Man Overseas Podcast

In this 12th consecutive solo episode, I talk about what's happening in our great nation right now—the Inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States. I discuss what his presidency means for the country moving forward.I also talk on the topic of human nature and share my thoughts on the two genders we now recognize in America. As we've seen these past few days, Trump has made "two genders" official policy in the US, which sadly speaks to how far left we'd gone. Also, he's cancelled racist and sexist DEI initiatives!And just like last episode, I pick up where we left off with Gurwinder's Useful Concepts for 2025. These ideas are packed with insight to sharpen your thinking and improve your perspective.

Happy New Year! In this 11th solo episode (and first of 2025), I dive into heavy topics that hit close to home. For example, I discuss the recent Bourbon Street terror attack in New Orleans. The tragedy of it is particularly unsettling since I've been there at 3am more than once. And watching the horrific videos of people getting hit by a truck going 60mph shook me.I also cover topics ranging from my favorite music to the incompetence stemming from DEI policies. There's also talk about investing. And I hope what's shared here about politics & race is at least thought-provoking, even if you don't agree.Lastly, I go over some of Gurwinder's 40 useful concepts again this year from his X/Twitter post—there are some great takeaways for anyone looking to level-up in 2025.

Merry Christmas! In this 10th and probably last solo episode of 2024, I start by talking about business & politics, since the two intersect in ways we often overlook.I also discuss losing 7 years' worth of readers & listeners during my eight-month hiatus. There were lessons learned from that experience.The value of prayer & meditation in managing your thoughts and emotions is understated. I share how they've helped me to navigate a rollercoaster year.And to wrap things up, I answer some of the "fun" questions I've asked my past guests—turning the tables on myself for a change.

In this 9th solo episode, I talk about why we're in Mexico. Two main reasons: I wanted to give the wife a break; I had another medical procedure done. After the misery of recovering from previous procedures, I figured if I had to go through it again, I'd rather recover on a beach in Cancun with unlimited good food & drink.I share our awful experience at an all-inclusive resort. We had to leave after the first night and transferred to a Hilton property. For just $50 more per night, the difference was night-and-day.I also discuss why I've been doing these podcasts solo since my return. You'll hear my thoughts on social media engagement and the toxic comparison culture it breeds.

In this 8th solo episode, I talk about a few topics surrounding NFL star Ryan Clark, including how the media spun his Westbank upbringing into a rags-to-riches story. As someone who grew up around him, I knew better.My brother ran into Clark at the airport, and they started chatting about the epic basketball games we played as kids. Not surprisingly, Ryan remembered it all—he even remembered the nickname he had for me: "Popeye."I also dive into media personalities and politics. How I believe political talent is discovered based on their acting skills as much as anything else.And I share a never-before-told story from a trip to Thailand, where me and few friends had a run-in with ladyboys reminiscent of The Hangover II.

Back for solo episode 7. I dive into techniques on how to improve your memory—sharing tips that have helped me to remember names and lists.I also give my take on the recent election, with a bit of humor and a bot of speculation. Plus, there’s a story from my trip to Vietnam, where I had eye-opening experiences. For example, I was told the "American War" is not to be talked about in North Vietnam.In the last episode, I touched on the origins of heroin. Here I mention the article I wrote about how the Nazis used methamphetamine to fuel their wartime aggression—a shocking discovery from Norman Ohler’s Blitzed, which is a must-read for anyone curious about World War II’s lesser-known history.

Back for consecutive solo episode 6 from New Orleans. I share some of what I learned from a mind-blowing book I just finished—Blitzed by Norman Ohler. It’s a fascinating look at how the rise of modern societies is as intertwined with the drug trade as much as technological advances.I had no idea until now—but some people believe humanity’s origins were fueled by drugs. It's wild!I also talk about baseball, basketball & football cards, sharing a story from my card-collecting days. Turns out, winning a homerun derby at 10 years old scored me some valuable cards—including the Carl Yastrzemskii with sideburns.

Back in H-town. In this 5th consecutive solo episode, I continue the discussion on money & investing.But first—I share feedback on the recent blog article: "Why Nice Guys Finish Last: An Open Letter to Men." (Mens' responses were positive; womens' mixed.)I also explore investment strategies for high net worth individuals, share thoughts on IPOs, ETFs & individual 'tickers' you might not be aware of.Then I go back to the future to talk about the prospects of more nuclear energy. You might remember "Doc's" Delorean ran on the "Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor." Well, since the energy landscape is rapidly changing, I talk about investment opportunities in nuclear power and AI/Robotics.

Still in Prague. In this 4th consecutive solo episode, I dive into the P Diddy controversy and share what I believe is going on right now. Although I’ve been a rap enthusiast most of my life, I’ve never been a fan of the Diddler. I liked Mase.I also talk about spending money on experiences vs things. Why that’s so important. As someone who’s burned through quite a bit of cash traveling across the eurozone—I share tips on how you can avoid doing the same.I also speak about how I plan to teach my kid about money & investing.

3rd solo episode from Europe. I tell tales from Central Europe and a childhood story that contributed to us being here.I discuss "why Prague?" and share a brief history of Czechoslovakia.Crazy to see how much has changed since my first time here in 2015. If present-day Prague interests you, I'll share tips for visitors these next few episodes, and talk about how the city has evolved since the fall of communism.I also share memories of getting our first Nintendo and my first concert in 1992.

In this solo episode, I share the story of our unexpected journey from Berchtesgaden, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary. Our month-long stay in Berchtesgaden was cut short. But it turned into an adventurous detour due to a problem with our Airbnb.We "trained" 8 hours east. From Germany - Austria - Hungary, finally settling in my 2nd-favorite city in the world: Budapest.I also talk about a recent Twitter/X beef I had about parenting, and why going to the Coldplay concert in Munich was non-negotiable for me.

Tupac once said twelve shots couldn't stop him, he took it and smiled. The problem for Pac was he didn't know what was coming next.I know the feeling. Things can go from bad to worse real fast.The past year's been a nightmare for your newly-humbled host with an old podcast.I feel like I went up a muddy mountain trail with unsuspecting Cu Chi Tunnel spikes and the occasional alligator moat. Not to mention there was a dragon to slay at the top that I might be battling the rest of my life.So I thought it was time to revive the podcast. I come to you from Berchtesgaden, Germany (pictured), home of Eagle's Nest. Recorded this quick episode to ease back into podcasting and let you know what the Overseas crew's been up to.I also give thanks to friends and family who've supported me through the worst of it—full story to come soon.Listen to recent travel stories, thoughts on Christ, and books that go hard like a healthy male with a Zyn habit.

In this final episode of 2023, I share personal stories from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, comment on others’ ‘Best of’ Lists & Quotes, and share an update on the near-future of the podcast.Here’s what’s covered in this final episode of 2023:Top 5 Wealth Killers by Peter MalloukBy a landslide: credit card debtHigh student loans without a high earning degreeHouse(s) / car(s) beyond needs and with a higher carrying cost than you can affordA partner that encourages excessive spendingPersonal lifestyle creepLouis L’Amour was one of the world’s most popular authors. My friend, Joseph Wells (@josephcwells on X), who wrote How to Become the Richest Man in Babylon, in October 2019, read L’Amour’s autobiography in 2023 and wrote the Top 10 Lessons he learned:Expect rejection and be pleasantly surprised by success.Don’t let school interfere with your education.Only judge people of the past based on standards of the past.Ideas are everywhere. All you have to do is pay attention.Just because you disagree with someone doesn’t mean you can’t learn from them.Having an opinion is not the same as thinking. The latter is more valuable than the former.“Only one who has learned much can fully appreciate his ignorance.”The best way to be a bad manager is to act before you understand a situation.“Talent is nothing but long patience.”“Let people know what you’re looking for. Often the best information will come from the least likely sources.”By the way, I’ve been reading Joseph Wells’ The Lake Street Journal for 4 years. It’s sent to my Inbox every Friday morning. I recommend it.

