Stoic Coffee
Hosted by Stoic Coffee
A short, weekly podcast applying ancient Stoic philosophy to modern life's challenges in about the time it takes to drink a coffee.
This is a solo-narrated show where host Erick Cloward offers a brief, weekly meditation on applying Stoic principles to a specific modern problem. Each episode, typically 10-15 minutes, tackles a theme like fear, meaning, or distraction, blending quotes from classical philosophers like Marcus Aurelius and Seneca with insights from modern psychology and personal anecdotes. It's a tightly-scripted, practical philosophy lesson designed for a quick mental reset.
“The 'coffee break' format is its defining feature—it's intentionally short, potent, and designed as a weekly dose of wisdom rather than a long-form interview or lecture. Unlike more academic philosophy podcasts, it focuses almost exclusively on practical application and personal experience.”
Who hosts this show
Erick Cloward is an executive coach and the host of the Stoic Coffee Break podcast, which he started in 2018. A former software developer and CTO with 25 years of experience in tech, he now uses his platform to share practical lessons from Stoicism. After a personal crisis forced him to rebuild his own life using Stoic principles, he began coaching leaders and wrote the book "Stoicism 101" to make the philosophy more accessible. The podcast has over 9 million downloads and Cloward currently lives and works in Amsterdam.
Credentials & credits
- Host, Stoic Coffee Break podcast (2018-present)
- Author, "Stoicism 101" (Simon & Schuster)
- Executive Coach
- Former CTO & Software Developer
Other ventures
- stoic.coffee (Official Website)
- Build an Unbreakable Mind (Online Program)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Expectations = disappointment. #stoicismJun 19, 2026 · 2 min
- 02
- 03You'll Never Find the Meaning of Your Life (Do This Instead)May 28, 2026 · 11 min
- 04Stop Being Everywhere, Be Present: A Stoic GuideMay 21, 2026 · 2 min
- 05Stop Being Busy: Reclaim Your Life & Find JoyMay 20, 2026 · 1 min
- 06Collaborating with Reality: The Stoic Art of Being Present | 378May 19, 2026 · 16 min
- 07The Power of Paradox: The Stoic Art of Holding Two Truths at Once | 377May 7, 2026 · 20 min
- 08How Fear Creates the Failure It Fears | 376Apr 28, 2026 · 21 min
Notable episodes
- 01You'll Never Find the Meaning of Your Life (Do This Instead)
A core example of the show's thesis: meaning is not found, but built through deliberate action. It features a personal story from the host about a crisis of meaning.
- 02The Power of Paradox: The Stoic Art of Holding Two Truths at Once
Showcases the blend of philosophy with practical psychological exercises, like "steel-manning" and replacing the word "but" with "and" to foster clearer thinking.
- 03Collaborating with Reality: The Stoic Art of Being Present
Demonstrates how the host integrates concepts from other traditions (like Buddhism) and modern psychology (Kahneman's 'experiencing vs. narrating self') with Stoicism.
What you'll be asked on this show
This is a solo-host, narrative show with no guests or interviews. Each episode is a tightly scripted monologue where Erick Cloward presents a central question, explores it using Stoic concepts and personal stories, and concludes with practical takeaways. His delivery is calm and measured, and he ends every episode with the signature sign-off: "Be kind to yourself, be kind to others, and thanks for listening."
Signature segments
- · The "Coffee Break" concept
- · Weekly meditation on a single Stoic theme
- · Opening with a framing question
- · Closing catchphrase: "Be kind to yourself, be kind to others, and thanks for listening."
Topics covered repeatedly
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast primarily promotes the host's own products, including his book "Stoicism 101" and his online course "Build an Unbreakable Mind." This suggests the podcast serves as a top-of-funnel marketing channel for his coaching and information products.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- What is the host's real name?
- The host is Erick Cloward.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is a short, solo-narrated podcast. Each week, the host explores one concept from Stoic philosophy and applies it to a modern problem in about 10-15 minutes.
- Does Stoic Coffee have guests?
- No, it is a solo-host show and does not feature interviews.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, the podcast has been releasing episodes weekly since 2018.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on major platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with video versions on YouTube. The official website is stoic.coffee.
- What is the host's background?
- Erick Cloward is a former software developer and CTO who is now an executive coach and author.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Erick Cloward | Official Publisher Pagesimonandschuster.com
- [02]An Accidental Philosopher - Stoic Coffee Breakstoic.coffee
- [03]Stoicism 101 by Erick Cloward - Book Reviewsnsociety.org
- [04]Stoic Coffee Break - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [05]Stoic Coffee Break - YouTube Channelyoutube.com
- [06]Stoicism 101 (Interview with Erick Cloward)youtube.com
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