Episode. Resilience and Hope: The Story Behind a Globally Ranked Podcast - Lesley-Anne Stone
Transcript
Lesley-Anne Stone - 00:00.194
Really wanted to showcase what it was like to go through this program, not just as a mother and not just dealing with a toddler on the program, because Sam at the time was a toddler when we were in the program, but also I wanted to explore aspects of my marriage, what it's like to have a food allergy child with your marriage, with your friends, your home life. And to me being that authentic and that honest and that bearing all of that was the only way that this was going to resonate with people. Something that raw and that honest. And it was really scary.
Theme Music - 00:49.486
Welcome to The Ownership Game with Gary Montalvo. What would it take to get into the driver's seat of your life and leave your mark? The Ownership Game starts now.
Gary Montalvo
We've all had those moments when something stirs inside of us. A thought, an idea, a calling. Or maybe it's more like a pull towards something that feels both deeply personal and important. And most of the time, well, we talk ourselves out of it. We say things like, that's just a crazy idea, or I could never do that, or the proverbial maybe someday. But every once in a while, one of us hears that inner nudge and says yes. And that's what happened to my guest today, Lesley-Anne Stone.
Lesley-Anne is a marketing executive, a mom, and the creator and host of the podcast, Resilience and Hope, a show about the real and raw and rarely talked about experience of raising a child with life threatening food allergies. What started as a personal journal became a proposal written in one night, and that turned into a podcast now reaching thousands of people across the globe.
In this conversation, we're going to talk about what it means to follow your instincts, even when it doesn't make sense on paper. We talk about grief and advocacy, visibility, and the power of telling the truth about your life, even when it's messy. If you've ever had an idea that you've sat on because you didn't feel like the time was right. If you've ever wondered if your personal story was worth sharing. If you've ever wanted to create something with meaning but didn't know where to start. Well my friend, this episode is for you. Let's get into it.
Gary Montalvo - 02:51.91
Lesley-Anne Stone. I am so excited to have you on the show. So for the guest, Lesley-Anne and I know each other for like almost 20 years. I was in 20 years.
More than years. I'm not going say it's more than 20 years because I've in Los Angeles for 20 years and I knew you when I lived in New York. It's over 20 years. Both tap both.
Gary Montalvo - 03:18.04
Yes. What year did you leave?
I left in 2005.
2005 okay, so Did you leave spot co before me? You did okay, so then yeah, I think I left 2006 spot co so then Yeah, so we're dating ourselves. So okay, so let's let's create this context, right? So Leslie and I both used to work at this company called spot co Where we like lived in this magic wonderland where we got to make theater posters And it was like we were both young. I was a designer.
I did?
Gary Montalvo - 03:54.639
And she, you started out as the receptionist, I think, and you went to be the intern.
He was injured!
And then I was the assistant to the CEO, this Drew Hodges assistant.
That's what I remember. And so then you left, you know, to create, you know, you left before me, like a year before me. And so you left to LA. So I would love to take, just walk me through that journey a little bit, like what happened and what you create, just to give people some context for, you know, your professional background. Cause you've done a lot, you've accomplished a lot in that time that you've left in those 20 years. So let's just paint the picture of what happened when you left and what was your journey.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 04:42.808
Sure. So yes, I was living in Manhattan and working with you and had those amazing years in my early twenties in New York, working at Spaco. And I moved in 2005 to Los Angeles. I at the time was dating my now husband who lives in LA and I had an opportunity to work for a branding firm in Los Angeles. So, and I also had another friend from SPACA recently moved to LA. So I thought, okay, there's a guy, there's a friend and there's a job. I'll give myself two years. I'll move back to New York.
That's all I need. People have moved with less reason than that.
Then I'll move back to New York, right? And here I am 20 years later and I married the guy and I'm not going back to New York and it's time soon. I love it, but I love LA too. So I've worked for a branding firm in LA and then bopped around to different marketing and advertising agencies, always specializing in arts and entertainment. I have two sons and when my first son was born,
12 years ago, I decided to go out on my own and be a consultant and doing marketing and consulting for live entertainment, predominantly in Southern California. But I've also worked with national tours and projects in other major markets as well. And my older son, when he was one, was diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies, multiple severe life-threatening food allergies. And that...
Lesley-Anne Stone - 06:28.526
took me on a different path that I did not see coming. Having a child with multiple severe life-threatening food allergies and we joined a program out of Long Beach Children's Hospital called the Food Allergy Institute and the program is the Tolerance Induction Program. And it's a program that reintroduces allergens into the child's immune system and eventually builds up tolerance that you can intolerate these allergens. So that took a number of years for us to do.