My guest today is Jacob Shamban. He's a financial advisor who is hardworking and conscientious. Jacob also happens to be the only guest we've had NOT born in the 20th Century!The dynamic 22-year-old is breaking norms in the finance world with fresh insights and a unique approach to personal finance. Not only is he skilled at helping people with financial plans, but as one of his mentors, I've found him to be an excellent communicator.In this episode, Jacob and I discuss his college baseball journey from Texas to Iowa. He attended Iowa Western for two years before transferring to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Jacob always wanted to play college baseball, and was willing to leave Texas to do it. Now that he's earned a college degree, he's decided to call Wisconsin home.According to Jacob, the main obstacle he faced in achieving his ultimate goal of playing Division I Baseball was his mindset. Although he had the skills, he said lack of confidence held him back. As a sharp young financial advisor, it's evident he no longer lacks for confidence.We also talk about Jacob's goal of becoming a millionaire by age 30. When I ask about his strategies, he says he's focused on improving his saving habits. He emphasizes the importance of starting to save early and letting compound interest work its magic. Although his father set aside funds for his education, Jacob wishes he'd started saving even earlier.Hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording.

You asked for it. We delivered. Because after Emmanuel Paris' first appearance on the podcast, our 'socials' were flooded with DMs from listeners who couldn't get enough of his wisdom and insight. Paris, also known as "Coach Pow," today made his second appearance.Coach Pow isn't your run-of-the-mill fitness expert. He doesn't just "talk the talk." He also "walks the walk." And sprints it too!As a 2008 Canadian Olympian sprinter and a 2006 Commonwealth Games Bronze Medalist, he knows what it takes to excel in the world of athletics. He's also a former pro drug-free bodybuilder, proving you can build a strong & healthy body without shortcuts or long-term repercussions.Nowadays, he "pays it forward," as a high-performance coach in the fitness industry. Pow shares a wealth of knowledge and experience to help individuals reach their fitness goals.In this episode, Coach Pow reflects on his evolving fitness perspective. He's shifted his focus from "getting big" to more refined qualities like agility and joint pain-reduction. He says the new retirement plan revolves around strength, but isn't limited to just building muscle; rather it encompasses flexibility, mobility, and participation in sports, like sprinting, soccer, and martial arts.We also talk about how Coach Pow's path to becoming a running back was diverted by his environment. He mentions that his high school didn't have a football team. Also, his mom disliked contact-sports, which led to him missing an opportunity to participate in organized football.In his local community, Pow recalls showcasing his innate talent for football, drawing attention from those around him, especially his friend's dad, who wanted to take him "under his wing." But his mom had other plans, steering him toward a school focused on academics and non-contact sports. His high school had Debate & Chess. Despite projecting as an NFL running back IMO, Coach Pow's journey took a different, more fulfilling turn.This conversation was packed with valuable fitness insights and life advice. I hope you enjoy as much as I did!

My guest is Michael D’Albor. Some of you will remember his last appearance on the podcast in August 2019. Several listeners have said it was their favorite.Michael and I go way back. We were baseball teammates during our time at Nicholls State University. Since then, he’s ventured into commercial banking, earning his MBA along the way. Recently, he received a promotion and now works as an “acquisition banker.”But perhaps his most significant role is that of a dedicated single-father, caring for his special-needs child, Jolie.In this episode, we chat about Michael’s work & fitness routine in the post-COVID era. Now doing more remote work, we discuss whether he’s been hitting the gym or sticking to home workouts. He shares that he’s a member at four gyms, thanks to his company’s insurance plan. He still gets home workouts in, but 90% of his fitness life happens at the gym. Plus, he’s been doing yoga, spin classes, and sauna sessions for a well-rounded wellness experience.We also talk about his recent trip to Europe. He recently embarked on a memorable trip with a buddy, exploring Munich, Hvar (Croatia), Naples, and the awe-inspiring Amalfi Coast. According to him, the Amalfi Coast stole his heart with its “breathtaking views.”Michael’s “island-hopping” escapades in Hvar were his favorite part of the trip—offering a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure.Hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did!

In this solo episode, I cover a range of topics that have been on my mind lately.Tune in as I share insights into my recent investments and where I've been putting my money. I'll also chat about some captivating reads that have caught my attention.Shifting gears, I'll explore the reasons why we go to church, pondering its significance. And of course, I'll spill the beans on why I've been hanging out more on Instagram these days. Hope you enjoy listening as much as I did recording!

Galina Lipina spent 15+ years in IT industry managing projects for global corporations and startups. She is also a speaker, trainer and a certified coach. She helps people create harmony with themselves and in their relationships, and achieve goals with ease and flow. Also, blending her passions of transformation and business into one—she helps organizations to change their culture by transforming individuals. How? By bringing a conscious neuroscience-based change process to increase resilience, creativity, and adaptability and achieve their full potential.

Ted Agon is a returning guest to the podcast. He's not your average author & speaker.He's lived in seven countries and set foot on five of the seven continents. The man's a global adventurer. Not to mention he served in the Vietnam War in the 1970s.At 79 years young, he's got incredible energy (& knowledge). He goes ballroom dancing five nights a week, calling himself a table-hopper. It's how he met the love of his life, Julie.My favorite part of the podcast is when he shares the pickup line that "worked" with Ms Julie—afterward thinking darn it, how come I didn't think of that line decades ago. Haha! Amazingly, prior to meeting, he & Ms Julie had been single for 27 & 23 years, respectively.He believes if you're looking for love—you will not find it—it must be spontaneous.Ok Ted, but some of us are going to go looking on that 7,243rd night going to bed alone. I kid, because Ted makes me feel that way sometimes. Lol (let's see if he texts me asking what "Lol" means:)Usually, he only texts me when he finds a Joe Rogan clip he thinks ridiculous or finds something that says men are dummies.Back to Ted's bonafides. He's the author of two remarkable books: The Human Key, which is a comprehensive exploration for those seeking knowledge, and The Learning Curve—a condensed version of the book for the modern reader with a shorter attention span.Ted has a unique ability to observe the simple things in life. His favorite quotes deal with simplicity. You come away from chatting with Ted realizing he knows what's important. It's all honed by his upbringing. Raised by a single mother. Limited resources. What they had was community and a profound love of nature.We discuss being blessed with different aptitudes. What sets Ted apart is his knack for clear writing, which of course is thinking. Or at the very least, enables you to identify holes in your thinking.Get ready for an insightful & inspiring conversation with my friend & neighbor, Ted.

My guest is Emanuel Parris aka Coach Pow. He's a fitness expert with an impressive athletic background. Firstly, he was a 2008 Canadian Olympian sprinter. Not to mention a 2006 Commonwealth Games Bronze Medalist.That's not all—he's also a former pro drug-free bodybuilder, which means he knows what it takes to build a strong & healthy body without long-term repercussions.Today, he works as a high-performance coach in the fitness industry—sharing his knowledge & experience to help others achieve their fitness goals.I learned more about how to get and stay healthy from this episode than any other we've recorded (Coach Pow is guest number 91).We discuss dating, sex, relationships, living in Miami & Mexico. And why it's hard to find the right girl if you're an "ass man" and previously dated sprinters.Enjoy!

My guest is my brother, Scott, or as he is listed in my phone—Chico D. This is Scott's 2nd appearance on the podcast. His first followed the tragic accident that occurred just before he got home from work one evening.He noticed a kid laying in the street and immediately rushed over to see what had happened. A 5-year old boy was laying in the street after having been hit by a car. Scott immediately began CPR and saved the 5-year old boy's life. Incredible.This podcast is more relaxed. My brother and I met halfway between where we were living at the time, Baton Rouge & Houston, respectively, to play poker at the Golden Nugget.Scott has been very successful in his career as a Director of Pharmacy. Not to mention the success he's had as a family man married 21 years. He, and high school sweetheart-turned-wife, Toni, have three kids: Luke, Noah & Ella.Please enjoy our chat.

