Bold Perceptions

One of the biggest personalities that we’ve had on the podcast, Mike Morris, joins us today! Mike was an NFL player for 13 years and found a home in Minnesota with the Vikings for 9 of those years. After his playing career, he thrived in radio on Minnesota’s most popular radio station. Now he is a personal trainer, football coach, and mentor. Mike shares experiences from his playing days in the NFL, playing and being coached by some of the NFL greats, he gives a back story on his “Superstar” persona, his mindset throughout life and living life outside of the box. Intro, being able to stick around in the NFL for 13 years after playing Division II football & being undrafted, and his mindset to keep pushing. (0:00-9:38) His Superstar persona & how he received the nickname, life in the NFL, and living life outside of the box. (9:39-20:47) Not being afraid of failure, putting yourself out there, and dealing with negativity from others. (20:48-29:40) Being coached by the greatest NFL head coach of all time (Bill Belichick), lessons learned from him, and experiences with Jesse Ventura. (29:41-40:36) Regrets from his “living without a box” lifestyle, best locker room stories & pranks, and accidentally stealing a van. (40:37-47:55) What Mike has going on now, training tips, and coaching & giving back to the kids. (47:56-54:28) Favorites books & quotes and connecting with the Bold Perceptions Community. (54:29-58:40) ***Nick's Notes ~ Man, what a time recording with the Superstar! Last year around this time, I never thought I'd be doing a podcast with Mr.Morris. A Minnesota legend and Viking's fan favorite, Mike was a blast to talk with. I am grateful this podcast allowed for me to connect and develop a relationship with someone who lives their life the way the Superstar does!

Nick Hanson is a Professional Baseball player in the Cincinnati Reds organization, a pitcher drafted in the third round of the MLB Draft, directly out of high school. Nick has dealt with a considerable amount of adversity in his short MLB career. He had one of the worst injuries a pitcher can have early in his first year, and has had three more since. He shares experiences in the minor leagues, dealing with adversity, and overcoming adversity. Intro and behind the scenes of being a third round pick. (0:00-4:48) Arriving to the Minor Leagues at such a young age. (4:49-9:55) Dealing with four injuries including Tommy John (worst injury for a pitcher), rehabilitating from an injury only to get hurt again, contemplating retirement and what he learned. (9:56-19:55) Keeping his eyes on the prize, mental toughness, growing as a person through adversity and the power of positivity. (19:56-30:32) Discovering stronger faith, biggest lesson he learned, journaling and connecting with the community. (30:33-39:37) Nick's Notes ~ I had a great time with Nick at the bar and then when we recorded. The amount of crap he has gone through at such a young age, and to still keep fighting - I love it. His maturity and wisdom gained from the lows is very noticeable. I love his mindset and how he sees things now, it is very inspiring. Nick gives off amazing energy, and I am glad we came across each other at the hometown bar.. some may say it was synchro-destiny!

Mark Esch joins the Podcast today! Mark is a Minnesota state champion football coach. He has just released his debut book, Rise of the Warriors, a book about his experience growing up in a toxic football environment at Caledonia high school, its transformation into a powerhouse and lessons he has learned that have shaped him into the successful man that he is today. He goes into depth about those experiences and lessons. Mark explains how to change a toxic culture, how to be a leader and the commitment that it requires. He also illustrates his experience of jumping outside of his comfort zone to write his first book. Intro, his book, “Rise of the Warriors” and growing up in a toxic environment. (0:00-9:38) Changing a toxic culture, the importance of relationships, and how to be a leader. (9:39-21:08) The effect a football team has on a community, the value of not being a quitter, challenging yourself and getting outside of your comfort zone. (21:09-29:00) How Mark managed to get outside his comfort zone to write his book, taking action and the importance of humility, sacrifice and service. (29:01-39:00) Working harder on yourself, an individuals character is king and making sure to have fun. (39:01-47:05) Where to find the book and Mark, connecting with the community. (47:06-51:10) ***Nick's Notes ~ My roommate and good friend Connor played for Coach Esch. I had always heard great things about Mark, and I was very excited to meet him when I was back in town visiting my high school coach. As soon as Mark said he was writing a book, I was super excited. I love people who DO things. Mark is a proven leader, being a two time state champion coach, and I have a feeling he is about to excel in a new area - writing! Quotes ——— - “Greatness is not something a leader puts into people, it is drawn out because there is greatness in there.” - “A key to change is that you have to let people know that you care about them.” - “If you want someone to run through a wall for you, you have to be willing to show them that you will run through a wall for them.” - “A leader isn’t someone who uses positional power to tell you what to do.” - “The football program and culture has completely spilled into the city.” - “In society today, it is easy to quit. There is easy outs, and there is a belief out there that no one goes through hard times. But everyone goes through down times and questions if they are doing the right thing.” - “Whatever happens just decide that you are never going to quit.” - “Everybody has a book in them.” - “Get uncomfortable, don’t do the things everyone else is doing.” - “Do what you need to do, join that class, write that book or start that business on the side and it’s going to add value to your life.” - “You have to have a physical challenge in your life.” - “How you become happy is you get the hell out of your comfort zone.” - “I have a bigger vision than those who doubt me.” - “If I have an idea, I am going to act on it.” - “If you do not carry yourself with humility, you are never going to learn.” - “As a world, we lack humility and that’s why we can’t get anything done.” - “I am going to give up ‘this’ in order to achieve ’that.’” - “The best way to self fulfillment is service to others.” - “Work harder on yourself so you have something to give back.” - “Make sure you get back up when you get knocked down.” - “The number one thing to do to apply this knowledge is to come up with your purpose statement. Decide why you’re here.” - “This is your life. You don’t get a rewind button.” - “Find your purpose because it is there, in everyone of us.” - “Everybody has something that they can contribute to society in a positive way, and make other peoples lives better and it will fulfill you in the process.” - “Spend more time creating a better you than doing all the other stuff that is distracting you.”