Huh.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 06:57.506
Concurrently as I'm working. And my son has now been in remission for almost seven years. But a year ago, I had the opportunity to. No, no, no, you're getting ahead. You're getting ahead of the story. You're getting ahead of the story. Okay. So then you and I saw each other again, like 20 years later, Spotco, that agency that we both worked at, had a reunion. And all these people that, like from 20 years ago, like this history, like this place actually
I don't know how far you went!
Gary Montalvo - 07:30.232
has had a stellar history in the advertising theater world. So it is kind of cool to be part of that legacy. And so they had a reunion. And so we saw each other again for 20 years, right? And I remember we had this little private sidebar moment and you started sharing, you were like, yeah, I'm getting, I could tell that there was an itch, right? There was like, what's next?
I'm trying to figure out like, what's my next move? I'm trying to like, you were in a state of questioning, right? And we spitball and we talked about it for a little bit, nothing in detail, nothing specific, but just enough to get that picture. And cut to now, you have a podcast that is in top 5 % globally. And I wanted to have you on the show because...
One of the things that I'm really interested in is exploring, you know, those moments where people have an idea, where people are having a calling and intuition and instinct, you know, you get that little itch and then and then you are you're like, what's next? And I'm really in the reason I'm so interested in exploring that is because I feel like most people don't listen. Most people don't pay attention to those like little things. Right. And so I try to give people a lot of inspiration and tools and courage to listen to that part of themselves. And so I was just so impressed with what happened for you from that moment, that conversation to what you've created. And I wanted you to come on the show to tell the story because I think there's a lot of people out there that's similar to you are asking themselves those questions and they need a kick in the butt, you know, to get them going. So now from you know, from that, I guess from that moment, like you went back home and, and, you know, walk me through what the journey was like for you and then tell me what happened when you met this, this partner of yours.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 09:38.222
Sure, sure. So, okay, so the Spock Co. reunion. Yes, it was October of 2022. And at the time, my mother was sick. She had terminal brain cancer. She passed in 2023. And a lot of my focus, all of my focus really was on her and her illness and helping with her care and...
At the time, she said to me, you should have a podcast. Like we were just talking, I was soaking so much out of my mom. So many deep conversations. And she just said in almost like in passing, it was like, you should have a podcast. I just stuffed in the back of my mind that I was so focused on her. And concurrently at the same time, I did feel this itch for something more.
Just your mind.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 10:35.466
in my life, that's just for me, that's mine, that I can create. And I really couldn't focus on it because I was focusing on my mom's care. Like I mentioned, my mom passed in 2023 and recovering from that, I mean, you never fully recover, but in the aftermath of that, as I mentioned, my son overcame these food allergies and we...
Yeah.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 11:01.226
Actively volunteer whenever possible for the Food Allergy Institute. And they had a week last summer down in Long Beach, right by Children's Hospital, where their clinic is, they had a week of remission celebrations. So these are for children who have been through the program, who graduated, who are now in food allergy remission. They can eat whatever they want, whenever they want. And me and my son participated in a lot of these events and we spoke to groups and whatever we could do. And there was a big celebration at the end of it. And the doctor who runs the Food Allergy Institute, Dr. Interpol Randhawa has his own podcast. And at that event, they said to me, you should come on and be a host and just tell your story with your son through the program. And I thought, okay, I'll come on. I've never done a podcast before. Sure. I'll go on your podcast. And it was a big success. had a great time. turned the episode into a two-parter and the doctor said to me afterwards, you should have one of these. And I said, I should have one of these.
And mom, is that you?
It's crazy and it just was this aha moment and he said, send me a proposal. So I wrote one that night and he wrote back at six in the morning the next morning and he said, I think we can do this. And that just led, everything just started snowballing. Like these conversations of what could a podcast be? Me with the Food Allergy Institute, all about my son, his name is Sam, Sam's journey and me as the parent. And then every week bringing on guests to talk about...
Lesley-Anne Stone - 12:40.312
What it was like from diagnosis through treatment through today, going through such a very rigorous, a rigorous program and coming out the other side. And it's been magical. I still have my consulting practice. I still consult in marketing, but this is just a yes and this is just that next piece in, in, the journey. And it's been the most rewarding experience for me seriously in my professional life. I love that it's opened up so many doors in terms of meeting other people who have children with food allergies from all over the world. We get messages and letters from people and just building a sense of community. I am just so grateful for the opportunity to share our story and then tell people that they're options out there if you have food allergies. Because when you're given this diagnosis of your child that they may have an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts, to milk, to eggs, it's so scary and it's so lonely. to say that there is a program out there that can throw your child into remission and to help spread the message has been really, really, really cool.
Hmm. I want to get into the program a little bit and a little bit more of that story. But before I do that, so you just made it seem like you, like, when you, the way you're telling a story, just, like, took immediate action and wrote that proposal. And was it, like, what was that for you? Like, were you,
I'm clear. Were you like terrified when you were about to hit send? Were you like, you know, I'm just wondering what you, what was your mindset when you were doing that? Cause it seems like it was such a gut gut instinct reaction.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 14:34.158
Something I knew I had to do right away. It was just, it just, it just became crystal clear that it was something I had to do right, right away. And you, have to put yourself out there in, in life. And, and I am one who just moves. That's just how I operate. I move, I tend not to sit on things and you know, it's right when things start snowballing, right? And it's definitely scary.
You know, of course it is, but to me the scarier thing is not doing it.
Mm-hmm So I love this because I've had people on the show who who described that feeling as well that moment where you just like You know, have to take This action like you know, you have to do this and it's like there's a there is a Trusting of your instincts that has to be really present there in order for you to be able to take that kind of leap to me next year.
Gary Montalvo - 15:39.182
And not that it was a leap, like you weren't leaving your career, but it is scary because you're putting yourself out there and you're putting yourself in a very public way. that's, you know, like that's really vulnerable, right? Like when you're putting yourself in a social media world to come and say all the things, right? And I feel like allergies, I don't know if this true, but I feel like this topic is maybe a little, not controversial, but where people have strong opinions, I would think.
There are who are not educated in it fully or haven't been a part of the food allergy community. They don't understand. There's a lot of you'll see like in movies and media making fun of people with allergies or joking about it, but it's a very serious thing. And until your child is diagnosed with severe allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, sesame, mustard seed, it's, it's very difficult. It's, it's brutal.
Everything. I'm suffering everything.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 16:35.425
Is brutal.
Yeah, you literally have to put your child in a bubble.
Yeah. We, was a life that was very sheltered for a couple of years before we were introduced to this, to this program. And that's really what our podcast in terms of creating a sense of community is to let people know that they're, that they're not alone. That I know what it's like to get that diagnosis, that gut punch. it's, it's awful. It's just awful.
Yeah. So you send this proposal, you get immediate feedback. So it seems like there's a synergy in this process. what was next, right? how did you...
That you say synergy, you know, I just had this moment connecting the dots listening to you talk and thinking about it. So I come from the theater, you know, went to college for theater. That is my background. And theater is a collaborative art. And I always feel like I work my best when I'm part of a team. having a partner in this podcast with the Food Allergy Institute, there's a team.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 17:45.654
Mentality. It is collaborative. It's just not me by myself. And that's such a gift. It's been such a rewarding experience to produce this alongside a team of people from the Food Allergy Institute and create this brand, the name of the podcast. I don't think we've said it yet. It's resilience and hope. It's resilience and hope of Food Allergy Podcast. to create the brand for the podcast and to curate it and decide what the episodes we're gonna be like and to do that exploration concurrently with the Food Allergy Institute has been such a blessing and so awesome. Such an amazing ride to work alongside them.
How did you, I guess I'm a little curious about like, how did you go about figuring out the next steps? was somebody under, I mean, I guess you had a partner, so you probably have some intellectual knowledge there, some institutional knowledge because they produced a podcast. You know, I'm curious about what was the process for you to prepare yourself for something that you've never done before? And yeah, that was completely like not-part of your existing wheelhouse, research, talking to other people who have podcasts who I admire and who I respect and people who can tell me what their mistakes have been, what their lessons have been, what surprised them about the experience. And also just looking at other people's podcasts and what podcasts have I really resonated with. And it's an interesting question, Gary, because when I was coming up with
Lesley-Anne Stone - 19:30.808
With the Food Allergy Institute, what the name should be and the brand identity for it. We were talking about other podcasts and then right away I thought of Shannon Doherty's podcast, Let's Be Clear. And I'm such a huge fan of her podcast and she's so authentic and she's so raw in it. And I listened to it up and I passed her passing.
And I said, that's the route I want to go. And they really got it, the Food Allergy Institute. We were like, yes. And it was neat to compare and to look at that. And it's so sad to me that I'll never be able to say that to Shannon. I've never met her. She was such an inspiration to me. she had stage four cancer. My mother had brain cancer. She had stage four breast cancer. So different disease, but just little...
