Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan (D–Woodbury) just became the first member of the legislature to have their own podcast.
Java with Josh debuted in early September during the pandemic as a way to connect with his former interns, who loved hearing from guest speakers. Now, he is speaking with people outside of the region to share tips of how young entrepreneurs can be successful.
“It’s for you to grab a cup of coffee, sit back for a half hour a week and learn something new from an interesting speaker,” Lafazan said.
Lafazan has released five episodes of Java With Josh, and he feels it’s something different for him to do outside of politics. Each Thursday, a new episode is released.
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic forced businesses to shut down, Lafazan held a Java with Josh in-person discussion each week at Mongo’s Coffee Roastery and Lounge, located at 170 Michael Dr. That gave him a chance to meet with people in his district, but this is much different.
“This is a podcast where I can give back and tell the stories of some outstanding professionals to help people learn something and figure out how to achieve their own dreams,” Lafazan said. “The theme of the show is having big dreams is common. Figuring out how to achieve those dreams is rare.”
Thus far, he’s interviewed Vyber Media CEO Jesse Kay, viral fitness trainer Emily Samuel, Lasso CEO Partha Unnava, TikTok sensation Jackie Gansky and Next Gen HQ co-founder Dylan Gambardella. Each of the guests has a completely different story to become successful in vastly contrasting fields.
“We have some upcoming episodes with Carol Silva, the Emmy Award-winning News 12 anchor, and singer Jordan Michelle,” Lafazan said. “I spoke with Brennan Agranoff, who started a company as a teenager to make customized socks. His company has $2 million in sales.”
But more than just a way to do something different in Lafazan’s spare time, he feels this podcast can inspire anyone to go the extra mile en route to achieving their dreams.
Java with Josh is available for free on Apple Podcasts and can also be heard on Lafazan’s social media pages.
While it is unclear when Lafazan will be able to return to holding constituent meetings at Mongo’s, this is a way to connect with people outside of Nassau County, all while giving tips to his interns.