I'm always telling my coaching clients: "DO NOT SQUANDER YOUR YOUTHFUL ENERGY"Nobody has more embraced this ideal—as part of my coaching program—than today's guest.Jaekyu Lee, who goes by Jonathan, is a young man I've been working with for a little over a year. Watching someone so dedicated to his own personal growth & development has been inspiring and intrinsically rewarding [for me].His story is nothing short of awe-some. He's that 1st-generation Asian fella down the hall you've never taken the time to ask:"Hey man, what's your story?"Well, I got that opportunity when "J," as I call him, came down from Dallas a few weeks ago.We actually recorded in a professional studio, so it may sound a little better than previous episodes.Here's that story. There was a sex offender I'd gotten to know over the past several months (and liked). In fact, I liked "Jerome" (not his real name) so much that I offered to be the sales rep for his mobile car washing business.I was going to dust off the 'ole blue suit and visit high-rises where I had connections in Houston. I'd see if we could setup on the first floor of the garage. He'd be stationary at 70 years old, and it'd be much more lucrative for him.Jerome was smart, a great storyteller, and reminded me of Morgan Freeman. Not to mention the crime he committed occurred before I was born.So I wanted to help Jerome. Plus, I thought he'd be a great guest on the podcast. Such a great guest, in fact, that I rented a professional studio on the day & time we had agreed to meet.Well, Jerome "went dark" on me a few days before we were scheduled to record. I actually still haven't heard from him. And I didn't want to leave the studio's owner hanging, so I asked J if he'd want to tell his story on my podcast.He said, "Absolutely!"Although he was in town visiting friends—I challenged him to a game of pickleball at Lifetime Fitness—loser buys the winner their book of choice (we're both avid readers).After J got smoked, getting A Monk's Guide to Happiness by Gelong Thubten in the mail was like Christmas morning. You see I didn't tell him what book I wanted—I just sent him a screenshot of the Notes app from my iPhone. I've kept a running tab for years of books I plan to get to someday. So I didn't know what would show up in the mail. But this book is a gamer. Highly recommend! Thanks, J!Jonathan's not your average Asian dude down the hall. His upbringing took him all over the world, spending the first half of his life in three countries.He was born in Busan, South Korea. His dad, who worked for LG, was transferred to Jakarta, Indonesia, then Monterrey, Mexico, before they finally arrived in the States (El Paso, TX). Jonathan earned his Doctorate of Pharmacy in 2018 from the University of Houston, then completed a 2-year post-graduate residency for the US government.Today, J works for the government as a pharmacy manager, and holds down another full-time job as a Realtor at Rendon Realty, LLC(I've been there—it's no joke).J says his passion for reading & financial independence will continue to provide all the fuel he needs to accomplish his goals. He's up at 4am every morning so he can get to the gym.What's his primary goal? To become a multi-millionaire and retire by age 40 (he's 29 now).He'll do it.Jonathan's a strong advocate of self-development and passionate about helping other men awaken their true potential.Hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording!

My guest is Benjamin Wall. He's originally from the UK, now living in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.The son of a former bank robber who was in-and-out of jail, my guest ironically had a successful career in finance, following work as a nightclub bouncer, debt collector and stripper.Nowadays, Ben supports himself day-trading, which long-time listeners will know: Me, as for me, I prefer to get rich slow.That's not to say Ben hasn't built wealth the long way—he's held long-term positions in $AAPL, $AMZN & $META, and continues to buy dips.Ben is also the co-owner & founder of a concierge service in "Playa" called Prestige Luxury Services. He's partnered with a doctor-friend of his in paradise to provide a fully-holistic approach to tourism, health and well-being—all while vacationing ('holidaying' he might say:) in PDC and surrounding areas.About the colorful life my guest has lived. Ben has resided in: Costa Rica (Manuel Antonio), South Africa (Cape Town), Thailand (Phuket), not to mention he's from the United Kingdom (Bristol).In this episode, we discuss Ben's relationship with his father, who was consistently in-and-out of jail. He says although his dad was charismatic and extremely intelligent—he was also very violent and manipulative.He says his father instilled lots of contradictory advice over the years. In fact, his dad taught him to hate those "born into money;" or those part of institutions, which of course included those in positions of authority.While most kids bond with their fathers over hunting, fishing & other sports—Ben's dad would tell stories about prison. Or getting stabbed.He'd teach Ben techniques to severely wound a man—the sort of know-how you'd probably only learn behind bars—where it's either you or the other guy headed to the great certainty.So for a long time, Ben wrestled with who he was and what he wanted to be. He tried the corporate world. Logged 15 years in finance, Even vagabonded across SE Asia and surfed the coastlines of Costa Rica.He visited Phuket, Thailand. Wait till you hear the story of how Ben managed to survive the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.When my wife & I visited Phuket, Phi Phi Islands, & Krabi in 2016—I must've watched the Youtube videos of the tsunami 15 times.It was chilling to have the opportunity to speak with someone who was in Phuket when the tsunami hit; to chat with a man who saw dead bodies floating around him.He'd see guys in board shorts looking like zombies, knowing they had nothing else to their name—no money, no wallet, no passport.Ben says he won't go back [to Thailand]. I don't think I could either.Luckily, Ben and his travel buddy managed to find a hotel that was at a high elevation. I'll let him tell you the rest of the story, which he says was the most horrifying experience of his life.Please enjoy.(By the way, I debated calling this episode: The Most Interesting Man in the World. I explain in the Intro why I didn't. But holey shmoley—this is worth a listen.)

Laurel Irwin is a wife, mother of 4, obsessed with weightlifting, which is why she is a fitness coach who specializes in global strength and body recomposition.She is insatiably curious about the psychology of motivation and the power of internal beliefs. That will become evident the more you listen to this episode. She describes people and relationships as being her currency, her measure of success & fulfillment.I would say that's unsurprising, coming from a female—that she would place so much value on people and relationships, as it's been proven time and time again that men prefer things, objects, working with their hands, that sort of thing. And women tend to veer on the side of people and relationships in their preferences.This has been demonstrated by career choice among among the sexes, even in those countries widely considered most egalitarian, such as those in Scandanavia.Laurel's says one of her deepest values is truth.I'll tell you before we get started she's one of the top 2 or 3 smartest gals I've had on the podcast. I really, really, enjoyed our conversation, which felt like a healthy debate at times, which is something we don't have enough of...in this country.I say "in this country," but it should be said—Laurel is from Canada and lives in Mexico—we recorded our podcast episode in Mexico—and I am from America. Still applies. Before I bring her on, just want to let you know that you connect with her using the social media links below. She is offering five (5) online training & nutrition coaching slots for those who might be interested. Look her up, and please enjoy our conversation.

Gerald Awak is my guest. He is an African-American fella from Houston, TX. He would tell you that his experience growing up without a father had him seeking guidance from the older men in prison.There were a lot of fights in prison. It sounds like a lot of them he initiated because it would help to make sure he maintained his own cell.That was when he wasn't in "solitary," as he refers to it. What he calls the" free world," we call solitary confinement.But Gerald got a lot smarter spending so much time behind bars. With nothing but his thoughts.He was let out of prison early for good behavior. But you know, and this isn't to take anything away from him, I heard a lot of people got out of the pen early for good behavior during COVID—I should ask him about that.He's utilized the knowledge gained from them to make a real impact now that he's out. He's determined to do something with his life. He's a rapper you can find on Spotify—he goes by 3G, which stand for Good, Gone, Gangsta, which he explains in this episode.

My guest is Dr. Jessica Kind. She is a climate change scientist, entrepreneur, and NFT illustrator currently living and working in Guatemala.Back in 2015, she and a group of friends started the fossil fuel divestment movement in Switzerland because of the risks it poses for both investors and the planet. In 2011, she also searched for wind's historic directions in the deserts of Australia and enjoyed cave expeditions as part of her paleoclimatic studies.In her 40s, Dr. Kind spends most of her time studying environmental education & emotional intelligence (EQ)—she comes across as quite the student and professor of emotional intelligence. Probably because she's near infinitely intelligent with a keen insight on EQAt the time of recording, she had just finished a workshop at the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG), where she wanted her students to be curious, actively participate, and be aware of the environmental problems upon us here & now.Growing up in East GermanyIn this episode, Jessica says before German reunification, she grew up with her grandparents and aunt in very poor conditions. She recalls living in a multi-family home with an outhouse rather than a regular bathroom—which most of us take for granted today.At night, she would often opt to pee her pants rather than walk out in freezing temperatures to put her bare ass on a freezing seat. Hard to blame her (we men have it a little easier). They only had one room with central heating in the flat, which was like a little stove fired with coal.She says the primary reason she’s living in Guatemala now is because she can’t stand cold temperatures.Who could blame her?We also discuss how Dr. Kind became interested in climate activism. She says it started when she was around 18 years old and went to her first demonstration. She realized it’s something she would like to continue, and went to more demonstrations.By the time she started studying environmental science, she immersed herself in the topic. Over time, she admittedly became more radical in her activism. She and her radical friends decided to occupy a German coal-fired power plant, which she thinks is the most exciting thing she's done in her life so far.I knew I’d enjoy this conversation and learn a lot—how often do you get to sit with a climate scientist for 2-3 hours and discuss her life growing up behind the Iron Curtain. Hope you learn a lot too (she's also got a great personality).