The cancer journey also really affected me. it was, yeah, it was inspiring and touching to have that extra layer to it. It's so crazy because I think of my mother and Shannon Doherty are very different. Like you could not have more different people, but maybe somebody out there from Shannon's team will hear this one day and know. I love them.
Contact Lesley Anne. Okay, so was there any part that was like freaking you out or were you just, did you always just have clarity?
Lesley-Anne Stone - 21:09.502
Around it. think we're all human. Putting myself out there authentic.
You know what, though, it's interesting. There are people who don't think that that's a human thing. There are people who think that that's only them. And that's why I asked the question, because I want to model for people that even when people are doing their thing and they're killing it in the game, that they also deal with that stuff. Because a lot of people walk around judging themselves thinking that, no.
I can't do what Lesley-Anne did. It's like, no, she was freaking out. She was dealing with her things too. So I'm glad you said that. Yes, it is human. But yeah.
It's very human. the podcast is so personal to me. It's my story as a mother with my son. And I really wanted to showcase what it was like to go through this program, not just as a mother and not just dealing with a toddler on the program, because Sam at the time was a toddler when we were in the program. but also I wanted to explore aspects of my marriage.
What it's like to have a food allergy child with your marriage, with your friends, your home life. And to me, being that authentic and that honest and that bearing all of that was the only way that this was going to resonate with people. Something that raw and that honest. And it was really scary. So some of our guests, I had my therapist on, talk about it.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 22:55.604
my husband came on the show, you know, it's, it's, it's to really discuss these issues. And then there's a whole aspect of today in media, everything is social media and it's scary to have yourself out there on social media. And we went through rounds of conversations of what ifs and haters and bad comments and....
What could that be? And what really came out of that fear was the point of doing this is to build community in the Food Allergy Institute and share an uplifting story around food allergies and parenthood. And with a positive outcome that we have that you have to continue to be authentic and put yourself out there in that capacity. And it has resonated with people. Again, letters and direct messages from people all over the world about it. It's like people in Ireland and people in the UK. It's wild to me that.
Our story has resonated with so many other people. And I remember during that remission week that inspired all of this, Sam and I were participating for people, parents who were in the program. It was like a Zoom talk that we were leading and people's Q and A about our experience. And there was a mother on the Zoom.
Who was sitting in her living room and she had it. She had it, you know, and you can just see, and she was just venting about how hard life is with a food allergy child, how isolated and, you know, her family doesn't get it, meaning her in-laws and her parents and her friends. And it's so rigorous to go through this kind of a program and it's daily work and to get your kids to eat certain foods at certain times of the day, which you have to do for the program. And I...
Lesley-Anne Stone - 25:08.012
just wanted to hug her. And I think about her often as I produce this podcast, that this is a place for her, where she could tune in and she can listen to not only just my story, because I also have people, other parents in the program on as guests that share their stories of what it's like to go through the program and come out the other side to let them know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. feel like so much lately in our world, we're hearing these horrible stories.
And we all have horrible stories. That's life. There's bad forces in life. There's bad things happen in life. But our story, in particular, this food allergy journey, has a happy ending. And I just want to share that authentically. And it goes back to Shannon Doherty, how her podcast was so authentic. that's, I think people want authenticity today. I do, in a world that's so posting and curating that you want.
I think you're so on the money with that. you know, it's interesting. So when I started speaking, you know, we're talking about 2008, when I started like my coaching business. And, you know, back then coaching wasn't really like a thing yet. Like, I remember walking into networking events and, hey, I'm a coach. And they're like, like baseball? And I'm like, no, like Oprah. You know, I'm like...
Like that stuff. And it wasn't, and it wasn't, and I've told this story a bunch of times, but it's such a meaningful story for me. I used to walk on stage and I would start sweating. I would start, you know, I would be so nervous. Cause it's like, listen, for me to work at Spotco where we used to work, I used to have to have a portfolio. I used to have to have a resume. I had a fancy degree from the school of visual arts. I had...you know, people like Gail Anderson signing off on my name, you know. So there was like all this stuff that I had to like back up my status, right? When I became a life coach, it was like, I had a business card, that's it. And the business card I designed myself. So it was like nothing to back me up. And so I would remember having to get up on stage and just be so scared, you know.
Gary Montalvo - 27:27.838
And I would, you know, what started to break that is I would walk up on stage and started to say, Hey guys, my name is Gary Montalvo and I'm really nervous right now. I'm really nervous right now and I'm going to start sweating a lot. And so that's why I have this towel with me. But at the time, all the leadership coaches, all the speaking coaches would tell me, don't ever do that. Don't, it kills your credibility. Don't ever don't. And it's just an exam. think that.
