He hit refresh, moved into PR, and eventually quit that stable job (giving back his signing bonus in the process) to chase entertainment full time.

Today he's a SiriusXM & TikTok radio host, a L'Oréal Vice President, and a content creator who built his whole platform without chasing virality — SiriusXM discovered him with only 20,000 followers and hired him without an interview.

In this episode, we get into:

• Why he thinks of career reinvention like a slingshot, the pullback is what makes the launch go further
• Growing up Black in predominantly white military towns, and how that's given him a unique perspective on pop culture
• His lifelong Christina Aguilera obsession
• Why he believes nobody's truly original — "we're all just sampling from each other"
• The mindset shift from posting for virality to posting for opportunity
• His dream interview ... is it Christina, is it Beyoncé?

Follow Lamar: https://www.instagram.com/dirrtykingofpop/

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IG - https://www.youtube.com/@OutsideTheBellCurvePodcast

Follow the host - https://www.instagram.com/heather_hiccups/ https://buymeacoffee.com/heatherhiccups

Chapters:

00:00 - Hi

03:01 – Meet Lamar Dawson

03:59 – His Secret First Career

07:17 – Finding His Voice on TikTok

09:25 – Vulnerability vs. Working Corporate

11:39 – Growing Up Black & the Christina Aguilera Origin Story

22:38 – Blogging His Way In & Quitting His Job

26:53 – Dream Interviews & Pop Culture Nostalgia

38:04 – Sampling From Each Other

46:04 – Balancing It All

56:27 – Post for Opportunities & The Slingshot Theory

Professional soccer/futbol player? Got that. Headlining comedian? Check. TikTok star by morning and VP at a major company by day? Yes and Yes.

Get ready to feel inspired, ready to say "ef the timeline" and eager to pursue your passions.

This year we're really going for it (note to self) so hop in, cuz we're jumping unapologetically Outside the Bell Curve!

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OutsideTheBellCurvePodcast

IG - https://www.youtube.com/@OutsideTheBellCurvePodcast

Follow the host - https://www.instagram.com/heather_hiccups/

https://buymeacoffee.com/heatherhiccups

Mattie Jo Cowsert is a pastor’s kid turned shameless oversharer, actor, author of God, Sex & Rich People, and truly the definition of “I’ll do as I please.” 

From rebuilding her entire identity, to choosing a life that feels good, and staying out of situations that shrink you.

We get into:

• How the queer community and the diversity of New York City cracked open everything she believed about “purity culture”

• Why “Fuckboy Monsters” was not only a chapter in her book, but a full era

• What it really feels like to rebuild your identity in your 20s (and 30s)

• Writing God, Sex & Rich People and developing her viral pilot 

• Why she refuses a safe 9–5 in favor of alignment,  joy, and simply believing in herself. 

Get ready to rethink the “rules” you grew up with, laugh at her overshares, and maybe feel a little braver about pursuing your passion projects.

⁠⁠Follow Mattie Jo - https://www.instagram.com/mattiejocowsert/

⁠⁠Follow Heather- ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/heather_hiccups/⁠⁠ 

⁠⁠

This Halloween, we’re with Spirit Chasers UK, the nonprofit ghost-hunting team making the paranormal accessible, affordable, and full of heart. David and Marie share their wildest encounters: a singing child, flying tables, a haunted cottage that sent them running, and explain why laughter might be the strongest tool in any investigation.

A story about trust, energy, and finding community in the unknown.

Learn about Spirit Chasers - https://www.spiritchasersparanormal.uk/

⁠⁠Follow Heather- ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/heather_hiccups/⁠⁠ 

⁠⁠Follow the show on Substack- ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://travelinghiccups.substack.com/⁠⁠ 

He highlights the business of sports, showing the intersection where athletics, money, and culture collide.

We talk resilience without a Plan B, student journalism that matters, athletes as entrepreneurs (yes, Ice Cube’s Big3 and Macklemore’s golf era), and why the scoreboard is only part of the story. 

Eric opens up about the journey to get here, giving back by teaching at Long Island University, dreaming about LA28, and designing a life that doesn’t look like anyone else’s.

