StirredUp

The global scam economy is now a trillion-dollar industry—spanning call-center crime rings, AI-powered fraud, romance scams, crypto schemes, money-mule networks, and full-blown international operations that law enforcement can’t keep up with.

In this episode of Stirred Up, Jessica & Heather break down how scams became one of the world’s most profitable industries, why it’s nearly impossible to regulate.

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In this episode, we dive into the booming spiritual medium industry. We break down the reading to the revenue. We delve into celebrity stars like Theresa Caputo right before we go to see her show live. Grab a drink as we explore the psychology, the business, and the billion-dollar question behind talking to the dead.

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GLP-1 drugs were designed to help facility the production of insulin for those with Type II diabetes. When drug makers, prescribers, and patients themselves realized it also contributed to weight loss, there was no keeping a lid on this secret forever.

Now, those who take the shot off-label are swearing they fix everything: perimenopause misery, joint pain, inflammation, food noise, metabolic chaos... It's basically a miracle shot ...

Everyone’s talking about AI... and this week we are talking about the war happening underneath it: the battle between America’s need to win the AI revolution and the massive strain it’s about to put on our power grid, our water systems, and our wallets.

Here’s the truth: We cannot afford for AI to fail. Not financially, not strategically, not globally. Our economy, our 401(k)s, national security and the stock market itself are now ...

This week, we pull back the curtain on the complex and often controversial funding mechanisms behind our nation's jails. We investigate:

• Public Jails: How are they funded by your local taxes? What role do county budgets and state allocations play?

• Private Jails: Who are the major corporations involved, and how do their contracts and per-diem rates affect taxpayers and policy? Is 'for-profit' incarceration a fair model?

• Th...

Public schools don’t just run themselves. They require major funding. They run on heart, hustle, and a whole lot of community creativity. In this episode, Jessica and Heather follow the money behind America’s classrooms. We break down funding from property taxes, federal funds, and bond votes. We unpack how school funding really works, who decides what gets funded, and why investing in education is the smartest bet a community can ...

If you BEGGED your parents for a Tamagotchi then you probably have at least one Labubu. Remember when government agencies banned Furbi in the building because they feared AI-style espionage?

In this episode, we unpack the rise, fall, and rebrand of cute capitalism — from Beanie Babies and Polly Pocket to Squishmallows and Pop Mart’s Labubu craze.

We’re talking nostalgia as currency, the psychology behind collecting, and how brands ...

Sex work sparks strong opinions—and in this episode, we dive into both sides of the debate. On one hand, legalization creates safety, autonomy, and opportunity—Alice Little is a prime example, building a 7-figure business in a regulated environment.

On the other hand, the illegal sex trade exposes a darker reality: exploitation, danger, and a world far removed from empowerment. So how do we reconcile these two truths?

Can we champi...

She’s been called America’s most famous legal sex worker but Alice Little is much more than a headline.

Since 2015, she’s worked inside Nevada’s brothel system, built a thriving online content business, and become one of the strongest advocates for sex worker rights in the U.S.

In this Stirred Up interview, Alice opens up about:

✨ The hidden costs and challenges of working legally in Nevada

✨ Why success in the industry takes more ...

What’s the real business behind sex work, beauty standards, and appearance-driven careers?

In this episode of Stirred Up, we dive into the economics of intimacy and image, from Nevada’s legal brothels to the rise of OnlyFans, and from the billion-dollar beauty industry to the hidden “appearance premium” in sports, media, and politics.

We’ll explore:

💄The size of the U.S. sex work industry (legal vs. underground)

💄How platforms l...

For decades, women’s health has been treated like an afterthought — from research studies that excluded women entirely, to funding gaps that left conditions like endometriosis and menopause in the dark. In this episode, we dig into the systemic blind spots that keep half the population underserved in medicine. Why are women more likely to be misdiagnosed? Why do life-saving treatments take longer to reach them? And what would healt...

From packed arenas to prime-time TV slots, women’s sports are finally getting the spotlight—but what’s really driving the momentum, and who’s cashing in? In this episode, we dig into the dollars, data, and drama behind the surge in popularity for women’s athletics. From Caitlin Clark's record-breaking rise to the hidden economics of media deals, sponsorships, and streaming rights, we're asking: Is this a movement or a moment? And w...

For centuries, women's economic contributions were hidden in plain sight. Starting at the textile mills of the Industrial Revolution, bridging to the quiet transformation of the American workplace.

We discuss this through the lens of 4 distinct phases structured by Nobel Prize-winning economist Claudia Goldin in research describing what led women from economic dependence to independence, culminating in what she called the 'quiet re...

We're bringing back one of our most important episodes about the hidden costs of ultra-fast fashion! In this deep dive, we expose the real impact of Shein's business model on workers, the environment, and consumers. From questionable labor practices to environmental destruction, we break down why those $3 tops come with a much higher price tag than you think.

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