Today we’d like to introduce you to Allissa Bean.
Hi Allissa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
In 2019, I listened to the true-crime podcast Cold and was instantly hooked. I wanted to find more podcasts that brought together the things I loved: true crime, paranormal stories, myths, legends, and, above all, mysteries. When I couldn’t find one that captured all of those interests, I decided to create it myself.
I had studied digital media in high school and, in 2016, was sponsored by Adobe for my video production and documentary work for the summer. That experience gave me the confidence to start Monti’s Mysteries Podcast, which launched in August 2019. It grew faster than I expected. I reached listeners in 14 countries, was recognized in public, and began building a community for curious people interested in what lies beneath the surface. I interviewed professors, experiencers, and people sharing perspectives from different cultures. I was also invited to investigate reportedly haunted locations, where I uncovered historical details that helped owners better understand their sites and the stories surrounding them.
In 2020, I married someone I had met through the podcast and paranormal community. With COVID shutdowns limiting investigations, and while coping with the emotional toll of the pandemic and a miscarriage, I eventually stopped making the podcast.
In 2023, after a difficult marriage, I divorced my son’s father and moved into my dad’s basement with my 18-month-old son. It was a major transition, but it also gave me the chance to imagine a different future. I wanted to build a life rooted in curiosity and learning—for both my son and me.
I relaunched Monti’s Mysteries in 2025 and began sharing my work on social media, where I found a new community of people interested in unusual experiences and unexplained phenomena. As public and government interest in UAPs grew, I became increasingly interested in how to tell credible information from speculation or fabrication. That question led me to create The Mystery Lab at ExploreMysteryLab.com.
The Mystery Lab is designed to help people explore mysteries, concepts, and anomalous phenomena through credible sources. It organizes and evaluates sources, then explains a topic at different levels—from clear, accessible introductions to more academic and scientific discussions.
My research interests also opened doors to new experiences. I volunteered with Skinwalker Ranch, helping monitor cameras and learn about and assist with technology and equipment. I also had opportunities to speak with members of the team, including scientist Travis Taylor, whose work I had followed since childhood. I was invited to participate as an experiencer in scientist Jim Segala’s MUPAS II study of anomalous phenomena connected to consciousness.
In 2026, I began making more videos about the scientific side of these subjects and was invited to co-host social media livestreams. Through those conversations, I met people around the world with remarkable stories. Mutual friends in the UK introduced me to Caz Clarke, known for her account of the 2016 Pentyrch incident. She invited me to attend the incident’s 10-year anniversary event, hear her story firsthand, and investigate locations connected to the case.
I got my passport and took my first solo international flight to the UK. There, I joined other investigators and experiencers to document the locations and conduct investigations. Caz gave me permission to film, including work related to possible biological effects reported at the site. The documentary is now in editing, with the hope of releasing it by the 11th anniversary.
That trip left me eager to understand more of the world—especially people, history, and the ways we make meaning. In the summer of 2026, I began college, pursuing anthropology and studying subjects including psychology, folklore, sociology, and linguistics.
Now, I’m raising my curious four-year-old while continuing my education and building what comes next. Mystery Lab LLC is officially registered, and I’m developing a new direction for Monti’s Mysteries, the Mystery Lab website, educational tools for experiencers and the curious, and board games that combine entertainment with meaningful learning.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest challenges has been balancing the work with the rest of my life. I’ve faced obstacles as a woman building a business, but also as a mother trying to create a stable, supportive life for my son.
When COVID hit, my investigations had to stop. The emotional weight of the pandemic, along with experiencing a miscarriage, made it difficult to keep producing the podcast. Later, motherhood brought a new set of demands. Researching, writing, recording, editing, and producing a show on my own takes a great deal of time, and it became difficult to fit around caring for a young child.
After my divorce, I was rebuilding our lives from scratch while living in my father’s guest room with my 18-month-old son. My attention had to go toward the essentials: caring for him and creating a safe, supportive home for us.
As my son grew older and started preschool, I had more time to return to my projects. But my health has also been a significant challenge. I have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue condition that affects my joints and can cause serious flare-ups. In January 2025, I had an unexpected seizure during a rare destabilizing flare, and it took months to recover from the physical strain. In January 2026, another flare-up caused me to overextend my spine and neck, bringing me close to a serious neck injury.
I even considered canceling my trip to Wales because I was worried about another flare-up or dislocation. Thankfully, I was able to make the trip without complications. It reminded me that pursuing this work sometimes means planning around uncertainty—but also that I don’t have to give up on what matters to me.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work brings together storytelling, research, and a deep curiosity about the unexplained. Through Monti’s Mysteries and The Mystery Lab, I explore subjects like anomalous experiences, folklore, history, and mysteries—and help people look at them with both an open mind and a critical eye.
I’m especially interested in how we evaluate claims: What do we know? What are the sources? What remains uncertain? The Mystery Lab is built around those questions. It helps users explore a topic through credible sources and explanations written at different levels, from accessible introductions to more academic and scientific discussions.
I’m proud that I’ve built a community around curiosity and created a space where people can explore unusual experiences without having to choose between believing everything and dismissing everything. I’ve also had the chance to learn from researchers, speak with experiencers, investigate locations, and document stories that might otherwise go unheard.
What sets my work apart is the combination of lived experience, storytelling, academic knowledge, and source-conscious research. I want people to feel welcome to ask big questions while also having tools to think carefully about the answers.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
JUST DO IT. If there is something you are genuinely passionate about that lights you up, follow that and never let it go. Everyone begins somewhere and we have such an opportunity in this day and age to share with and reach so many people. You may never know much your work or ideas can deeply affect another person. No matter how niche or strange.
Pricing:
- ExploreMysteryLab.com is currently in a free beta stage
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ExploreMysteryLab.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montismysteries/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/montismysteries/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@montismysteries
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@montis.mysteries
