Black and white portrait of Michael Schatz, hand on chin, blended into a dark background

THE LIAR

Podcast • Nonprofit • Movement

Exploring the stories we create to survive — and the truth that sets us free.

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The hook

What if lying isn't the problem?

What if it's one of humanity's oldest survival skills?

We lie to avoid rejection. We lie to escape shame. We lie to protect ourselves. Sometimes we lie so well that we eventually believe our own stories.

The Liar explores the hidden relationship between trauma, identity, addiction, grief, foster care, mental health — and the courage to tell the truth.

Not the truth other people need to hear. The truth we need to admit to ourselves.

Michael Schatz, founder of The Liar

Meet Michael

Michael Schatz

Entrepreneur • Speaker • Recovery Advocate • Founder of The Liar

Michael survived more than twenty foster homes before losing both parents by the age of fourteen.

He later built a successful business while quietly battling addiction, unresolved trauma, and the stories he told himself to survive.

Today he is creating The Liar, a podcast and nonprofit dedicated to helping people understand the connection between trauma, identity, shame, and radical honesty.

“The most dangerous lies are rarely the ones we tell other people. They're the stories we tell ourselves.”

Featured interview

KIRO Radio with John Curley — an honest conversation about foster care, trauma, addiction, recovery, and why The Liar was created. Watch on YouTube

Why podcast hosts invite Michael

01

Foster Care

More than twenty foster homes.

02

Trauma

Orphaned at fourteen.

03

Addiction

Recovery through honesty.

04

Entrepreneurship

Built successful companies while privately struggling.

05

Mental Health

Speaking openly about shame, grief, healing, and resilience.

06

The Liar

A fresh framework for understanding why we deceive ourselves.

Conversation topics

✗Addiction
✗Recovery
✗Trauma
✗Foster Care
✗Mental Health
✗Identity
✗Shame
✗Authenticity
✗Entrepreneurship
✗AI & Humanity
✗Resilience
✗Personal Reinvention

Questions that spark great conversations

01What is The Liar?+
A podcast and nonprofit exploring the lies we tell others, the lies we tell ourselves, and the cost of living inside them — built on the belief that we don't ruin our lives with bad intentions, but with the lies we refuse to examine.
02Why do people lie?+
Michael's framework treats lying as one of humanity's oldest survival skills — we lie to avoid rejection, escape shame, and protect ourselves, sometimes so well that we believe our own stories.
03Can addiction be understood as a survival strategy?+
A conversation about how survival strategies eventually become identities — and how addiction can quietly become "normal."
04What is the relationship between trauma and identity?+
How trauma becomes personality, fear becomes certainty, and shame becomes who we believe we are — transitions most of us never notice.
05What was rehab actually like?+
A firsthand account Michael shares openly and honestly on air.
06How has foster care shaped your life?+
Michael survived more than twenty foster homes before losing both parents by fourteen — and speaks candidly about what that taught him.
07What lies do successful people tell themselves?+
On building successful companies while privately struggling — and how success can quietly become self-worth.
08How do we become radically honest?+
The daily practice at the heart of The Liar: learning to tell ourselves the truth. Not once. Daily.

Current projects

Podcast

The Liar

Deep conversations exploring truth, trauma, identity, addiction, and healing.

theliarproject.org → Nonprofit

The Liar Project

Building community, education, and resources around radical honesty and recovery.

theliarproject.org → AI Visibility

AIVX

Helping organizations become visible in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI.

goaivx.com →

Media resources

Professional Headshots

B&W and color, high resolution

Biography

Short and long-form bio

Podcast Artwork

Cover art and episode graphics

Logos

Primary logo, all formats

Approved Introduction

Read-ready host intro

Media Kit PDF

Everything in one download

Book Michael

Interested in having Michael on your podcast or at your event?

Booking, press, and speaking inquiries:

Send a Booking Inquiry Download Media Kit