What If World

For years, I taught theater, improv, and storytelling to kids across Los Angeles, all while missing my niece and nephew back in Boston. To stay connected with them, I started What If World, a storytelling podcast where kids’ questions inspire silly, surprising adventures. With the help of my partner Miss Karen, the show quickly grew to reach listeners around the world. Now, I record What If World and audiobooks while my kids are at school, so I can spend every spare moment being the best dad I can be. My stories aim to spark laughter, fuel creativity, and help kids build a growth mindset—one “What If” at a time

What If World began years ago, when I was teaching by day and telling bedtime stories to my nephew by night. Miss Karen, a podcast aficionado, overheard one of these improvised stories and said, “Other kids might like this!” With her editing expertise and an unforgettable theme song by my best friend, Craig Martinson, What If World was born. We chose to focus on "What If" questions as a playful way to get kids involved—inviting them to send in their wildest ideas—and it worked! A decade later, kids are still sending more “What Ifs” than I could ever answer… but I'm going to keep trying anyway.

I'm lucky enough to hear from our listeners every day—kids (with a little help from their grown-ups) call and write in with their wildest “What If” questions. Over the years, I've discovered that our audience includes people of all ages, from all over the world. Whether it’s a curious kid or someone’s inner child tuning in, I hope our stories offer a mix of laughter and warmth, sparking wonder about the beautifully imperfect world we share—and how we can all use our imaginations, big hearts, and silly voices to help make it better.

Our two kids listen to their Yotos every night, and often sneak into each other's rooms to trade cards and stories. They way they light up when they get a new Yoto card and quote their favorite lines to each other, we hope to make that happen for kids everywhere. Miss Karen has reworked some of our best stories to make them really pop on those Yoto speakers, and her pixel-art is truly delightful.

Our best ideas come from your What Ifs! We'd love to make a choose-your-own-adventure style story, a movement-based adventure, an audio-adaption of an amazing comic for kids, or a remastered collection of our fan-favorite episodes. What would you like to hear? Maybe our next Yoto card will feature one of your What If Questions!