⁠Follow Eric - https://www.instagram.com/epjackson/

⁠Follow Heather- ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/heather_hiccups/⁠ 

⁠Follow the show on Substack- ⁠⁠https://travelinghiccups.substack.com/⁠ 

Meet Santiago Iglesias — an Argentine entrepreneur turned Mallorca adventure guide who left a 10-year accounting career to build a life of business ownership, cliff jumps, solar travel and navigating visas. 

He opened a hostel in Mar del Plata, Argentina, took the journey to Italian citizenship, and upped and moved across the world; learning patience, what happens when you slow down, what happens when you meet new people from different cultures, and all of the lovely bits in between. 

We touch on his favorite places from Uluwatu, to Australia, to where he now calls home. If you’ve ever craved a nudge to choose the unexpected—this is it.

So, as always, this is your fun reminder to (maybe) ‘do the scary thing’ you never know what could happen. 

Follow Santiago here to hear about his adventures, hostel, and bar back in Argentina- https://www.instagram.com/san_iglesiass/ 

Follow Heather- https://www.instagram.com/heather_hiccups/ 

Follow the show on Substack- https://travelinghiccups.substack.com/ 

Check our Kamira Travel: https://www.kamiratravel.com/

Follow Kamira Travel on TikTok for inspiration: https://www.tiktok.com/@kamiratravel

Follow the Show: ⁠Outside the Bell Curve on Substack⁠

Follow Heather: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/heather_hiccups/⁠

Follow Marcus: https://www.instagram.com/marcuslorenzobrandon/

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Volunteer in NYC: New York Cares

Akhil is gearing up for the Mongol Rally 2025—~10,000 miles (≈16,000 km) of solo driving from Europe toward the far east of Kazakhstan, through deserts, mountains, and a whole lot of “not-a-road.”

His journey is filled with up and down career pivots, from venture capital, to full-time adventure and the moments in between. So let’s get into about choosing the hard thing, solo travel, visas, camping fails, and why “regret minimization” might be the only decision framework you need.

Follow Akhil's travels here- T0astface

Follow Outside the Bell Curve on Substack- https://travelinghiccups.substack.com/s/podcast

Follow Heather here- Heather_Hiccups

More travel insights here- TravelingHiccups

We talk about “delusional positivity,” radical self-trust, quitting the checklist life, and showing up authentically (even when you’re still figuring it out).

This Dutch Bros’ “donut girl” redefines what “having it all” actually means.

🎙 Topics:

• The audacity of starting before you’re ready

• Building inclusive community spaces

• Life after being laid off

• Choosing the child-free life

• Authenticity > perfection

  
  

  
  

  ⁠Follow Vandie - https://www.instagram.com/vandieboo/

  ⁠Follow Heather- ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/heather_hiccups/⁠ 

  ⁠Follow the show on Substack- ⁠⁠https://travelinghiccups.substack.com/⁠ 

  
  

  
  

For more show updates: ⁠Outside the Bell Curve⁠ on Substack

Follow CC here: ⁠CC Binx⁠ 

Listen to The Stay at Home Feminist

What happens when you swap an office job for 70 days on a bus across Europe? Patrick Davis did just that — and fifteen years later, he’s still guiding travelers through Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with a side of skydiving, sailing, and a sleuth of other random licenses. We talk about the intensity of Contiki’s infamous training, why being out of your depth can be a gift, the art (and chaos) of guiding, and what a life of constant movement really teaches you. 

Also: cloud spotting, wild horses, and why you should probably just book the trip.

For more show updates: Outside the Bell Curve

Follow Patrick’s travels here: Patrick Davis Adventure on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@patrickdavisadventure 

For more show updates: Outside the Bell Curve
Follow Emily here: https://www.instagram.com/empaigeanderson/

Welcome to Outside the Bell Curve, a show for people who just can’t seem to color inside the lines. I’m Heather, and each week I chat with friends, creatives, and fascinating humans I meet on the road — folks with cool jobs, wild stories, and a habit of choosing the unexpected.

We talk about the shaky moments, bold pivots, questionable career moves, one-way tickets, and all the peaks and valleys in between. Because really — does anyone know what they’re doing?

From a small town in Texas to a residency at the Kennedy Center, or a drive from the UK to Mongolia, I’m full of questions for the people who’ve lived it.

If you’ve ever felt boxed in or thought about switching things up, you’re in good company. Let’s explore what it means to live outside the bell curve.