Chase Lambin played professional baseball until he was 35 years old. During that span, he played a stint for Bobby Valentine in the Japanese Big Leagues with the Chiba Lotte Marines.Chase has had the sort of career for which movies are made. But he walks around like the beautiful gal who doesn’t know it. Could explain our long-term friendship—I like to think I’m pretty too. I kid. But for certain we married the type [that doesn’t know she’s beautiful].Back to “Chasing the Dream.” It’s a delicate thing. The line between arrogance and confidence. Two adjectives for which I’m sure he felt at times like he was tight-roping through his 12-year pro career.As you’d expect. The journey through baseball’s ups and downs aren’t for the faint of heart. The game is too psychological.“Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical.” – Yogi BerraFirst time I met Chase in 9th grade, humility would’ve been the last word I’d use to describe him. Not only was he the most cocksure fella in the dance club on this particular Friday night—sporting a blonde mullet, yellow Polo, khaki pants & Red Wing boots—dude was gettin’ after it on the dancefloor. He took no songs off.I remember telling the gal next to me, “I like the cut of that guy’s jib—I want to meet him—got a feeling he & I are going to be buddies a long time. Know his name?”“I think he’s one of those baseball guys,” she replied.No rush, I figured. I’ll meet him at school one day.Finally, he took a break and I walked over to introduce myself. He was sweating like crazy.One thing you’ve gotta understand about ‘high school Chase.’ It didn’t matter if he was in the on-deck circle talking at a pitcher, walking up to the plate talking at the pitcher (and catcher), or chirping as he passed the pitcher after the play—he was going to talk throughout the entire game.I can’t say it turned me on or off. It’s who he was. I thought it was his way of firing himself up, and since it worked, who was I to say anything?My best memory of Chase on the field was in high school. We were Home Team. Our opponent was in the dugout along the first-base line. First pitch, Chase hits a “no-doubter.”He puts his bat down. Almost gentleman-like. I’m more excited than he is. And I can’t help but wonder if something’s wrong.Had he changed? Not feeling well? Where’s the Chase who flips his bat and pounds his chest?As soon as these thoughts enter my mind—Chase starts jumping in circles, yelling at the opposing dugout like they’d all left the ball up in the zone, and he wanted each of them to know they made a mistake.In all my years playing (and watching) baseball, I’ve yet to see a more excited and animated shortstop who “brung it” to the ballpark the way Chase did.Yet ask him today what he’s most proud of during his reign in baseball—he’ll say this: “Being a great teammate, no question.”Unlike so many other guys who left the game disgruntled because they didn’t get their shot in the Big Leagues, Chase has insisted it was about the journey. He expounds on his journey during his first appearance on the podcast: Becoming a Human Catalyst with Chase Lambin.His passion for storytelling—rivaled by few—hasn’t been topped.Chase is now the Bench Coach for AAA Round Rock Express in the MLB Texas Rangers organization. He has a beautiful family—wife Sara, son Champ, and daughter Stella.

My guest, Florica Means, is the first polymath I've had on this show. She was born & raised in Romania. She escaped her home country in 1990, at the age of 36.Her story is incredible, which, even writing the word incredible, feels like I've cheapened the word a long time. I've done it justice here though, but I've been forced to grapple with using the word too often—as we frequently use others words. Awesome comes to mind. Or unbelievable.But trust me when I say that "Flory" (permission granted to use her nickname)—her story is hard to believe. It's incredible, but true. I've been inside her home. I've seen pictures, passports, stamps, etc.I'll leave most of the story for her to share. Because she tells it so well.In this episode, once combined with her accent, goosebumps may ensue, which she herself admits to getting while telling her own story.We spend considerable time discussing Florica's experience living under Romanian President Nicolae Ceaușescu's regime.We also talk about what led her to ultimately leaving her home country—the only home she'd ever known. Hint: she'd finally had enough, and wanted a taste of freedom.This was such an insightful discussion from as candid of a guest as I've welcomed here. In fact, I've never had a podcast episode like this.So candid. So vulnerable. I hope you enjoy and appreciate Flory as much as I did.

JR Gondeck is the sharpest financial mind I've had on this show. He's a Wealth Advisor & Managing Director at The Lerner Group. Not to mention he's been featured in Forbes, Barron's, VP at a big bank and has 4 kiddos!JR works with families to promote intentional communication and drive collaboration between all generations. In fact, he recently co-authored a book titled, Family Value at Risk, which details the importance of inclusive and intentional communication among family members "to leave a legacy wealthier than money."JR leverages his deep knowledge of global financial markets and passion for investing to guide clients through market trends. He's an advocate of financial literacy and hosts family meetings to connect with the next generation.In this episode, we discuss JR's thoughts on Bitcoin—whether he believes in its potential as a long-term currency. He focuses on its limiting factors and compares the cryptocurrency to gold.JR and I also talk about the importance of knowing one's Net Worth. He says he's always surprised by how many people don't know their Net Worth, which he says is crucial to know, adding, "Detail everything—from 401K accounts, insurance, investments you've made, mortgage & interest rates—so that you really know what the bottom line number is."Especially at our age (JD & I are the same age), he says, "It's critical you know where everything is and how it's titled."Why is this so important (that you know your Net Worth)?Number one. It allows for better decision-making, both short-term (can you buy a new car with the motherfuckin' driver seat sittin' in the middle?) and long-term (can you and your son Weezy get a house by the water?) This conversation was fun. My guest was sharp as they come. He makes many predictions during this episode that have already come true.But perhaps the most impactful part of the discussion, for me at least, was how he now has me thinking about multi-generational financial strategy. Whereas I considered myself a long-term thinker before now, JR has me adding pages to the 'ole financial playbook.Hope you learn as much as I did!

My podcast guest today is one-of-a-kind. Those are words I've never used to describe any prior guest.Strong words, you might say. Deserving, I'd throw back at you.Harry Corcell is someone I've liked and respected since we met in late 2000s working at Idera Software.I wish we'd met sooner. Yeah, that sounds like something you'd say about a romantic partner. But I'm leaving it here because I mean it. You'll notice on this episode Harry & I can talk about almost anything (and do):80s rap, hair bands, Red Sox baseball, being a girl-dad, journaling, race in America, and even Flow: Optimal Experience.Born in Bogota, Columbia, Harry didn't move to Boston till he was 8 years old. Listen closely when he speaks, and you'll hear a cross between Boston & Brooklyn, a place he's also lived. In fact, during Fun Questions, Harry said Brooklyn would be his top choice to live of all cities in the US.Strong words, you might say. I've never been to Brooklyn, I'd rebut.Whether selling tons of software, "killing" on stage at a comedy club, or "bombing"—he's done all three over the last 20 years. And you won't meet anyone more appreciative of the opportunities and experiences Harry has had.He's got an affable manner that draws you in. He's instantly likable. If I gave you three guesses as to what Harry does for a living, you'd probably guess it in one. Not only is he a natural sales guy, but he views his vocation as a craft—he's a true student of the profession—something we need more of.Harry also discusses being on the The Hero's Journey. After reading Joseph Campbell's book by the same name, how could you not think you're on the same path (albeit your own). By the way, I bought The Power of Myth after Harry said it was his favorite book.I couldn't be more fortunate to catch Harry the day before he moved to Miami, FL. If you enjoy good storytellers, this episode's for you. If you like witty banter, again. this episode is for you. If you believe wide-ranging discussions about interesting topics are your favorite kind of podcasts, then by now you smell what that fella who earned a degree from "The U" in '95 is cookin'.Harry takes us through the ups and downs of how he got to where he is now, in a way that only he could. It's a high bar, but I hope Miami treats Harry Corcell with the respect he deserves. He's a good man, hard-working and hilarious. Not the sort of person you'd want to compete with if you were selling a similar software product, which is the reason he's bringing his A+ software game to South Florida—he got a job offer he couldn't refuse.Hope you get a chance to tune in to this episode and enjoy it as much as I did.

Jim Corfield is one of those guys you don't meet everyday. We were chatting at the hotel pool in Playa Del Carmen, MX, but it felt like we were on bar stools in a British pub.I was drawn to him. It could've been his ability to tell a good story—a rare and underrated skill set. Which too often reminds me of a sense of humor in that everybody thinks they have it. Nonetheless, five minutes of chatting with Jim and I thought I've gotta get this Brit on the pod. He's got "it."He's a married father of three and an adept risk-taker (my kind of guy). Quick example—six years ago he moved his family from small town Britain to Vancouver. On a whim. Now he's living out his childhood dream, traveling at a break-neck pace and eating it up like he's never had anything but British food.We talk about getting rich slowly; buying assets in lieu of things that depreciate in value; envy and resentment for success in Britain; similarities in the underclasses of America & Britain; how expensive Vancouver is nowadays; real estate investing; Jim's grand-dad's best advice; Kobe Bryant, Joe Dimaggio & Michael Jordan.This was one of my Top 3 episodes all-time. Hope you'll see why, and enjoy!

No guest will be joining me for this episode. Instead, by popular request, I'm revisiting the blog post I wrote called: 40 Pieces of Life Advice for 20-Year Old Me.Positive feedback received from the article continues to be overwhelming, in the best way possible, and much appreciated.Tens of thousands of you have read the piece. And I've been told by dozens of readers that it's been the most helpful article I've written to date.So let's take a deeper dive, shall we?!I'll cover points not covered in the first "deep dive" solo episode.Hope you enjoy listening as much as I did recording!Life advice discussed:[#3] Don’t bother telling people what you plan to do—just do it.[#5] You don’t need a leadership title to be a leader. If you see potential in someone who doesn’t see it, offer to help them.[#13] Words are powerful—none more powerful than, “I love you.”[#17] True self-confidence is rare because it’s hard to attain and there are no shortcuts.[#18] Our world is filled with people who are 1) unaware 2) have no desire for the truth 3) can’t even bear to tell themselves the truth.[#28] Interpersonal skills are at an all-time low thanks to 10 years of human screen-addictions.[#29] Listen more than you talk, and don’t talk to talkers.[#30] You’ll live a more peaceful life expecting incompetence and being pleasantly surprised than the reverse. Unless someone works with you or for you, expect incompetence.[#31] Happiness is your responsibility[#32] God may have made Hollywood celebrities a thing just to demonstrate that fame & fortune don’t make for a happy life.[#34] Two things to study continuously: communication & human nature.[#36] Get to acceptance as fast as possible.[#40] Invest well. You can’t believe what you can see & do once you get money out of the way.

In this episode, we discuss Mr. Sperier's time during the war. He wanted to be a naval aviation pilot "on the carriers." He recalls how they faked his colorblind test so he could advance to the next round of screening.It wasn’t until the next physical exam that he was busted. He'd have to give up on his dream of serving in the Naval Air Force and join the Merchant Marine Cadet Corp.He finished basic training and started his maritime training as a cadet in King’s Point, New York, which he says was "heaven on earth." Why? There were so many women to choose from. Apparently, all the 19-20 year old men were off at war, which meant those men training at King's Point had their choice of young gals.Mr. Sperier didn't take many trips to Europe—his deployment called for only 3 months of sea duty. Though he does remember fondly the brand new T2 tanker he rode as part of the convoy to Britain.We also talk about his career after the war ended. He worked as a test engineer at Pratt & Whitney, then got word the United States planned to go to the moon.He said he had to figure out a way to work on "the moon shot"—a project he definitely wanted to part of. At Chrysler, he helped to build the Saturn rocket that propelled the first man to the moon. The rest, as they say, is history.

My guest is listener-favorite, Jerrard Parfait. Last time he was on the show—it was the most-downloaded episode of the year (2021).Parfait is someone I respect for his relationship-building skills, parenting style, compartmentalization regarding risk-taking (which is a very underrated skill set btw). Not to mention he's a smart man and great conversationalist.In this episode, we discuss small talk vs. engaging conversations. Being a good conversationalist is another important skill set. I'm not sure how I personally picked up the ability to have beyond surface-level conversations quickly, but I think it has something to do with where I was raised (South Louisiana). I've always believed people in the Deep South are better conversationalists. And maybe that's because when you're living in a small town, you're sort of forced to have more conversations with people, whereas it's easier to hide and be anonymous in a big city.We talk a lot about Joe Rogan. And for good reason. He may be the most popular media figure in the country right now. His success has been largely dependent on his ability to have great conversations.We each share a few of our favorite JRE episodes. I ask Parfait about what he calls “The Joe Rogan Effect,” which is basically when someone hears a thought or opinion on a JRE episode and regurgitates what they've heard as if the opinion were their own.But we share thoughts on many topics—most of them listed below. Toward the end, we dedicate an entire section to parenting questions & answers. And since Parfait's been on the show before, I give him a new set of fun questions to answer.Hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did!

My guest is Tyler Aaron Johnson. He's a former Division I student-athlete at Nicholls State University. He played a big role on a defensive front that led the nation in sacks and tackles for loss in 2017 & 2018. In Taylor's senior season, they won the 2018 Southland Conference Championship!Tyler & I first met when I was invited to speak to their football team in 2018. Since then, he's become part of my one-on-one coaching program, which he says has provided invaluable insight on his journey to F.I.R.E (Financial Independence, Retire Early).He's a recent grad of Medical Sales College in Dallas, TX. And in recent weeks, he's landed a job in the cardiac division of an industry-leading company.How 'bout that? Just landed his first "real-world" job and already he's fully aware of FIRE.Don’t bet against this dude getting to FIRE. Fast. He’ll continue to keep his expenses low even once big paychecks start rolling in. That's when he'll start saving & investing a large portion of his income.In this episode, we discuss the importance of "not letting a bad play boil over into a bad day." It’s a quote he got from a good football coach. He said coaches will scold you for a bad play, but they did not want you to let a bad play roll over into the next play.Tangentially, Tyler says just because you’re not doing well in one aspect of life doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It just means you have something you need to work on. So keep persisting, be diligent, and compartmentalize.We also discuss the peace that comes from finding joy (vs. chasing happiness). Tyler says happiness is important, but it’s a fleeting emotion based on where you are and who’s around you at the time.Joy, on the other hand, is a state of being. It’s knowing your good days are going to be better than your bad days. He believes living with this disposition comes from God, and says other people call it "zen," adding, "It’s something you can definitely work toward."Excellent discussion with a young guest I’m proud to mentor. Hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did!

Brandon Ruttley married about as well as a man can (I've known his wife since we were 10 years old). He's also the father of three beautiful girls, ages 10,7 & 3.Affectionately known as "Ruttley," or just "Rutt," in recent years he's more than quadrupled his income.Nowadays, we'd call a man of Rutt's calibre a "dude" (we used to call them "studs").And I haven't even mentioned—Ruttley is a former 5'9" walk-on Division I basketball player of a Caucasian persuasion."Walk-ons" have a different mentality from the rest. Ruttley now sells commercial insurance, where I'm told, "he kills it—everyday."Prior to his role in insurance, Ruttley spent seven years in athletics' administration as the #2 at Nicholls State University.His position as Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs at Nicholls State (2010-2016) meant overseeing all fundraising, ticket sales, sponsorships, marketing, football scheduling, and facility planning initiatives for the athletics' programs.When his own plan to become Athletic Director didn't pan out, he wasted no time using connections he'd made over the years to quickly find another opportunity.One thing I admire about Ruttley. He's a master relationship-builder. In fact, he believes, "relationships rule the world," adding, "without strong relationships—we never unlock our full potential."In this episode, he shares his secrets to building strong relationships. Secrets which have helped him become a "Peak Producer" for his management of several large accounts—not just in Louisiana—but all across the country.In this episode, we talk about how he became a fan of the Man Overseas podcast. He explains how the show has helped him to become financially prepared.For example, he's set up Roth IRAs for he & wife, Georgia. He now has 529 plans for his daughters. Enrolled in a 401K plan for himself and setup taxable brokerage accounts—all over the past six months.He also reveals that he'd never read a single book about personal finance before listening to the podcast, but has now read several. (All of this is music to my ears, of course!)We also discuss the book Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know by Meg Meeker, M.D., which Brandon generously sent me in the mail last summer.One of the key takeaways from the book is the importance of improving your communication skills. People often think of communication skills as being more articulate or having an extensive vocabulary, but it's so much more than that.The author talks about how you say something is as important as anything you say. She uses this example. Asking your daughter: "I just can't imagine being your age—what's it like being a 13-year old girl right now?"Genius. It's open-ended. It demonstrates empathy and compassion. And most importantly, it's likely to get your daughter talking without feeling threatened.My copy of Strong Fathers, Strong Daugthers has as many highlights as any other book I own. Ruttley and I have a chapter-by-chapter discussion that would benefit any #girldad too busy to read an entire book.There's a reason Ruttley & I have become better friends through the years. It's the elevated quality of our conversations and the desire to get better every day. In this episode, we have a tremendous chat that I'll cherish for a long time. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