But when I started to do it, I, number one, it freed me up. Like that was the only way that I was free on that stage and I stopped sweating. was like when I stopped pretending on, exactly. And then, but the other thing that happened was the audience immediately connected with me. The audience immediately was like, oh, Gary, no, of course you're good. Cause who can't relate to that, right? Who can't relate to being in a stage and being scared.
And now it's changed a lot. Now I feel like authenticity is almost demanded, you know? Like people have a very keen sense of smelling bulls**t and people crave authenticity, I think even more so after the pandemic. But there's like authenticity and there's like raw authentic-
There's the authenticity that's like, hey, I'm just me, look how positive I am. And then there's the authenticity where it's like, no, no, here's all of me, the good, the bad, and the ugly, which I still feel that a lot of people don't share. But I think you're right. think that authenticity right now is like, it's people not only, I think they're demanding it. I think that when they smell something off, they call you on it, you know? And if part of what fuels cancel culture because people feel that, well, that apology was inauthentic, it was bull. So no. So I went on a tangent there for a little bit, but I really do think that you're onto something when we're talking about authenticity. It really is key. And it's so unbranded for you because you are like, here's my heart on my sleeve. Like you're just like, you know, for you to be any other way, it would be weird, right? Like you're a very generous.
Gary Montalvo - 29:42.222
Person when it comes to letting people in. So it makes perfect sense that you can bring the superpower now to the podcast.
Thank you.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 29:49.612
Thank you. But that means a lot. Thank you for saying that. means a lot. Thank you. But it was this, I would think this scariest moment was like recording the episode with my therapist, which was one of the tent poles for our first season. I was, I have to have this to really tell the story. It's so crucial to me. And then putting that out there.
into the world, I was like, fuck. And it turns out that episode resonated so much with so many people and the messages that we received from it, it just told me, okay, just keep going. Just keep coming. It was neat. Your aunt DeThomson, was saying It very, very, very neat. Yes. To something.
Gary Montalvo - 30:42.798
That's beautiful. I wanna give, well, you tell me in terms of, I wanna give you an opportunity to speak on the food allergies. And so I don't know if it's like, I don't know you wanna walk people through the journey of what the program does or if there's something else that you wanna leave people with in this experience, but I think.
I think it's important to, yeah, I just think it's important to give you a voice, because I think the work that you're doing is so important and is making a difference with so many families, because I just placed myself in the place where that mom would be and just like, and I can't even imagine like you having a newborn one year old, your first baby, and you're dealing with all of this. It's like, it's gotta be like, holy crap, like, what do I do?
It's shocking and there's so much grief in it. There's so much loss in it.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 31:49.946
Okay, so let's talk about it. So when Sam was one, I gave him a little bit of peanut butter, he had a catastrophic reaction. We went to the ER and they said he's obviously having an allergic reaction to peanut butter, but you need to see a specialist to properly diagnose him. So we went to a local allergist who was referred by a pediatrician and diagnosed Sam with his food allergies. And we were basically told, which is pretty regular protocol, just avoid your food allergies, have an EpiPen, have your Brenadryl, but avoid. And we did that.
How do they test for that? That at the time, we're going back, there was a skin test and blood that they did.
We did that for two years, this life of avoidance. Well, what does that really mean? That means essentially wherever you go outside the house, there is a cause for concern because again, we're talking tree nut, peanut, milk, egg, sesame seed, mustard seed. So.
Gary Montalvo - 32:54.924
Yeah, and if you don't if you don't read labels, you gotta understand that stuff is in everything
It's in everything and there's a combination too. Just because it's not in the ingredients doesn't mean it's processed in a facility.
Like the facility exactly, the facility could have had it and that's enough, right? Yes.
So it was really, really hard and he was of preschool age. So then finding a preschool that would work with us to keep him safe and setting up protocols in the preschool because eating is such a big social time, lunchtime, snack time is a big social development aspects of childhood, early childhood. to find a preschool that was small and sympathetic and empathetic.
So what we were going through, and actually our preschool director is one of the guests on the program. So just talk about what we did. our preschool has become in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, known as a safe haven for food allergy families because they're so dialed in. they coincidentally had a number of children in the preschool go through our food allergy program. So it's, it's pretty cool. So two years of this avoiding restaurants travel.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 34:11.31
Was such a stress because when you get on an airplane, we would only fly certain airlines that didn't serve nuts on the plane. We would call in advance to let them know we're bringing this food allergy child on the plane. We would just before COVID wiping everything down, boarding first. We had plane seat covers to go over the plane. just in case there was some kind of residue on the seats of some kind of allergen, Gary, I can go on and on and on. mean, you have to plan when you leave, like a birthday party.