Eric Johnston joins the podcast. Eric is a personal empowerment coach that helps individuals with: dealing with depression, attachment trauma, and recovery using neuroscience to rewire the brain. He is currently working toward getting his masters in communication and has worked in behavioral health for 10 years, doing outreach, marketing, and business development for treatment centers. Eric joins the podcast today to share his experiences growing up that have led to his current journey, identifying trauma stemming from childhood, how that trauma shapes our belief system, changing a belief system and rewiring the subconscious. You can find Eric on instagram @CitizensInRecovery. Intro, the importance of breathing, and breathing exercises. (0:00-9:23) Becoming aware of experiences that shape the subconscious, trauma and rewiring the subconscious. (9:24-23:32) Takable action to rewire the subconscious, failing forward, the spotlight effect, and getting over fear. (23:33-32:00) Erik’s backstory that led him on his current journey, recovering from those experiences and reforming his belief system. (32:01-46:03) Lessons that were learned and taking accountability. (46:04-54:45) Connecting with the community, where to find him, and his favorite quote, life lesson and book. (54:46-1:02:38) Quotes ——— “Take 30 breaths in all at once, rest for a minute, do 10 more, rest for a minute, do 10 more. By doing that litter exercise, you’ll notice your stress and anxiety begins to leave you. It creates this physiological response inside of you. Make sure you are sitting down while doing this.” “When you are feeling stressed, it is not your brain that is stressed, it is your body that is sending signals to your brain that you’re stressed.” “The subconscious is the core of who we are and it is our identity.” “One of my goals is to figure out a way to teach the subconscious in a language that everybody can understand.” “The two beliefs that are usually stopping us are, ‘am I good enough?’ and ‘I am not lovable.’” “We spend so much time living in our stories about what happened to us, that we don’t take the time to acknowledge that the people who did those things to us, most of the time, didn’t mean to do it.” “Our subconscious is our hard drive. It has all the information.” “You have choices, you have the ability to choose whether you believe your negative thoughts.” “One of my biggest concepts to help people is to fail forward. We learn and grow from our mistakes.” “Our imagination is so robust, it can make up stories that are so out of this world and then we go and do something and it wasn’t near our what our imagination created.” “Go and make a mistake. Learn from it and move on. No one is going to care.” “The best things in life come outside of the comfort zone.” “I am on one those guys that went from the glass is half empty to the glass is half full.” “We all have dreams as children, who’s to say that later in life we can’t go back and achieve them.” “I could tell a sob story, feel bad for myself and say poor me, but it just is what it is. Move on. You are able to create something positive.” “It’s all empty and meaningless, we are only here for a short period of time, enjoy it, lighten the fuck up and enjoy life!” *** Nick's Notes ~ I had an amazing time with Eric. He helped me focused on becoming more aware of why why I do what I do. The knowledge in this episode will resonate with people who can't get over their past and want to become more aware of themselves. Overall, this episode will open a lot of people's eyes to understanding who they truly are. My BS meter is pretty good, and after talking and recording with Eric, I can tell he is the real deal: well experienced, genuine, and full of positive healthy energy. I am very happy to have Eric apart of the community, as I believe he could really change someone's life!

Building the Bold Perceptions team, Jake makes his debut with Nick as they welcome on Ammar Ahmad onto the podcast. Ammar is a war refugee who moved to Denmark during the midst of the Iraq war. He has had a challenging life, overcoming obstacle after obstacle. He has his own podcast, DenmarkReal, which is about helping others become aware of their talents and finding themselves through stories and enlightenment. Ammar is a co-founder of Crew Cut Barbershop, which gives haircuts to the homeless and co-founder of OneUnit, an organization that helps the youth. He joins the podcast today to discuss his life during the Iraq war and moving as a refugee to Denmark, challenges he’s faced through bullying, drugs and alcohol, finding himself through enlightenment, and helping others find their true self. Jake is introduced as a new Bold Perceptions Team Member and Ammar gives a background about himself. (0:00-5:03) Growing up during the Iraq war, leaving as a refugee, and using his PTSD from the war as an asset rather than a liability. (5:04-11:36) Dealing with bullying after moving to Denmark and how he coped with it, being yourself, and how an individual find themselves. (11:37-20:12) Self destruction with drugs and alcohol, analyzing yourself in order to find yourself, applying the knowledge learnt through finding himself. “Light comes from darkness. Every source of light in the universe shines from darkness.” (20:13-29:39) Actions a person can take to find their self, negative thinking vs. positive thinking and how those thoughts become your reality, and power of the subconscious mind. (29:40-38:29) Building his podcast DenmarkReal, not being a victim of circumstance, switching your mindset from victim to attacker, and connecting with the community. “Instead of looking at the glass half full or half empty, try adding to the glass.” (38:30-48:03) ***Nick's Notes ~ I had a great time with Ammar. It amazes me the people that we meet through Bold Perceptions, as if the positive energy and similar mindset attract one another. Ammar's story is very inspiring, and it shows you that no matter how crappy one's life may be - they can find away to change their mindset and become the person they want to become. Quotes “There were bombings and the water was poison so we had to leave Iraq.” “I became self-aware in an unhealthy way because war was all around.” “There were shootings going on in the street where the school was at, we could see the bullet holes in the walls. So they banned us from going to school that year.” “I am trying to reexamine people’s life and make them become aware of themselves in a different way.” “With PTSD (from the war) I am self aware all time, so I try to anticipate and calculate steps ahead so that it is an asset rather than a liability.” “When you find yourself, you will be aligned with who you are. And when you are aligned with who you are, you will fully be happy.” “When you find who you are, you really don’t have time to waste. You stop wasting time on drugs, criminal activity, on being lost.” “Being yourself is the best gift.” “Seeing myself worthless was very tough, especially knowing I could be so much more.” “Every time I wasn’t myself, I was drugging myself. My final realization was, I had to be myself.” “You find yourself when you stop looking for yourself.” “Light comes from darkness. Every source of light in the universe shines from darkness.” “To find yourself, find someone that can really teach you something. When you know more, you can do more.” “The secret to success and the secret to failure: You become what you think about.” “If you cannot change your thoughts. You have to change what you are looking at.” “I am trying add value by enlightening people and connecting people across the world.” “Every person that has been through hell, has the ability to create something great.” “Instead of looking at the glass half full or half empty, try adding to the glass.”