I’ve wanted Kurt Kristynik as a guest on the podcast for a long time. Interestingly, as Vice President of Buffaloe Floors, Kurt runs a 3rd generation family business—a bit of a black swan considering America's startup craze.Thinking back. I've respected Kurt's business acumen since the day I invited him to speak at our real estate organization almost 20 years ago. A presentation he nailed, by the way, due to his effective communication skills, humility and relatability.Kurt is also Director of Rake City Cypress Baseball, an organization he started from scratch in Spring 2017. The program, located in Cypress, Texas, is where he and wife, Marti, raise their son, Cole, and daughter, Chance.In his spare time, Kurt likes to deer hunt, fish and bar-b-que with friends & fam. In addition to his role as Director of Rake City Cypress Baseball, he operates three high school travel teams every fall and summer.Yet none of that is why I wanted Kurt on the podcast. Don't get me wrong. Operating & growing a family business is no small feat. Nor is building an elite baseball program or raising a beautiful family.But for me, you sit beside Kurt, talking baseball, drinking beers—with or without respect for an arbitrary twenty-one number—or have him pull you "under his giant wing" to remind you the importance of where you came from.Of tradition.Of why relationships don't die, they deepen.Of keeping in contact—regardless where you happen to be in the world.Most importantly, it's Kurt's presence. His way of being that elevates those around him.It's a presence that's always conveyed to me: "You go be you, 'lil bro,' I trust you. Together, we'll get this thing figured out."By the way, Rake City isn't a place, although Alex Bregman may beg to differ. He and several teammates started calling Albuquerque, New Mexico, "Rake City," due to the amount of hitters his hometown produced.For the uninitiated, "rake," in baseball parlance, means frequently barreling that MF! If you need help there, this episode isn't for you. Rake City "prided themselves on playing the game the right way, producing great teammates and young men who are going to be ready for the next levels of baseball and life."

Four guests join me for this important episode: Matthew Ory, Preston Hayes, Barry Sartin Jr., and David Ardoin. All are highly-respected civil & criminal attorneys who offer litigation services to individuals and businesses.Matt Ory & David Ardoin have been working together for 10 years at AMO Trial Lawyers. Their practice areas are: criminal defense, medical malpractice, and personal injury.Preston Hayes & Barry Sartin Jr. are partners at HMS Law Firm, where they help clients primarily with business litigation, construction law, personal injury and trial presentation.In this episode, we focus the first hour on Hurricane Ida: the recovery, price gouging, importance of keeping a paper copy of your insurance policy—which Matt believes is the most simplistic lesson learned from this recent storm to hit Louisiana). Why is that? Reason is your homeowners' policy will be needed when contacting an insurance adjuster following a major storm.My guests also give recommendations on what you should do before & after a hurricane. For example, when should you give proper notice to your insurance agent or broker that you've experienced a loss you believe to be covered by insurance.We discuss the importance of documentation when building an insurance claim. Since you’ll have to prove damages you've incurred—it is most crucial that you take photographs and videos. That's because the more information you can provide to your insurance provider, the better they're able to help you.But this episode isn't all serious business. No, in fact, this episode resembles a mullet—all business in the front and a ton of fun on the back end.Per usual, we finish with Fun Questions. but then we try something new. I ask Final Jeopardy questions, most of which are Dream Team-related. Whether that means Johnny Cochran and Kim & Chloe's dad, or Michael Jordan in Barcelona, you'll have to tune in to find out.This was a very informative episode. Way I see it. Anytime you can get this much brain-power in one room you turn yourself into a sponge—ask as many questions as you can and get out of the way. If you were at all negatively impacted by Hurricane Ida, or think you might be affected by a natural disaster in the future—this is an episode you don't want to miss.I learned a lot, hope you do too.

My guest is HUGE in Korea! He's also fast-becoming famous here in the US.Dr. Chris Yandle can thank his 8th-grade daughter, Addison, for worldwide fame and adulation. If not for her letting Dad know how much she enjoyed #DadLunchNotes, he might've stopped writing them.As it were, the day Chris didn't slip a note into Addison's lunch, she asked what was up. That let Chris know she was not only reading his notes but enjoying them.Following appearances on The Today Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and more recently, People magazine, Chris' book, Lucky Enough, is starting to sell like kimchi in Korea.It's an incredible story.Let's go back to August 2017. Chris was bummed about a job loss and thought writing an encouraging note to Addison might elevate his own mood (as well as encourage his daughter).Regular listeners know I've long been a fan of handwritten personal-notes. Together with my recently becoming a #GirlDad, it's no wonder I bought Lucky Enough as soon I heard of it.The book reminds me of How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie (read my review and other book recommendations here), which ironically has been the most-recommended book on the podcast. Both books—Lucky Enough & "How to Win Friends"—make you want to serve others.On this episode, we discuss high rates of anxiety & depression among teen girls. The numbers are staggering. After 2013, the percentage of adolescent girls suffering from mental health disorders jumped 250% (source: The Coddling of the American Mind by Jonathan Haidt). With this in mind, Chris & I discuss how parents can navigate today's hyper-connected online environment.Chris is a native of South Louisiana. In a past-life, he was a college athletics administrator at "The U" (University of Miami), Georgia Tech & Baylor. I ask him how common it was to see high-profile alumni on campus. Guys like Jimmy Graham, Michael Vilma, Michael Irvin, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, Edgerin James. And whether having them hanging around the facilities helped with recruiting.We also talk about NCAA’s new "name, image, and likeness" (NIL) policy. Chris believes one of the reasons he was pushed out of college athletics is because he didn’t like how student-athletes were treated. After all, coaches were making millions of dollars, while young men and women got nothing. But now, thanks to the new NIL rule, every NCAA athlete is given the opportunity to profit off their name, image, and likeness.Chris is a strong advocate for higher education. He said he's always believed: you’ll get somewhere in life based on your education. In fact, he recalls a pivotal moment in high school when his teacher said to him, "You'll never amount to anything in life until jackasses learn how to fly."His teacher's words left a mark. But by taking those words personally, they also inspired him. He found himself newly-motivated to get better grades. He earned a PhD.Now 39 years old, Chris recently moved his family home to Louisiana. He said he's enjoying re-connecting with his daughter.This conversation was the highlight of my week. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Melanie Boudreaux is an Assistant Professor at Nicholls State University—she teaches Human Resource Management. She's also Faculty Advisor for the Society of Human Resource Management and works as HR Director at Environment Safety & Health Consulting Services (ES&H). And just in case Melanie found herself with free time—she's also enrolled at University of South Alabama, where she will soon finish her PhD in Business Management.In lieu of eating and sleeping, evidently, Melanie enjoys being a wife to Benny Boudreaux, a mother of 6-year old twins, and paints Louisiana-themed crafts at Brushed by BouDreaux.When I asked Melanie why she puts so much "on her plate," she said it's because she loves to learn and help people. Plus, being an HR Director enables her to bring practical knowledge from the corporate world to her students. I love that.In this episode, after a brief story Melanie tells about declining her mom's calls so she could get a much-needed break from kids, we discuss a Youtube video where a grandmother lectures college students on "texting etiquette."I didn't realize when I mentioned the lecture that it was Melanie's mom in the video, Ms. Mary. A few examples in the video were LOL funny. One hilarious instance was when Ms. Mary encouraged students to be mindful of how a text is going to be received. To illustrate her point, she told a story of receiving a text from her sister, "T," that said, "I'm in the hospital."Immediately, Ms. Mary called T's workplace to find out when she left [for the hospital], because she presumed her sister wouldn't answer the cell phone she just texted her from [if she's in the hospital].But when Ms. Mary called T's workplace, her sister answered the phone. So Ms. Mary said to her, "Hey T, I thought you were in the hospital."That's when T told Ms. Mary to have a closer look at the text—what she'd actually sent was a screenshot [of someone else's text to her]. She was simply sharing news that someone they knew was in the hospital.The texting etiquette lesson was this. Be careful sending texts, because you don't know how your text is going to be received. Meanwhile, I'm rolling on the laughing floor, and said to Melanie, "That's something my mom would do."So that's how the episode begins. Then we get into advice for sending emails in a professional setting. Great examples shared in the video (and on this episode). Additionally, Melanie & Ms. Mary provide a helpful list of words not to be used in the workplace.Melanie & I also chat about how she prepares her students for the real world. She says they do face-to-face and Zoom mock interviews, which she records so the class can watch.Students hate mock interviews, at least at-first. But later Melanie gets so many "Thank You" emails because her students say role-playing in class helped them to land their dream job.Come to think of it. My favorite professor when I was in school had us role-play as part of the final exam. Dr. Chris Cox, former Department Head (Management & Marketing) would setup a tripod mounted with one of those old-school giant video recorders in the corner for a mock "sales call"—he was the Buyer.

