dating for our hero, including a bizarre incident at a MN United Soccer match.  Finally, we go into bankruptcy.  Yes, bankruptcy.  Enjoy!

Mark as Played
October 23, 2023 20 mins

Welcome to Episode Ten of the Podcast.  In this episode I relate an extremely embarrassing relationship episode with a friend, some bad dating experiences and bringing some dogs into my life.  Warning: There is a kiss or two that I receive in this episode!

Mark as Played
October 18, 2023 18 mins

In Episode Nine we get past the heartbreak and into Hot Pot!  This change of gears puts you into the fast lane of healthy living and weight loss!  You'll also learn about the history of Chinese Hot Pot, and how you can start on this delicious, healthy and economical way to enjoy your next meal.

Mark as Played
October 18, 2023 22 mins

Welcome to Episode Eight.  Following the sudden end of the engagement and the subsequent move, we continue.  This episode looks at how I tried to 'fix' things in a very bad way. 

Mark as Played
October 8, 2023 21 mins

Welcome to Episode 7.  We explore Lori's obsessions, a bit of COVID and business.  And then we get into one of the most heartbreaking incidences in my life.  Want to have a listen?  It's pretty good. 

Mark as Played
October 7, 2023 27 mins

Welcome to episode six of Heartbreak and Hot Pot: How I Lost 45lbs in Six Months.  In this episode we're going to dive into what COVID did to our business and in general.  We're also going to get into some of the Fantastic Sams business practices, and we'll also spend a little more time on Lori.  Oh, and we'll talk about Ketamine.  Yes Ketamine.  I hope you enjoy!  If you have any questions or comments for me you can always reach m...

Mark as Played

Let's jump right into the story!  We start the journey with some background on me and my tale, and then we move right into the heart of it all.  Thank you for listening and for sharing with a friend!

Mark as Played
September 24, 2023 23 mins

We meet the love of my life - Lori.  Then we experience a bit of Minnesota living!  This is a touching episode filled with hope for the future.

Mark as Played
September 18, 2023 29 mins

Welcome to Episode Four.  

You'll hear some deep, emotional stories about my boys, Dan and Elliott.

My life changed forever.  And I relate this story to you here.

If you want to reach out to me write to kevin@hotpotforlife.com

I'd love your feedback.  I'd love your own story. 

I know we all have stories.

Thank you for listening.  Tell a friend.

Thanks!

Mark as Played
September 13, 2023 27 mins

Hello.  Episode Three dives into the lives of my two sons, Dan and Elliott.  It then takes a turn into the worst heartbreak imaginable, at least by me.  I know that people all over the world face loss, but that doesn't make it any easier to cope.  This is when my life took a substantial turn, some would say for the worse.  

 

If you have a question or want to share your story reach out to me at Kevin@hotpotforlife.com

As always, th...

Mark as Played
September 13, 2023 13 mins

In this episode we jump back in time a little bit to learn more about how I ended up in this tale.  You'll learn about my family and my work and a bit more about who I am.  Why listen?  It provides a little more foundation for the roller coaster you are boarding.  Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy!!

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Burden

    The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.

    SmartLess

    "SmartLess" with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. A nice surprise: in each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the SmartLess mind. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.