A childhood friend of Nick joins the podcast from his hometown in Prior Lake. Skyler Hackett is a future pilot and has traveled to 68 different countries. His goal is to travel to every country on the map. He shares different stories and experiences from traveling country to country, compares and contrast the differences between America and the rest of the world, how it has shaped his mindset, creating lasting relationships and advice that he has for other travelers. Introduction, discusses finding himself while traveling. Nick and Skyler share their experience of being an American in different countries. They also compare the differences between America and the countries they’ve been to.(0:00-11:06) Networking and creating relationships abroad and advice for people wanting to travel and while traveling. (11:08-17:04) Stories while traveling, avoiding getting scammed, pushing himself out of his comfort zone, and breaking the routine of everyday life. (17:05-26:55) How traveling has changed him. (26:55-30:32) Future as a pilot, challenging yourself, traveling in today’s age, and connecting with the Bold Perceptions community. (30:33-41:07) ***Nick's Notes: I was blown away by the Skyler I recorded with. Totally different person than the shy, quite and goofy Skyler I used to know (well maybe still goofy). It is amazing how much traveling can change a person, and the energy Skyler gave off was amazing. This episode will inspire and motivate you to live outside your comfort zone - where all the magic is. I am excited to have Skyler apart of the Bold Perceptions community, because more then likely he will be able to connect you with someone in any country you are traveling too. QUOTES ———— “My goal is to travel to every single country.” “You cannot care about people’s opinion of you while you are traveling.” “It’s a mental vacation, you get all the bullshit out of your head.” “While traveling people want to help you, they are willing to take care of you” “I’ve had to bribe cops multiple times [while traveling].” “We as Americans don’t negotiate, and that is one of the most fun parts of traveling.” “You got to survive the chaos while traveling and it makes you grow as a person. That is why I keep pushing to go to more and more countries.” “I just want to see it all, it’s the biggest adventure, breaking your everyday routine. I thrive off of the disorganization.” “You never know what will happen, any night you are in a place you have never been before.” “There is something special about the relationships you make while traveling.” “Traveling has made me more curious and more adventurous.” “Now is the time of your life to take advantage of exploring the world” “It is such simple things in life that people blame their problems on, its all your mindset” “I am genuinely curious about traveling to North Korea and Afghanistan.” “Most people in the world are good people.” “Seeing how others live their day to day lives is super interesting to me.” “Last four years have been chaos, and I’ve loved it, and now I am trying to build a career around it.” “Be comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Live from the Rocky Mountains in Denver, Colorado, Nick welcomes Serg Mendoza on the podcast. Serg is a former college football player, who is now attending law school in pursuit of his Masters Degree. He discusses the importance of financial education, shares tips on managing money, deciding on finance as his future, his father migrating to America and working long days to become his own boss, and life advice for others. Introduction, attending law school, how to manage your finances and avoiding debt. (0:00-7:57) The importance of controlling your financial future, the best ways to self educate, budgeting, and saving for retirement. (8:00-17:30) The reason he chose finance, his father being the essence of the American Dream, and the usefulness of working hard now for a better future. (17:32-21:54) Tips for individuals wanting to enter finance, his experience of being a college athlete while earning his accounting degree. (21:55-28:53) Life advice, quotes he lives by, and willingness to help out the Bold Perceptions community. (28:54-34:27) *** Nick's Notes ~ Smoking shisha, catching up with friends and recording for Bold Perceptions is a great day in my books. It was nice being back in the Rocky Mountains and seeing big Serg! I admired Serg's work ethic when we were teammates and I love seeing him put that focus into learning about money. Serg will be an awesome asset to the Bold Perceptions community, as he truly cares about other people and wants to see them be successful! QUOTES ———— “As a youth it is very important to take control of your finances rather than waiting until you are older” “Step number one in managing your finances is self-control.” “Arm yourself with personal financial knowledge in order to manage your financial situation.” “Everybody is the captain of their own financial future.” “Instead of spending money at Starbucks every day of the week, invest in a coffee maker. Instead of lining their pocket books, line your own.” “Sacrifice temporary satisfaction now and pay yourself in the future.” “Start saving for retirement now because social security for us is out of the question.” “With how hard [my dad] worked, to make sure we had a better life, It would be a slap in a face to him if I did not take advantage of that.” “You just have to believe in yourself, and you will be able to accomplish what you want.” “If you want to do anything, don’t do anything half assed.” “You’re an athlete but you are also way more than that.” “Anything worth achieving in life is never easily attained.”

Joey Rosensteel is an entrepreneur who started his own insurance brokerage at the age of 23, while only having attended college for six months. Joey discusses the insurance industry and trusting himself to start his own company. He shares his story from his senior year of high school, where he had a child and his father went to prison and how he overcame those challenges using faith. Background on Joey and not going to college. (1:53-5:14) His sales process and how to sell in the insurance industry, moving away from a set salary and starting his own brokerage, and lessons he learned along the way. (5:15-19:00) Dives into his rocky senior, having a child, giving her up for adoption, and helping people in a similar situation. (19:01-31:50) His father going to prison, becoming the man of the house, god testing him and how he remainder focus and overcoming it. (31:51-40:25) Finding faith and religion, what it means to him, and having a relationship with God. (40:27-46:37) What Joey has learned from his high and lows, his brother taking a vow of poverty, embracing yourself and advice he has for others. (46:40-54:58) *** Nick's Notes ~ It was awesome seeing Joey at his brand new office! We have been friends since High School, and though I knew he had went through struggles - I would have never guessed how bad it was, as he never showed it. I admire Joey's perseverance greatly, as not many people could of handled what he went through. I am very happy for how well Joey is doing, it comes as no surprise to me that he is trailblazing his way through the business world, and I know his story and knowledge will help many in the community! QUOTES ———— “People don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care” “I approach sales with a friendship that I’m trying to have for the next 40-50 years” “When it comes to sales, Relationships are the key and trying to help people” “People are going in for the quick sale, not in the best interest for the customer” “Its definitely going from a paycheck every two weeks to not seeing a paycheck for 3-4 months, but it is definitely worth it.” “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard” “I’ve seen people that are wicked talented, smartest guys in the room but they are lazy” “I think working 40 hours a week is lazy, especially if you’re trying to start your own business” "So many outside factors that you can’t control, but they one thing you can control is working hard” “I just think you [Joey] are a piece of shit and you’ll be a piece of shit the rest of your life” “We don’t really know why things happen until you play life backwards” “If you make a mistake, lick your wounds, and try to do the next best thing” “Went through rock bottom my senior year of high school while everyone is else is having the time of their life” “Two year stretch where I wasn’t religious at all, I was pissed off” “I was looking at it the wrong way, ‘why did this happen to me’ but looking back, it’s ‘wow look at what we did’” “My whole life, I was a winner, I had the confidence but when all that happened I though I was a loser, I lost all that confidence” “We went to church every Sunday, you do this and that but none of that really matters until you have a relationship with god” "If I don’t believe something [with church] and if I don’t believe something thats okay because that is what faith is for” “Faith isn’t if I don’t like something I am going to go do it my own way” “Just stay true to who you are” “Don’t try to please everyone, just please yourself” “People just need to focus on what makes them happy” “Saw a poll that said 9 out 10 millennials do not think they are good enough” “Stop focusing all the stuff others are doing, focus on yourself” “If we were all the same, our world would be screwed. And we are all trying to be the same”

Chris Walton is an performance psychologist, entrepreneur, psychical trainer, and author of the book; The Gamma Mindset. He gives us an overview of The Gamma Mindset, a system that puts an individual in a peak state of consciousness, which everyone is capable of reaching. Chris discusses flow, aligning your subconscious with the universe, manifesting, power of the subconscious, and aligning your thoughts to reach your dreams. He challenges modern science’s view on how the brain works. He shares testimonials from his past experiences working with top athletes in the world and experiences of his own that shaped his belief system. As he says, “Get into the zone, tune in, and relax!” Introduction into who Chris Walton is. (1:30-3:24) He gives an overview of The Gamma Mindset and explains how to reach a state of flow. “The magic is when you put them all together you reach a relaxation and level and complete state of flow.” (4:15-20:50) Discusses how to reach peak performance and “having a strong energy field.” Describes how we are apart of consciousness where all answers and information comes from. (20:52-32:23) Having a balance in life while also having a positive mental aptitude and trusting your intuition. (32:26-39:05) Dealing with skeptics of his techniques, conventional mindset versus post-Conventional mindset, challenging modern day scientists, exploring consciousness, and memory not being stored in our brain. (39:12-52:09) Nick shares a story about a dream that came to fruition. Your future self is creating your present reality. (52:10-58:40) Chris shares his successes working with athletes and entrepreneurs. Rewiring your subconscious to make your dreams a reality. (58:44-1:12:01) Discusses his book, books he recommends, and action tips.(1:12:02-1:22:15). ***Nick's Notes - Crazy how the universe works and how this book came into my hands at this time. The book is awesome. Makes you challenge what you think is real and possible. I loved it, and I was very happy to get Chris on the podcast to share the wisdom with the community! QUOTES “The magic is when you put them all together you reach a relaxation and level and complete state of flow.” “All it takes is self-belief and confidence, anybody can do it” “We are all broadcasting energy which is our personal energy signature” “Consciousness is not created by the brain, it is a field of energy and information in which everything comes from, we come from that, everything comes from that” “The mass population is in this conventional mindset” “Challenging your beliefs on how you think the world works, at the same time who you are and what you are is an exciting ride, You realize you are much more than a psychical body” “Memory is not in our brain, it is stored somewhere else” we are not challenging scientific facts, we are challenging a belief” “The brain is not a file cabinet, thats what the leading edge of science tells us. I see it as a satellite dish.” “consciences is first and the brain is second” “We may have a million lives of ourselves happening at the same time” “Connect to a field a energy and information within yourself, not some higher being. You are that higher being.” “The book makes you believe beyond possibility” “Put your hand on your heart and say ‘I choose healing’ and healing means wholeness”