Brandt Quick is a Fully Integrated Business Coach (FIBC) & Certified Health Coach. He's also CEO & President of BQuick Athletic Development, a health & fitness company, and CEO & President of BQuick Nutrition, maker of natural sports nutrition energy, endurance, and recovery vitamins/supplements, which aim to improve quality of life.A former Kansas State football player who later transferred to Tulane University, Brandt is currently a triathlete and well-regarded trainer who's competed at very high levels. He brings practical experience & knowledge not just to athletes, clients, and businesses, but also to himself & his coaching colleagues.In this episode, Brandt & I discuss author Eckhart Tolle, specifically The Power of Now, a book about the power of “living in the present moment” (vs. dwelling on the past or trying to figure out what the future will look like). Brandt believes Tolle's done a great job simplifying concepts so that the lay reader can understand what he’s saying and hopefully implement his ideas in their own life.We also discuss each of the first 6 rules from Jordan Peterson's book: 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos. For example, I ask Brandt what "Stand up straight with your shoulders back" means to him. This leads to a discussion about dominance hierarchies and how to move up in the "pecking order."Brandt discusses his Catholic upbringing. He was baptized and confirmed Catholic. He recalls going to church every Sunday as a kid, and thought Catholic mass was the most boring thing in the world. It wasn’t until Brandt went to Jesuit High School in New Orleans that he experienced "an amazing faithful transformation," crediting his Jesuit education for teaching him to be a "free-thinker."Great conversation with a high-caliber guest. BIG THANKS to Phillip Clement for recommending Brandt. Any expectations far surpassed!Hope listeners learn as much as I did.

My guest is Richard Cuicchi. He's a New Orleans baseball historian and the founder of the Metro New Orleans Area Baseball Player Database. Born in Shaw, MS, he has spent most of his adult life in New Orleans, and says he's now a true "New Orleanian."After graduating from Mississippi State University, Richard came to New Orleans to work for the local utility in IT. As a husband & father of four, he took the traditional route to retirement. That is, 40 years of living within his means, staying out of debt and diligently contributing to a 401K.After retiring in 2011, he wrote his first book, Family Ties: A Comprehensive Collection of Facts and Trivia About Baseball's Relatives, which constitutes 20 years of research about baseball’s family relationships. He also started doing research and writing for SABR (Society for American Baseball Research), contributing to sports-related websites and a few magazines.Additionally, he maintains The Tenth Inning website, which contains all his research, writings, and baseball interests.In this episode, we talk about how he first started writing. Richard used to keep various lists of things about baseball—one in-particular about families piqued his interest. Once he realized just how much baseball family ties information he had, he started trying to put it in writing, which is what eventually led him to self-publishing his first book.We also discuss what led him to write about my grandfather, John “Fats” Dantonio. A SABR member asked him to do a piece on "Fats" as part of a book on "replacement players" during World War II. He says that was the first time he'd written a story about any baseball player.If you love baseball, this episode is for you!

Gee Cassard is the Head Baseball Coach at Ascension Catholic High School in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. We first met when he recruited me to play baseball at Nicholls State University, where he was the Assistant Coach / Head Recruiter at the time.Coach Gee gave me a chance to play Division I baseball, and for that I'm forever grateful. I don’t know how my life works out if he doesn't give me a shot.In this episode, we spend significant time swapping baseball stories. We recall games & road trips we shared at NSU at the turn of the century, which included "the bus trip from hell"—we went up to UL-Monroe for three games, west to Dallas for a rest stop, before driving up to Kansas to play the iconic Wichita State Shockers. Then we drove south to Texas State University for a controversial series that ultimately took us out of contention.We reminisce about Rondon Anderson's "walk-up" song: Project Chick by Cash Money Millionaires. Also, we discuss Rondon's moonshot homeruns and the whip he could generate with the bat ala Bryce Harper. And I share what Matt Overman (former Nicholls St. Ace & Miami Marlins signee) remembers about Coach Gee.I tell the story of a game we struck out 17 times against Lamar University pitcher Clay Hensley. As a San Diego Padres pitcher, he gave up Barry Bonds' 755th homerun, before getting suspended by MLB for steroid use. Gee & I also discuss how much steroids were part of baseball's culture in those years.We recall a game at Turchin Stadium against 9th-ranked Tulane [at the time], in which I was ejected from the game after arguing whether I should be allowed to take first base after getting hit by a pitch (HBP). I had never heard Coach's perspective on that game, which is forever etched in both our minds due to the homeplate umpire's outlandish behavior. My first-ever collegiate grand slam was overturned due to a beta boy umpire named Eddie Newsome.Additionally, we discuss Nicholls State's lack of resources during those years. Coach Gee said we weren’t on equal footing. "There were times when they [athletics] weren’t fully funded. [Nicholls State] didn’t have the budget for recruiting, operations, and at times, [11.7] scholarships.We also discuss Coach Gee’s colon cancer diagnosis & how he survived. He says he rejected symptoms initially, thinking nothing was wrong with him. It wasn’t until he was referred to a doctor that he found out he had not one, but two tumors.His advice to listeners is to always monitor your health, listen to your body, and go see a doctor if something doesn’t feel right. He says colon cancer is not an old man’s disease and could happen to any of us—women included—regardless of age.Gee's wife, Courtney, was amazing throughout his ordeal. He tells the story of when they first learned of his diagnosis—their parents were crying in the hospital waiting room, and Courtney stood up and said, "Look, we're not crying. We're gonna kick cancer's ass."And they did.Insightful discussion with a man I greatly respect & admire. Gee might be my favorite guest of all time.

My guest is Eric Richard—he's on the FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) path. In July 2019, he quit his full-time job to become a location-independent entrepreneur.He learned about FIRE in 2015 and immediately began making positive life changes. First thing he got serious about was personal finance. By following the principles of financial independence, he soon had enough savings & investments to leave his job and began living the digital nomad lifestyle.Dreams do come true!Eric is also the host of the Nomad on FIRE podcast. On his show, he talks about the digital nomad lifestyle and FI. He interviews digital nomads, early retirees, entrepreneurs, freelancers, world travelers, and many others. Even Man Overseas made an appearance last year!In this episode, we talk about world travel. Eric has traveled to 16 countries, including Latin America and Southeast Asia, but says he's never touched down in Europe. I advised him to take a train through Europe to double his country-count. But also warn him about how expensive it can get if waits till the last minute to book train tickets.We also discuss Chiang Mai in-depth. Eric loved how laid back it was. He said living there was easy—super cheap, great food and great co-working spaces setup. He instantly felt like home the first day he walked around.We also talk about Bali, Indonesia, his last trip before he came back to the US because of COVID.

