So, let’s talk dating.

Originally from Southern California, Jennifer Hazzard grew up in Orange Country, and has now lived in New York for 15 years. On the heels of several decades working in the hospitality industry, she embarked upon a career as a professional life coach and strategist dedicated to helping people become the best versions of themselves. Recently, in addition to that busy work, she set upon a venture that shares the same spirit of empathy and support, but also speaks to the value of shared experiences and, indeed, provides some of her own (often quite hilarious) experiences as well. That venture is the Single & 40 podcast.

Having just turned 40 herself, Jennifer came to start the podcast in part simply because she had so many friends who, frankly, didn’t understand what it was like to be single and dating at such an age. Some married friends were understandably aloof on the realities of dating, while recently divorced friends might be completely lost on how to get back out there (let alone understand how to navigate the many apps and websites available to prospective daters). Other single friends were simply deserving of the knowledge that they were not alone in that world, and in experiencing all that comes with it- the good, the bad, and the ugly.

If there is a guiding mission to the podcast, Jennifer offers it as “a place where we navigate the ups and downs of dating at almost 40 and beyond.” The format itself is free-flowing -in every fourth episode Jennifer shares about her own experiences and thoughts, but otherwise each episode features a different guest, and anybody and everybody is most welcome, from near and far, and from old friends to people she has never met before. The podcast is recorded without breaks or edits, allowing the conversation to grow organically and get into a comfortable rhythm. It’s up to the guests to see how far they may want to go in sharing their dating experiences and exploits, but Jennifer marks herself as unflappable. As she resolutely asserts, “nothing really shocks.”

The result is a properly hilarious podcast, rich with stories of adventure and misadventure from Jennifer’s own life and that of her many guests, some of whom have even admitted to gaining dates after their appearance on the show (as one former guest aptly put it, “I got my dick sucked from your podcast.”). Varied shared insights have included anything from dating grievances on things like bill etiquette and cultural differences (one guest spoke to contrasting experiences of dating between New York, London, and Dubai -of note, you may just be mistaken for an escort on some dating apps in Dubai), to tales of subway masturbators and a dog that “ate my panties.”

Far more than just a forum for sharing dating angst, Jennifer has found the podcast presents a great opportunity to communicate what people are looking for over 40, particularly given the evolution that can only happen over time with improved self-awareness, changing values and priorities (which arguably stand in stark contrast to what, say, a twentysomething might be looking for in their dating life). Further though, through so many shared experiences, the podcast presents valuable advice and insights borne from that very experience.

Some of that insight also draws from Jennifer’s own work as a life coach. So much of that is about communicating the need to ‘do the proverbial work’, healing and achieving growth by sitting in discomfort. Many singles never step outside of their comfort zones while meanwhile, everything around them is changing. Sometimes, embracing the uncomfortable may be just what’s needed to stretch oneself, enter a new field of experience and, perhaps, find that elusive partner (or just some really, really good sex -at long last).

For Jennifer, the biggest takeaway of season one was that “we are all seeking connection”, and that striving for true, deep connection is the ultimate goal. With each consecutive episode word spread organically, growing the audience and, naturally, generating even more guests. Season two has now premiered, and the hope is to only continue to feature guests from all walks of life, while dabbling in some new and different experiences, including guests who are in open relationships, and speaking with people from more varied age ranges. The wealth of entertaining experiences and valuable lessons to be shared are only set to continue. At the end of the day, as Jennifer notes, “we are all in this together… hey, dating sucks. But at least it’s funny.”

Listen to the Single and 40 Podcast on Spotify HERE. You can also follow the podcast on Instagram HERE.

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