Nick is back in America and welcomes his long-time friend Jake. Jake had a three year battle with addiction and opens up about it for the first time on the podcast. His longtime marijuana use morphed into full on indulgence with harder drugs, such as, Opiates and Xanax. Nick and Jake take a deep dive into the dark world of drug addiction. He illustrates his experiences, being a functional drug addict, affects on his life and relationships, hitting rock bottom, and beginning a new life. Nick and Jake begin the conversation with Nick asking Jake how his slope into drug addiction began. (2:32-5:37) Jake discusses troubles with the law. (5:37-7:05) He talks functioning in everyday life while going to school and working while being under the influence and what drugs he was using. (7:07-12:07) Nick inquires about how drugs affected his life and relationships. (12:08-18:56) Jake describes how he lifted himself from rock bottom. (18:57-20:52) After three years of drug use, Jake talks maintaining sobriety and advice he has for those struggling with substance abuse. (20:53-30:02) Jake let’s us know how he feel about the future. (30:44-34:03) *** Nick’s Notes ~ Seeing Jake in person for the first time in about a year, after all the recent struggles that I had heard about through the grapevine, I was thrilled by the positive energy he gave off. Jake has been a good friend of mine, and to see him full of life again brought me back in time to when we were kids. I am very happy and proud of Jake for sharing his story and trying to help others that might be going through what he did. I also believe by him doing this podcast, there is no going back - as he will be held to it!

Nick welcomes the multi-talented, Claus Elming, during his last day in Copenhagen before traveling back to the United States. Mr. Elming is a Danish TV Host and American football proprietor. Claus is comparable to John Madden in what he has done in growing American Football in Europe. He facilitated bringing American football to Denmark after falling in love with the game while living in the United States as an exchange student. He started two Football clubs, coached in the Danish Football league in 2002, and has been a NFL TV analyst for years. Claus was inducted into the Danish American Football Federation Hall of Fame. Mr. Elming is the Danish Ryan Seacreast, hosting the Danish Good Morning America, Dancing with the Stars for 12 years, the Miss Universe contest and Miss Denmark. In this episode, Claus explains his story of introducing American Football to Denmark and the challenges that presented. (1:30-11:00) He shares how he got into the world of TV. (11:00-12:46) The conversation becomes deep as Claus describes what it is like handling the negatives of being a celebrity and how to deal with them in a positive way. (12:48-20:54) He opens up for the first time about his hiatus from the entertainment industry due to stress and anxiety. (20:56- 26:38) Nick and Claus take a deep dive into dealing with deliberating anxiety and overcoming it. (26:39-32:47) Claus let’s us know what he has planned for the remainder of the year and where you can find him. (32:48-35:13). You can find more from Claus Elming here: https://many.link/nflming *** Nick's Notes ~ Claus has made a huge impact on my life and was a big reason I chose to live overseas. I can't thank him enough for the amazing experience and making me feel welcome in a whole new world. This recording was very powerful, and I respect Claus tremendously for speaking out about very personal issues. I know it will resonate with someone and hopefully make a difference in their life!

After a tough loss in the National Semi Finals, Nick sits down with the President of the Søllerød Gold Diggers. Casper Reinhardt, became the President of the club when he was only 21 years old, and has built a very successful organization that includes 7 year old cheerleaders to 35 year old adults on the senior team. The road wasn't easy, as Casper had to prove to many his age wouldn't be a problem, but he fought through adversity like he had done so earlier in his life living in America. During the day, Casper is also a successful marketer for his family's bicycle business, and has recently left for Madrid to get his Masters in sports management in cooperation with Real Madrid C.F. (one of the top soccer clubs in the world)! This episode covers: getting out of your comfort zone, managing and dealing with people, marketing, fighting through adversity, state of Danish American football, and much more - enjoy!

While in Lisbon, Portugal, Nick met up with the newest member of the Bold Perceptions Team: Martina Rmush! At Nice Way Cascais Hostel and Surf Camp, Martina and Nick talk about what she will be bringing to Bold Perceptions, and her crazy life story. Martina, from Macedonia, has been traveling the world for the past 8 years. From studying Italian Literature in Tuscany, working real estate in London, getting her Masters in Barcelona, and many more stops along the way. Martina has experienced, learned, networked many times over in her young life, and we are very excited to bring her knowledge and skills to the Bold Perceptions Team! In this episode we also hit on: freelancing, marketing, being a free spirit, traveling, television, getting out of your comfort zone, and much more - enjoy!

Kali Ketterling, a young successful Human Resources Coordinator, sits down with Nick at Cafe Beruit in Copenhagen, Denmark. Kali, from Minnesota, was on a two week travel experience around Europe and stopped by to see her favourite person in the world! This episode is all about building a successful and happy work environment, resume and interview tips, working with the Minnesota Twins, how to earn respect in the business world as a young woman, traveling, dealing with stress and networking. Kali has been a listener to the podcast since the beginning, and is very excited to share and give value, not only through the podcast, but also to the Bold Perceptions community in the real world. Kali is looking to network and connect with like minded people in the community, and find out how she can provide value to others!

Heem and Nick talk about how they go about networking. Networking success stories, action tips you can do TODAY, and much more. Enjoy!