I would bring my safe food with me, my own version of a cupcake that I had a batch in the freezer at all times, I would just pop one in my bag and I'd change clothes on me in case he came in contact with somebody who had peanut butter.
And I'm just thinking of trying to be trying to get a child to comply to all of this. Like, you can't get toddlers to do a lot of things like that has to be that has to be incredibly difficult.
Very difficult, incredibly difficult. So when Sam turned three, we went back, we would go every year on his birthday to retest his allergies to see if he was outgrowing them. Cause you would hear these like, they're going to outgrow it thing. And the results of these tests were getting more severe. And the doctor said, don't come back for another two years because he's not going to outgrow this. And I lost my mind.
I had a complete meltdown and I said, there has to be something that we can do because I cannot foresee this life for my child. And at the time I was almost full term with my second son pregnant and like out to here pregnant. And I'm just crying in the doctor's office because it was, I, was three kindergarten is on the horizon when you're five and he just, didn't see this life for him. And there had to be something that we could, we could do.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 36:08.422
And he said that there was a doctor out of Long Beach Children's Hospital that was developing this protocol and we should call for information, research it and call for information. And I was like out to here pregnant. I was working at the time and doing my marketing business and I made my husband call. I said, can't, can't, I can't. Give me info. So he calls and he said, there's a wait list. We're going to be on the wait list. And I was like, it didn't even occur to me that there could be a wait list, you know, and the program was small at the time.
At the time it was Dr. Randhawa who started the Food Allergy Institute and founded the tolerance induction program. had a medical associate and a receptionist. Now the organization has 300 people. Okay. So in, 10 years it's right. Yeah. So we're on a wait list and nine months later we get the phone call that it's our turn and they just so happened.
Wow.
Gary Montalvo - 36:55.608
Wow.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 37:05.078
That weekend, they called us. They said, we're having a prospective event for prospective families if you want to come to the hospital and meet other families who've been through the program, learned about the protocol. And it was like a whole morning event. The doctor spoke, we met other people. They explained what the protocol is and what this program is. And my husband and left in tears because finally there was an answer to our prayers and Sam was next. We were the next in line.
We started that week. I think the seminar was on a Sunday morning and we started on a Tuesday. It was just this magical... I still get emotional thinking about it. It was two years, the program. We also learned in the program that he was suffering from 13 different environmental allergies. He always had a cold. We thought it was just preschool. Because kids get sick and it's like a peach...
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It was his environmental allergies. So they treated those concurrently. And within two years he was thrown into remission. So the idea is they do all of this testing. They do blood, they do skin, they do patch. And there are hundreds of data points and biomarkers that come from this research, from this lab panel that they do. And it's all in-house. They own their own lab. And from there...
They do an analysis and they can pump out a plan via AI that will show you how to reintroduce through proteins, allergens to then overcome all of your allergies. So everyone's plan is different. This is not a pill. This is not a one size fits all. It's precision medicine. So Sam's plan is different from the next person and from the next person. I'm not a doctor.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 38:58.658
You know, I don't have a medical background, so I can't go into all the details of it, but we started with Sam's first tree nut allergen. And basically what happens is they give you a very specific dosage of that allergen in the office to make sure that you can tolerate it, which Sam did. And then from there, you go home for the next six to eight weeks, you eat that allergen every day in a certain quantity and you up dose it every week.
Then six, eight weeks, you go back down to Long Beach at the Food Allergy Institute, you challenge it. So you eat a large amount of it. Again, it's very prescribed. You pass that food challenge, you move on to the next nut or the next food. And you keep doing that until you reach your most allergic food, which for Sam was peanut. And then your body is thrown into remission. So that's...are in a nutshell, wah, wah, that's our story. But as you're doing this program, every two months when you're starting to tackle the next allergen, you still have to eat the old allergen. And there's some other foods that they prescribe that have similar plant proteins to help build up your immune system and build up tolerance. So there's multiple foods throughout the day in very specific quantities that your child has to eat. And that is hard.
That's what I'm really present to right now. I'm like, sounds like so much work.
It is from, is.
Gary Montalvo - 40:25.038
I'm sure it's 100 % worth it, but it sounds like a lot. It sounds like a lot of a lot, especially with a toddler whose toddlers, what I've learned is that toddlers are like teenagers and they like to push their boundaries. They want their independence and they want to push their boundaries. So when you're telling a toddler, you have to eat 20 pine nuts every day for the next eight weeks and their taste buds are changing. know, it's like pine nuts are very specific taste. It is so hard, Gary.