Bryan McGeHee is my guest. Together with his brother, Mitch, they started GATR Coolers in 2017, selling coolers with only three available sizes to mostly family & friends. Four years later business is booming—they've expanded to drinkware, apparel, accessories, and replacement parts in addition to various coolers!In this episode, we discuss GATR's explosive growth—from conception till now. First, Bryan tells me why they named the company after alligators. Answer: trapping [alligators] has been a huge part of their life. He loves the culture around the swamps, and wanted the company's spelling to be a play on the word "gator." Makes sense to me.Before Gatr, Bryan and his wife, Emily, had been traveling the country, living in a camper down by the river. They bounced between campgrounds and hotel rooms for seven years. Then his big break.Brother (Mitch) contacted he and the otha brothas via group text saying that he’s been thinking about starting a cooler company. Bryan replied and offered to help, loaning him $50K.And the rest, as they say, is "all to the good pop" (where "they" is me). Had a great afternoon recording with Bryan in NOLA—hope you enjoy!

Mark is the author of the Finance and Fatherhood Newsletter. He's also a single dad of three teenagers who has a full-time job in Accounting and three (3) profitable side-businesses—all while studying for the Life Insurance & Series 6 exams to be a financial advisor.In this episode, we discuss Mark's best days on Twitter. Recently, he says the controversial and chaotic revolt of "Redditors" against a prominent Wall Street hedge fund was one of those best days. It was modern-day class warfare, so-to-speak, for a digital world.The reason for the revolt, Mark says, is that people have been fed up with "the establishment." They're sick and tired of sizable wealth transfers taking place in our country that leave many people out. As long as hedge funds get rich and people get bailed out when needed, he imagines this sort of backlash will continue.We also discuss how the year 2020 has impacted Mark’s life. Being an introvert and having three kids at home 24/7 has been the most mentally challenging time for him. Interestingly, he always thought he’d want to spend infinite amounts of time with his teenagers, but later realized that more time doesn’t always mean better time. He says it’s much more important to have quality time with them and set an example rather than worry about quantity of time.This was a fun and enjoyable discussion for the same reasons I enjoy Mark's writing. He's easy-going, relatable and insightful. Neither of us could believe two hours went by so fast. Hope you enjoy, and learn something from this discussion. I sure did!

My guest is Brent McDonald. He is the Principal at Summer Creek High School in Houston, Texas, and former Head Baseball Coach at Cypress Falls High School. He & wife, Angie, have two kids, BreAnna, 17 & Dominick, 15."Coach Mac," or "Mac," as his number is saved in my phone, is someone I've always respected & admired. For over 25 years, he's been a real-life influencer—not one of these social media wannabe "influencers."As a former baseball coach at Cy-Falls High School, he had a big influence and impact on my life. Therefore, he'll always be on my Wall of Gratitude, which I discuss in the Intro.Coach Mac was the Varsity Assistant Baseball Coach when I was at Cy-Falls. In 1999, the year after I graduated, he became Head Coach. His stories from those days are incredible—he coached two first-round draft picks in the same year (2002) and took many Cy-Falls teams deep into the state playoffs.In 2007, in an effort to impact more kids' lives, Mac accepted a position as Assistant Principal at Cy-Falls. Timing of the career change suited he & Angie as they'd just started a family. His new administrative job meant getting home earlier to spend time with them.In this episode, we spend considerable time talking baseball and Coach McDonald’s coaching career at Cy-Falls. We recall the incident in 1998 involving Kyle Rutherford, our quarterback & star pitcher. Rutherford was benched in our final playoff game because of something he'd allegedly written in the yearbook about our Head Football Coach & Athletic Director. A lawsuit followed that was mentioned by Bob Ley on ESPN's Sportscenter.Coach also discusses how kids are quick to transfer schools now when they don’t play Varsity as a sophomore. He says kids manipulate their mailing addresses in order to enroll in another school.Also, since I'm a new parent, we discuss the most valuable thing you can give to your children: time. Mac says time is the biggest gift he’s given his kids. That resonates with me big-time. You cannot buy kids things that would replace your presence in their life. Toward that end—we discuss investing strategy (for college, equity buildup & a long retirement).It was an honor to have Coach McDonald on the podcast. Hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

My guest is Jerrard Parfait. He’s a friend of fifteen years who enjoys risk-taking. In fact, we spend the first hour of this episode talking about poker, decision-making and emotional intelligence.Next we discuss politics & parenting. Parfait, as I call him, lives with his wife, Carolyn, and son, Luke, in South Louisiana. We reminisce on our college days here—playing poker & blackjack at "Grandma Harrah’s" in New Orleans. He believes poker sharpens your skills because of its competitive nature. And much like playing golf, Parfait says, "you must put in a lot of time in order to be good at it."We also discuss screen time & social media. While I envision a future where social media is stigmatized as a low-class activity, Parfait believes otherwise. He says people are way too consumed with showing their best life on social media to abandon it.This conversation was a blast. If you enjoy poker, parenting & politics, you'll enjoy this discussion.Other topics discussed:Poker vs deer huntingTourists that are good for poker"Sizing-up" your opponentBenefits of having a casino close to homeEmotional intelligence in pokerShort-handed poker (6-handed) vs full table (10-handed)Table-banter that's good (and bad)Live vs online poker gamesPoker’s "Black Friday" (2011)Why Brad doesn't play online pokerPeople who play poker for a livingHow Ben Mintz & Playboy Marty landed at Barstool Sports

Today, I, Brad Dantonio, better known as Man Overseas, am the guest on The Joseph Wells Podcast. I'm forty years old and have been retired for five years. I took a year off to travel just prior to my 35th birthday and never returned to work.In normal times, you can find me and Lady Overseas traveling the world, living off passive income from rental properties and other investments in the US. In COVID times, "Lady O" & I have temporarily settled in New Orleans while we await the birth of Baby Overseas!Joseph and I became fast-friends about two years ago when he quoted me on Twitter. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Joseph in New York City, and we talk on a regular basis. I often look to Joseph for advice on business and investments through a Millennial lens. I've always emphasized the importance of having good friends of all ages. It's not often you meet someone on the same path as yourself, only 12 years behind. Joseph knows it takes a special persistence and determination - or a "Mamba mentality" as I call it. In this wide-ranging discussion, Joseph and I discuss financial freedom, journaling, parenting, social media, and much more.Please enjoy!

Seth Thibodeaux is the Head Baseball Coach at Nicholls State University. After starting his coaching career at Pearl River CC in 2003, "Coach Thib," as his players know him, is now headed into his 18th year of coaching college baseball. This season will be his 11th year as Head Coach at NSU—he's the second-winningest coach in program history.Also through the years, Coach has implemented his vision for what he knew Ray E. Didier Field could be—one of the most fan-friendly ballparks in the Southland Conference. Nothing better than a day at the ballpark with family in Thibodaux, LA.Two Colonel baseball players graduated this past weekend, which totals 103 graduates in a span of 10 years. Nicholls has one of the top Academic Progression Rates in the Southland Conference. Not to mention, NSU has won 266 games the past 10 seasons.In this episode, we talk about the GOATs (Greatest of All Time): Michael Jordan is the first person that comes to mind for both of us when we hear "The GOAT." We discuss The Last Dance, a documentary Seth often uses to motivate his players. It's how he teaches his philosophy of "tolerance" vs. "productivity."We also discuss Seth's recent Zoom call with former [and first] podcast guest Chase Lambin. He says when Chase spoke to NSU Baseball in 2017, player attitudes were totally changed. Inspired by the talk of "taking it to the pitcher," they handily beat Wake Forest that day—a team that was a pitch away from the College World Series that year.We also get into the importance of character, work ethic and team camaraderie. I ask Seth whether he feels it's incumbent on him to teach his players the fundamentals of good communication.He talks about why he doesn't allow phones in the clubhouse [hint: the clubhouse is sacred]. We discuss how Twitter, Snapchat & texting have changed everything from recruiting to road trips.Seth also tells great stories of guys like Buck Showalter, Bobby Dickerson & former Colonel & 12-year MLB player—the late Darryl Hamilton, whose son fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a Nicholls State Colonel.We're part of the Colonel family—a community Coach Thib has worked hard to cultivate. And we're fortunate to have a leader like Seth at the helm of the baseball program. I hope you enjoy this conversation as I much I did.