In the midst of everyday relationship building, the universe aligned me (Braheem) with a gentleman who goes by the name of Jeremy Salvatori. I know he has the name for a lead actor in an Academy Award-winning film, but this guy is the furthest thing from an actor. He is very much the real deal as he has found a way to obtain and sustain substantial success in commercial real estate over the past 7 years. To no surprise, Jeremy Salvatori has always had his sights set high since he was the young boy who attended MICDS high school in St. Louis, Missouri. Thereafter, he received his undergrad in economics at Amherst college and then later attended and graduated from Law school at Washington University in St. Louis. In this episode, Mr. Savvytori provides in-depth illustrations and examples on how to capitalize on hidden opportunities not only in real estate, but in life. Some of us may not know it, but we have an abundance of resources that surround us that we can use to our advantage to generate wealth and income. It’s just a matter of being intuitive of our surroundings. Jeremy’s knowledge in not only economics and contractual law, but in understanding people has a lot to do with the success he has achieved in his life. When you and your partners own over 500,000 square feet of commercial property AND you manage it FULL TIME, you better have a good grasp on your industry and how to effectively work with people. If there is one thing that I want you guys to take from this episode, it would be to look for the cracks in the cement and fill it with value. From $6,000 to $1,000,000, that is what this man did, that is what this man does…enjoy the episode go-getters.

Synchro destiny, that is what took place on a sunny day at the beautiful Macanudo Cigar lounge in the heart of Copenhagen. Nick noticed an interesting fella in the lounge and decided to joke around with his outfit, tennis shoes and a sports jacket. Turns out, that someone was none other than the world-renowned doctor, author and speaker - Sanjiv Chopra. The Doctor and Nick clicked right away, speaking on everything from happiness, to finding purpose, meditation and success over cigars. Sanjiv was in town for his 70th birthday, traveling around Europe for the last couple weeks with his family celebrating. Thankfully, the former Faculty Dean for Continuing Medical Education at Harvard Medical School, was ecstatic to get on Bold Perceptions the next day. This episode was just one hour of the five hours Sanjiv and Nick spent together over the course of two days, and the beginning of a friendship Nick is extremely grateful for. This episode is loaded with wisdom, laughs, and positive energy - enjoy!

Nick sits down with a Swedish Pastry Chef in Ystad, Sweden. Alice Reinholdsson talks about her journey in cooking, getting into a flow state, the 'movie experience' of fine dining, fresh ingredients, dealing with critics, food around Europe, and how she escapes through creating delicious food that puts smiles on faces. Enjoy!

In this podcast, we’re going to dig deep into the story of Kenzie Shell. A woman who has made a significant impact on the lives of strangers such as myself(Braheem) due to her being the genuine individual that she is. She is always willing and seeking to help others because she has helped herself through so much adversity that she believes it is part of her purpose to make an impact on others as well. Now, who is Kenzie Shell? Well, let’s just say she is much more than a division 1 track & field athlete for the Oklahoma Sooners who is now preparing to be a professional pole vaulter. She is a woman who has had her fair share of ups and downs. She has dealt with the pressure of expectations. She has overcame the fear of disappointment. She had the strength to seek help from a sports psychologist that absolutely changed her life and performance as a division 1 athlete. Where as a lot of athletes tend to rely on their physical abilities to succeed, they also try to correct them when they’re not succeeding. There’s no problem in that but Kenzie Shell dug deeper. She has an understanding of how powerful the mind truly is. She overcame the voices in her head that were filled with doubt and uncertainty. She got help from her sports psychologist, developed a strong relationship with God, and grew closer to her family even though she was a thousand miles away from home. Her mental stability, strong support system, and hobbies outside of track and field have been absolutely critical to her happiness and success as a pole vaulter for the University of Oklahoma.

Heem and Nick are joined by John Mill, a neuroscience researcher in Washington DC, to talk affirmations. John has used affirmations for the past three years to help achieve his goals, or “systems”, and talks about how affirmations can not only change a daily attitude, but change an approach to life. Affirmations have played a big role in the successes John, Nick, and Heem have achieved, and this episode talks about what they are, how to do them, and the impact they can have. Let's dive into how writing down things we want to achieve allows us to better perceive them in our environment, and leads to an element of magic that just happens when we put things out there. . . . Buckle up, this will change your life!

Take control of your life. Take full accountability. Take full responsibility of everything that has ever happened to you. Stop giving everyone and everything power over you. Stop blaming others. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Take action!

Paris Burrell is a current leader for Prague's chapter of Youth With a Mission, the largest non-profit missions organization in the world. Over the last four years Paris has traveled around the world and helped the less fortunate. Through these life changing experiences, Paris was able to fill an empty void within himself. In this episode: Paris explains how you can join the organization, what his experiences and travels have taught him, and his journey from hitting rock bottom to becoming more fulfilled than he could have ever imagined. The amazing opportunities Paris presents, or the impact his story will have on you - makes this episode a must listen.

Bold Perceptions welcomes a new Co-Host, Braheem Crews. Heem is an aspiring artist who just graduated from Central Michigan and now is pursuing his dream in music down in beautiful Tampa Bay. In this episode Braheem introduces himself to the community, and comes out firing with positive energy. Braheem, also known as Heem, has been through a lot in his life, but has found himself through ACTION and watching what he consumes in all aspects of life, and is now on the cusp of living his dreams. Heem is no rookie to broadcasting or putting himself out there, as he was a co-host of the number one radio show in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Heem, through his energy, life experience and fearlessness aims to bring Bold Perceptions to the next level!

Islam Abzorov, the co-host of the National League podcast, has brought up our names in the past on the football league podcast he co-hosts (often with hot takes). Over a month ago, Dez was a guest on their podcast and talked with Islam about his comments on Dez not being worth the money. We came full circle and had Islam on Bold Perceptions to settle any and all beefs! In this episode we find out who the man really is behind all the hot takes, and end up giving a synopsis of what we see as outsiders looking in at the game of football in Denmark. Other topics covered in this episode are: growing up a war refugee, finance trading, startup life, how content is created, and many more - enjoy!

***Being a creative introvert type, Thomas takes a little time to warm up. The first 10 minutes of this episode will seem slow, but is key to understanding the type of person and will connect dots as the show goes on. Thomas is a different kind of guest to what we have brought on, but a main goal of Bold Perceptions is to show different perspectives. Thomas Shumate, a successful artist from Minnesota, takes Nick inside the mind of a poet. Thomas shows listeners the creative world of poetry, using writing to heal, and 'taking the leap'. In this episode, Thomas performs his award winning poem, 'Anything', and dissects it for the audience. Finding your inner creativity and expressing it is a challenge for everyone, and in this episode Thomas explains how to tap into that creative 'flow' and how to release it to the world. Misread Lines - Thomas Shumate https://www.amazon.com/Misread-Lines-Thomas-Shumate/dp/1524599492 "Misread Lines is a compilation of poetry written over the course of four years. It contains themes of romance, animals, nature, destruction, self-reflection, and internal insecurity. Each poem is episodic to the nature of the book itself, yet many share common themes. Beginning on December 20, 2012, and ending in December 2016, Misread Lines follows the growth of Thomas Shumate as a poet and, simultaneously, as a person. Each poem is an emotional chapter into the realm of his thoughts. Through colorful imagery, storytelling, metaphor, and strong adherence to slant rhyme, assonance, and alliteration, Thomas artfully portrays the conflict within himself and his life." Thomas Shumate - "Anything" (Video of Thomas performing 'Anything') https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLC5PJtWBigV3yB7TF-IemjuP5VFz4q5CR&time_continue=7&v=CTMJOc-UvKY

Peter, Nick's waiter at Beach Boutique in Kamari Santorini, sat down with us to talk about his life and Santorini. Peter, from mainland Greece, is currently working a summer job on the beautiful island of Santorini. Having just left the Greek Military and graduating with a finance and accounting degree at only 23, Peter is looking forward to working in finance around the world - motivated by the Wolf of Wall Street. In this episode we talk about everything from life in Greece, traveling, college abroad, living life, and a few jokes along the way. Enjoy!

We take a break from exploring Pompeii and reflect on the past month of traveling to Madrid, Budapest, Malta, Rome, Split and Naples. The trip has been a nonstop adventure, and with only a week left - we wanted to share with our listeners what we have seen, done and learned. Enjoy!

Continuing our travels in Split, Croatia we connect with a local 'superstar'; Barbara Dapic, professional volleyball player. Barbara's volleyball career started in Croatia at a young age and at times she did not think she would continue to play the sport. She found her way getting a full scholarship to the University of Arkansas. Leaving her family and friends behind to go the states and on a plane for the very first time. With so many new things in front of her in the states she made it out with a degree in nutrition and found her way back to Europe playing the sport she loved, while being able to play in her dream country. Now Barbara is choosing the next country she wants to play in while continuing to train in Split.

While in Budapest we take time to interview a young entrepreneur, Kevin Martin from Milan, Italy. Raised by parents from Africa and shown early on what it's like to hustle for what you want. Kevin grew up always being the man of the house and showing his three sisters the way around. Kevin was always fascinated with self improvement and helping others to improve mentally and physically. But also found his way to Budapest in the night scene of club promoting. Kevin is only 22 and has learned that networking is key to get to places you want to be at.

Currently in Budapest, Dez and Nick were able to get a skype interview in with Trace Grain all the way in Martha's Vineyard. From Michigan to Colorado to DC, Trace has become a very successful young man who currently holds four degrees. Trace is a data scientist in the business world, and just took a high end job in the nation's capital, Washington DC. Trace comes from a very successful family that is well known in Michigan, and have been trailblazers for African Americans in the education and medicine fields. Growing up in a good family, Trace was taught how to become successful and is now spreading that knowledge to those around him. We came away learning a ton from Trace, and can't wait to see what his future holds in DC!

We went on a rowboat in Madrid's famous park, El Retiro. Didn't think ahead and had to hold the mic, so the sound can be a little choppy (raw and uncut!). Almost fell off a couple times, but ended up getting a great discussion in about what we have seen so far and ate in lovely Madrid, starting out our month long vacation around the Mediterranean, touch on the recent 'beef' we got into with another podcast in Denmark, and then finally our first real controversial topic - gun control. Our listeners have been wanting us to bring up controversial topics, and we believed the time was right to start hitting on them and showing people that you can have a real conversation and that people do have different perceptions. Enjoy!

RJ Harris, another guy that has climbed the ladder to reach his dream and goal of being a football star. Rj is a former UNH superstar that received many of accolades in D1AA; All- American three years in a row, most receptions in school history and breaking all of Jerry Rice's records. Big shoes to fill Rj proceeded to chase his career into the NFL and saw the crazy side of what that business is like. From bouncing from team to team now finally landing at home in the CFL. Rj is in his fifth year of his professional career and taking the leadership role for the Ottawa Red Blacks. 4

A young entrepreneur on the cusp of something big for his future. Simon has been big in the fitness industry since the age of seventeen and always found great joy in helping people achieve their goals. During his fitness journey he also enjoyed playing sports and constantly staying active. After his sports career came to an end, Simon's entrepreneurial mind kept going after being influenced by his entrepreneur parents. Along the way Simon also found his way into modeling for different brands and becoming a pioneer for the Instagram influencer wave. He is sponsored by a couple of companies that he fully believes in and would rep them even if we he wasn't sponsored. Simon continues his fitness journey on regular basis but also has a new venture of starting his own clothing brand. I guess you can say whatever Simon says he does.

Gustav Nielsen one of our U19 football players took time out his schedule to sit down with us and tell his story. From moving to a country every four years, making new friends and finding an outlet with American Football. For a guy born in the 2000s and being part of Generation Z, Gustav is very mature for his age. Proud to coach him and see where he goes next in his life full of adventure.

