It's Your Break

About It's Your Break

It's Your Break is your invitation to step away from the daily grind and make time for a little fun. Discover engaging interviews, practical life hacks, comedy, and conversations that bring a lighter side to everyday life. Whether you're on your lunch break, commuting, or unwinding at home, join us for perspectives, helpful tips, and plenty of laughs. From finding easier ways to tackle your day to simply enjoying a good story, this variety podcast gives you room to relax, recharge, and enjoy the moment. Life gets busy. Take a breather, have a laugh, and make this break yours. You've earned it.

Publisher

It's Your Break

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

28 Aug 2010

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

60 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Jonathan Mertz Unplugged From Shaggy to Life Beyond the Mic

   The host becomes the guest! Troy Yount takes over It’s YourBreak for a funny, personal conversation with Jonathan Mertz about voice acting, Kentucky roots, radio memories, and life beyond the microphone. Hear Jonathan bring out his Shaggy impression, defend hisBatman picks, revisit family Derby parties, and explain why Jimmy Buffett delivered his favorite concert experience. There’s even a story about Kenny Wayne Shepherd and a pair of inexpensive headphones. The laughs give way to a thoughtful finish as Jonathanconsiders advice for his younger self and shares what parenting has taught him about listening, adapting, and making room for family. Follow It’s Your Break for more conversations that give youa moment to laugh and reset. Visit https://itsyourbreak.com/ and find us on social media @itsyourbreak. Chapters 00:00 Opening and show mission 01:00 Troy turns the tables 02:41 Icebreakers with a twist 04:29 Kentucky roots and family traditions 11:04 Shaggy and character voices 14:40 Shaggy takes the movie quote challenge 18:49 Voice acting inspirations 21:52 Wordplay and Disney nostalgia 30:20 Desert island books 34:10 Dream dinner guests 37:36 Gaming and superhero favorites 43:51 Movies and TV favorites 51:32 Basketball and radio memories 55:20 Concerts and musical influences 01:02:17 Behind the scenes in radio 01:03:54 Rapid fire favorites 01:05:24 Advice to a younger Jonathan 01:07:33 Parenting and communication 01:10:20 Podcast connections and wrap up

2. 

   25 Sept 2026

   Designing for the Seasons: Nicholas Walker on Sustainable Landscaping and Working with Nature

   In this captivating episode of It's Your Break, host Jonathan Mertz welcomes back award-winning landscaper, artist, and master designer Nicholas Walker for his first appearance in 11 years!With over three decades of high-profile experience, including work for Elizabeth Taylor, Oprah Winfrey, and Kathy Ireland. Plus, historic restorations on the Frank Lloyd Wright Storehouse. Nicholas Walker shares essential wisdom on adapting our outdoor spaces to climate change, extreme weather, and natural ecologies.Discover why working hand-in-hand with Mother Nature is the key to sustainable landscape architecture, how to implement firewise landscaping to survive canyon wildfires, why invasive plant choices like Ficus trees and fountain grass create millions in property damage, and why he strictly eliminated glyphosate (Roundup) from his practice over 30 years ago.Plus, Nicholas takes us behind the scenes of executing a 72-hour garden transformation for Oprah Winfrey in Beaverton, Oregon, hosting HGTV's Designing for the Sexes, and using Japanese Wabi-Sabi philosophy to turn natural site obstacles into stunning $500,000 cost savings.🌿 Key Topics Covered in This Episode: 00:00 - Introduction & Returning to It's Your Break After 11 Years02:54 - From Acting Dressing Rooms to Landscaping for Elizabeth Taylor & Oprah Winfrey07:00 - Sustainable & Regenerative Landscaping in the Era of Climate Change08:57 - The Beverly Hills Hillside Lesson: Hydrostatic Pressure vs. Concrete Walls10:56 - Firewise Landscaping: Surviving Wildfires in the Santa Monica Mountains15:11 - Designing Naturecapes & Symbiotic Plant Communities19:45 - The $20 Million Ficus Tree Mistake20:10 - Avoiding Destructive Invasives29:17 - Why Nicholas Walker Banned Glyphosate / Roundup 30 Years Ago34:27 - Behind the Scenes: Favorite projects that lead to friendships36:11 - Oprah Winfrey's 72-Hour Beaverton Garden Makeover45:35 - Book Recommendations: The Art Of Wabi-Sabi. Embracing Imperfection & Acute Site Listening🔗 Connect & Follow Us:Follow It's Your Break on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube: @ItsYourBreakSubscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, and iHeartRadio.Visit Nicholas Walker & Campion Walker Garden Design: championwalker.com | Instagram: @campionwalker

3. 

   11 Sept 2026

   Landscaping to the Stars! (IYB Revisit) ⭐ DIY Garden Editing with Nicholas Walker - It's Your Break

   Ever pulled up to a friend's house and thought, OMG, what is wrong with that yard? 😬 If you are struggling to maintain your lawn, getting hounded by your family to tidy things up, or just want to take your gardening game to the next level, this episode is your ultimate reset button!In this episode of It’s Your Break, host Jonathan Mertz revisits a classic, action-packed interview with the award-winning landscape designer and "landscaper to the stars," Nicholas Walker. Nicholas has designed for legends like Elizabeth Taylor, worked on historical Los Angeles estates (including a Frank Lloyd Wright property!), and co-developed the sustainable home and garden brand Jardan with supermodel-turned-entrepreneur Kathy Ireland.Nicholas joins the show to share his absolute best, budget-friendly DIY landscaping and sustainable gardening hacks that you can start using in your own yard today!Here is what we are unpacking in this episode:- The "Bad Salad" Rule: Why great garden design actually begins with removals and editing visual noise to expose the true "bones" of your property.- The Hidden Lawnmower Trap: How your lawnmower is secretly sowing crabgrass and dandelion seeds all over your yard—and the simple, toothbrushing-like habit to stop it!- Recycle, Repurpose, Reuse: Incredible real-life examples of how Nicholas built a beautiful retaining wall out of broken concrete destined for the dump, and a backyard shading arbor out of old redwood timbers.- Free Sustainable Fertilizer: Why you should "mulch, mulch, mulch," compost using household kitchen waste and vegetarian-only animal manure, and even recycle your Epsom salt bathwater to make your trees flourish!- The Jardan Gold Medal Story: The inspiring story of how Kathy Ireland and Nicholas won a gold medal at the San Francisco Flower Show on a tiny \$6,000 budget.Whether you have a massive yard or a tiny garden patch, it is time to take a break, grab a cool drink, and learn how to edit your outdoor space like a seasoned pro.🔔 If you loved these tips, make sure to Subscribe and Follow It's Your Break on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode!

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings