Proud Stutter30 Jul 2025

For Years, Justin Thought His Voice Was a Liability. Now It’s the Heart of His Mental Health Mission.

This week on Proud Stutter, we’re joined by Justin McCullough, a longtime stutterer, technologist, and founder of the upcoming mental health platform, Eight Minute Chat.

Justin opens up about growing up with a stutter after a major shift in his family dynamic, how it impacted his high school and college experiences, and the quiet persistence that shaped his career in tech. From building his first software system at a community college to launching his own company, Justin reflects on how stuttering has influenced his drive to prove himself, and how it’s intertwined with his sense of self-worth, timing, and voice.

We also talk about his latest project: Eight Minute Chat, a new initiative designed to offer people a space to offload mental stress in the moment--whether by phone, text, or in person. Rooted in empathy and lived experience, the idea came from a college student’s story and has since grown into something that could help bridge the gap between therapy and friendship.

This episode dives into first impressions, filler words, what it means to be seen beyond your stutter, and the emotional complexity of navigating speech in a fast-paced world.

Subscribe to updates on Eight Minute Chat at eightmin.org.

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🎟 Get early bird tickets for Proud Stutter’s Annual Gala on October 9 in San Francisco

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Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Matt Didisheim, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Jason Smith, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks.

Learn more about Proud Stutter's impact campaign for its film project at proudstutter.org/impact

If you can become a monthly donor at $10 or more, we’ll give you access to ad-free episodes and bonus Proud Stutter+ content as a token of our thanks! Make your tax deductible gift at https://bit.ly/3xLezBk.

Proud Stutter is proudly fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media.

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Episoder(116)

Breaking the Walls of a Stutter with Mutalaathem Founder Saad Al-Munajem

As a child growing up in Saudi Arabia, Saad Al-Munajem learned how to build a wall around himself. After being laughed at while trying to read aloud in class, he spent years hiding his stutter — avoid...

26 Mai 46min

Healing, Advocacy, and Reclaiming Your Stutter

In this episode of Proud Stutter, Maya talks with Elizabeth Escobar, a person who stutters, substitute teacher, and advocate, about trauma, healing, and learning to reconnect with herself after years ...

15 Mai 47min

Stuttering, Comedy, and Embracing Uncomfortable Situations

In this episode of Proud Stutter, Maya talks with Joze Piranian, a comedian, speaker, and author, about growing up with a stutter and how early experiences shaped his relationship with speaking. Joze ...

20 Apr 38min

Episode Swap: Down To The Struts

This week, we’re doing something a little different on Proud Stutter. We’ve partnered with the podcast Down to the Struts for an episode swap, sharing each other’s work as a way to support disabled cr...

23 Mar 35min

The Story She Needed as a Kid: Jennifer Dickinson on Writing a Young Girl Who Stutters

Maya talks with fiction writer and teacher Jennifer Dickinson about her new middle grade novel featuring a young girl who stutters. Jennifer shares how her own experiences growing up with a stutter sh...

11 Mar 31min

Anjali Hid Her Covert Stutter for Years. Then Acceptance Became a Spiritual Practice.

Maya talks with Dr. Anjali Alimchandani about growing up as a covert stutterer and why stuttering was the hardest identity for her to accept. Anjali shares how she first became aware of her stutter th...

7 Feb 48min

From Delhi to Data and Back to the Stutter That Shaped Him

In this episode of Proud Stutter, Maya talks with tech entrepreneur Kanav Hasija about growing up with a severe stutter in India, being bullied in school, and how changing cities gave him the chance t...

26 Des 202533min

From The Vault: The Psychology Behind Our Responses To Stuttering

Maya revisits a listener favorite featuring choir clinicians Benedict and Talia, a husband-and-wife team who share powerful lessons about communication and empathy. Talia offers three practical tips f...

7 Nov 202526min