Dez gets Nick back in the gym for the first time in a few weeks with one of his close friends Simon. We got through a very tough high intensity workout that ended with a little boxing. We take you back to what we learned from the Cashman interview. So much to say about a guy that's fought through so much adversity and still wants to give back. Our trip to Prague was one for the books. We found a random bachelor party (Pascal) to pick our winners for the contest, a lot of Lime scooter rides, beer gardens and jumping in the river. But as they all say 'what happens in Prague stays in Prague.' Dez gets a little taste of a critic from the National League podcast. Then our four events going on over here that maybe a few don't know about; Fifa World Cup Women, National Refill Day, Faroe Islands tradition, Sudan massacre.

Blake Cashman, current New York Jet, has had a story book journey that could be made into a movie. Blake started his football career in the Eden Prairie, Minnesota, a state that is given very little respect when It comes to college football recruiting. Growing up Blake played many different sports such as ice hockey, basketball and football. He fought through multiple injuries in high school (missing most of his freshman, sophomore and junior season), which resulted in his teammates giving him the nick name "Glassman". After the injuries and very little recruitment, Blake found his way walking on to the University of Minnesota. All the negative words, doubt and adversity helped fuel a hunger in Blake, resulting in him earning a scholarship and becoming a star for the Gophers. Once his senior season had finished Blake entered the NFL Draft and was selected in the fifth round by the New York Jets, after again proving all the doubters wrong with a NFL combine nobody expected. Not bad for a guy that was told he would never play a down at Minnesota and that he was making the worst mistake of his life walking on to the university. Blake is not only a football player, as he also runs his own nonprofit 'Athletes Answer to Hunger', which he started as a freshman at University of Minnesota. With many great things in the future coming for Blake, we wish him the best on his NFL journey and cannot wait to see what he produces on and off the field!

We take a stroll through another new part of Copenhagen, Christiania. Also known as the free-town or weed paradise whatever way you want to look at It (we did not participate in any extra curricular activities). A quick game review as we faced the Odense Badgers and came out with a large impressive win. A little recap of a true trailblazer Becca Longo and her first ever time telling her full story. Becca is truly one of a kind for what she has gone through and continues to fight for, we wish her the best of luck. With another great interview in the rearview mirrors, we bring on Blake Cashman (coming Saturday). A guy that has fought and still fights through adversity, taking action and becoming a DOER! A new accountability project on the horizon for those that are like us; tired of the talkers and ready to jump into the role of doers. Life is about taking action and control of your own or sitting on the sideline and watching others flourish from their actions. Our contest is now coming to its final days so do not forget to subscribe, rate, review and send us a screenshot before Friday! Our lucky winners will be selected by a random stranger this weekend as we travel to Prague.

Becca Longo, the first woman to receive a football scholarship in American football. Becca takes listeners behind the scenes of unheard and unspoken truth, not shown by the media. Dealing with fame, trailblazing into American college football, handling critics and haters. Becca Longo takes the mic and shares what really went down.

This weekend Nick took on the streets of Vienna, Austria. A country full of history and different cultures. Although alone Nick did what we stand for and was bold finding a stranger in a local cigar lounge to interview. Regil was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to New York City at the age of three, but is now currently living in Vienna for the next three weeks. He was sent on a school internship to help teach kids English and continue his psychology study. Regil picked up school at the age of thirty-five and now has one year left until he graduates - where he will become a school psychologist. He comes from a background of entrepreneurship (where he has helped put together major events like the Met Gala), and blue collar work ethic that lead him to work many different jobs throughout his life. It is his first time abroad and he plans to take full advantage fo being over here for the next three weeks and venture to places he always dreamed of. Regil was full of knowledge and stories of success in an unconventional route!

We took the time to meet with one of the top fitness trainers in Denmark Mike Peterson. Mike takes you through his path of being a Danish athlete in America for 6 years and back to Denmark. How intermediate fasting has changed his diet and boosted his testosterone. Chock full of diet tips and the time frame it takes to see a change in the body. Every diet is different and has different benefits/effects for everyone, you just have to figure out the one that is best for you. The early stages of his fitness journey through athletics and how America helped shape him. Going from the culture in Denmark to a complete change in America where guys eat sleep and breathe the sport. Also the differences in culture from West Coast to East Coast to Midwest in America. Then hitting a complete change and transition being an athlete to now coaching athletes. The struggle of being a GA and living paycheck to paycheck having to spend his last year sleeping on the couch but making things work because of the drive and passion for what he believed in. Mike now runs his own strength and conditioning program in Denmark to help change the culture and help athletes and non athletes reach that next level but not only in the weight room but mentally from a personal stand point.

Nick's parents took a trip over to Denmark from Minnesota to see our side of the world. We discuss what it's like to embrace our critics and realize it's exactly what we asked for. This weekend was also our first loss and a great eye opener. Losing is never easy for competitors but sometimes it helps, it brings you back down to earth and wakes you up to go back to the fundamentals. With trips on the horizon we discuss what we are excited to see and ways we play flight roulette!

Tak for Kaffe. Our insights from the interview with kajsa. Dez’s take on ‘The War of Art’. Being a professional compared to an amateur, the professional knows critics will come and to just start. Our listeners questions.

The picture that was always painted for me (dez) and what I have been chasing the past 3 years. A moment of vulnerability but the real all the listeners have been asking for.

Surrounding yourself with those that are positive influences.

Bold perceptions intro. Taps into the mind of two Americans traveling abroad and playing American football in Denmark. Touching on every subject people are afraid to doing it raw and uncut.