Huh.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 41:02.126
We did it! We did it!
My goodness, wow. I to be sensitive in approaching this, but one of the things that I'm present to is that it's like how this may not be accessible to everyone, right? Because I'm sure, does insurance cover this? It probably doesn't. It does.
Yes. So the, yes. So the program insurance for us, we were in network and, it was covered if right now they have an office, their headquarters are based in Long beach, California. They do have a satellite in San Diego and very soon they're going to be opening another location on the West coast. And their goal is to make this.
On the west coast or on the east coast?
On the West coast. in time, the goal is to have this. Yeah. On the East coast too, people currently are flying in from all over the world. Yeah. For this program and people from Australia. mean, it's wild. The people who are coming in. I have a very dear friend. She was on the podcast. She flew in from Michigan with her three kids. And now they're all in remission from it. So they do want to hear from people.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 42:29.806
who have financial situations and they will work things out. They very much want to make this accessible. I can't speak to them, but if you go to Food Allergy Institute's website, there is a get a free consultation and it's something that should 100 % be addressed. They're not a charity. It's a huge organization, but it...
They very much want this to be available to the masses. And because it is precision medicine and the condition of food allergy is so severe, they are slowly looking to open other offices. It has to be done safely. So that is part of that. But anyone out there listening who has any interest, I always tell everyone just call and get all the information. They will give you insurance codes.
So can call your insurance company and find out exactly what is out of pocket. What is your co-insurance? What is your copay? So you know everything in advance. It's not something that is difficult to do. You just have to want to commit to doing it because science behind the program, it's very strict. You have to be compliant. You have to be. So you have to commit to wanting to...to do this. And there are no other programs like this in the world. There's other, now there's other trials and there's other different types of therapies, but they all lead to a road, my understanding, it leads to a road of avoidance. But this program, when you come to the end, you don't have to avoid your allergens anymore. Like Sam ate peanut butter on toast this morning for breakfast. These programs get you- Wow. Yes, get you to the point where your child-
Wow.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 44:23.808
If they bite into a cookie that has peanut, they're good. Yeah. So it's, I just want to get the message out there that this program exists. It's a free consultation. doesn't hurt to call and find out what your out of pocket costs are and, and what, this would be.
You're so good.
Gary Montalvo - 44:34.286
Yeah, yeah
Gary Montalvo - 44:47.242
Okay, so beautiful. What's next for Lesley-Annee? Because you you've started this journey that was unexpected. And I'm just wondering like, how are you feeling about what's next? Do you have an idea? Are you like thinking or you just like along for the ride? Are you itching for something else? Like walk me through it.
You'll appreciate this, Gary. So my best friend, Amelia, who was also on the podcast as a guest host, she actually interviewed Sam. She taught me something. Amelia worked at Spaco with this. We all worked at Spaco together. Shout out to Amelia. She taught me years ago that you need to look at life in three-month chunks.
Shout out to Amelia.
Gary Montalvo - 45:37.75
Hmm.
So that's what I do. You know, I look at my life in three million chunks. So what's gonna happen in the next three months? If you told me when I first met you, when did you start Spotco? When was it? 2003, 2004?
2002.
Two? Okay. So if you told me back then, hey, in three years, you're gonna fall in love and move to Los Angeles. You will then live for 20 years and you will have two kids. I would be like, what?
You would've told me that i would be doing anything other than designing yes! would've been like, you're out of your mind yes!
Lesley-Anne Stone - 46:20.174
And I see that about you too, knowing you as this ridiculously talented, accomplished designer. mean, Gary, I'm going to stop for a second and we'll segue. Like, you're amazing.
Thank you. It used to be, don't know about now, but...
You know, you and Gale Anderson, I mean, like, top of the top, right? So like, anyway, you just, what I'm saying is you just never know. You just never know. So when you look at your life in three million chunks, it takes that panic away a little bit because you still don't know. And I'm very open. So to answer your question,
Season two. You know, our season one is 12 episodes, a 12 episode series. I am so excited how it has taken off. And every week we have more and more listeners and more and more messages that we are talking potentially about what a season two could look like. And that is totally where I'm at. You know, is just continuing this message. But I am very much open. Very much open. A year ago...
I hadn't even done Remission Week yet. know, so it's, know, we're coming up on a year to that Remission Week. You so you just, you look back and you just don't know. So, you know, I try to live my life open to what the universe is presenting me. Yeah. Very intuitive, you know, in terms of like trusting my intuition. You know, when something feels right and wrong. I'm naturally just a very curious person. So I love to know people's stories that people are working on and learning about.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 48:08.93
business and trends and I will always be a marketer. That's just my nature and how my brain works. in the next three months, season two is really where I want to keep this conversation going about food allergies and what it's like to be a food allergy parent and going through this program and sharing.
Careful.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 48:39.298
the story of resilience and hope. I do other things too. I'm very big because of my mother and volunteering for the brain tumor community and advocacy for brain tumor awareness and brain cancer. So there's other things. And again, I have two kids. I'm very involved in our school district and arts education because of, again, the theater. I'm always trying to do a million things. Like I to have my hand in different pots. I'm not good at sitting still. I'm very bad at sitting still. So... get it.
Yeah, that's where I'm at. Did that answer the question? I feel like
Yes, yes, yes, season two is coming. That's really what I was trying to understand. I also see a book in your future, but I'll let you discover that on your own. Listen, think, you know, I know you're new to the podcasting world, not like I'm a pro veteran, but I think I'm a little longer than you.
Yes.
Gary Montalvo - 49:36.02
It is remarkable to launch a season one with 12 episodes and be at the top 5 % already. it's such a, I mean, podcasters are listening to that going like, what? How did she do it? So you should be really proud, right? And that's just a testament of how people are emotionally connecting with what you are sharing and how needed the message is, you know? Because if you think about it, it's also a very niche sort of audience, right? Because you have to have children and you have to have children that have allergies, which is probably not as niche as we think, unfortunately. You get my point that it's-
They say one in 13 kids in a classroom. Yeah.
Yeah. So it's clearly something that's landing with people and resonating. you know, I'm proud of you. It's remarkable and keep shining your light. Keep doing your thing. I cannot wait to see what season two brings on. Me too. Me too. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for sharing your story and coming to us and sharing your message. I'm glad we got to...cover both things, because I think your story is inspirational and I think the message that you have is very, it's going to give a lot of hope to a lot of families who really need it.
Lesley-Anne Stone - 50:58.552
Thank you, Gary. think you are phenomenal. Phenomenal. Then, now and always. And your journey, we've said this offline, you know, I've said this to you offline, is very inspiring too. And I think it's very serendipitous that we both flew to New York to be a part of that Spock Hill reunion. It's like an alumni club, right? Like, it's like what you said, you know, everybody came in from all different parts of the country to this event in New York and that we... had we connected in the corner of that bar that night. And I very vividly remember, and it's remarkable too, I had a number of very meaningful conversations at night with specific people that I didn't expect to have that. And you were one of those, you and it's, I'm very grateful for that conversation. I draw on it often. You know, it's something that I haven't forgotten. And I'm so appreciative and grateful to you to have me on this podcast. Thank you.
pleasure. Hope it's not the last time. Alright my love, big hug.
Thank you, Gary. Thank you.
Gary Montalvo - 52:05.422
There's something really powerful about hearing someone say yes to their own story. Not when it's perfect, not when it's fully figured out, but when it's honest, when it's needed, when it's time. That's my biggest takeaway from this conversation with Lesley Ann. Not just that she launched a successful podcast, but that she followed an instinct that didn't make logical sense, but made soul sense.
She didn't wait for permission. She didn't wait until it was comfortable. She followed the nudge and immediately took action. And in doing so, she created something that's now giving voice and hope to millions of families across the globe. But maybe even more powerful than that, she created a new version of herself. A Lesley-Annee who's taking new risks, expanding, stepping into new dimensions as a leader, as a mom, a wife.
There's so many possibilities that are unfurling for her right now that just weren't even in the cards a year ago. And none of it would have been possible if she didn't listen to the nudge. So is there something pulling at you? Maybe it's just an idea that you need to map out or maybe you already have the plan in your head. Whatever it is, this is your sign. Start, start where you are. Start messy, start scared.
just start because when you do, you free yourself to discover what's possible for you and for everyone around you. I want to give a massive massive thanks to Lesley Ann for her courage and vulnerability and for reminding us all that sometimes our most personal stories are often the ones that need to be told the most. As always keep trusting the nudge
Keep speaking your truth and keep playing the ownership game. We'll see you next week.
Gary Montalvo - 54:08.078
Thanks for listening to this episode of The Ownership Game with your host, Gary Montalvo. Make sure to like and comment on your favorite podcast platform, as well as subscribe so that you never miss an episode.