The Optimal Life

Neil Stratton is the president and founder of the popular sports agent and industry insider website www.insidetheleague.com. The site provides behind-the-scenes access to the business side of sports, particularly for agents, financial advisors, scouts and sports executives. Connect with Neil on Twitter @InsideTheLeague

I was joined by Cleveland.com reporter, Troy L. Smith, to recap UFC 241, Cormier vs. Miocic 2.    

Robert Bowden and Ara Arslanian were fraternity brothers at Ohio University and have remained friends for over 25 years.  Robert joined us for a stop on his nationwide tour after learning that the terminal illness he was diagnosed with in late 2018 turned out to be a misdiagnosis, giving him a second chance at this beautiful thing called life. contact Robert at rbowdentexx@gmail.com  

Danny Shneyder - who will be moving from Cleveland to L.A. this fall - joined me for a chat about his epic, 43-day experience traveling through Europe this summer.  You can connect with him on Instagram @fharoh .    

Sam Rus is a singer-songwriter who goes by the stage name Nova Starr.  She opens up about her spiritual path and how destiny controls our everyday lives.  You can connect with her on Instagram @whatsgoodsam and @iamnovastarr .  

Daniel Perez is a financial analyst who is in the process of getting his MBA.  You can connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram .  

Sarah Horbol ( @saraheve64 ) is an elite runner from Cleveland, Ohio who was the women's second place finisher at the 2019 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon and the women's first place finisher the year prior.  She is currently training for the 2020 Olympic Trials and hosts a blog called Marathons & Manicures (www.marathonsandmanicures.com).     

Mary Fitzgerald is a Los Angeles-based real estate agent specializing in luxury properties and one of the stars of the Netflix hit series, "Selling Sunset."  You can find her on Instagram at @themaryfitzgerald and at www.ogroup.com.  

Chris "Big Duke" Malloy is a rap and hip-hop music producer. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, he left for the bright lights of LA in 2012 to pursue his music passions and hasn't looked back since. A story of perseverance, positivity, hard work and enthusiasm, Big Duke reminds us that life is about following your heart if you have any chance of achieving your dreams. Connect with Big Duke on Instag...

Kevin Inthavong is a professional photographer specializing in editorial photography. You can find him on Instagram ( @churkh ), featuring mostly risqué pictures of women from Cleveland and surrounding areas. See Kevin's work at www.churkh.com    

Back by popular demand, I recorded another phone call with a scam artist company. I received a voice message from this company claiming I would "get arrested" if I did not call back and handle a "fraudulent matter" pertaining to my social security number. While this episode does not last long, the message is strong: NEVER GIVE OUT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!  

I was joined by my sister, Rena Haber ( @renaashleywellness ), for a conversation about living healthy within mind, body and soul.  We hit an array of topics, including social media effects on human psychology, spiritual introspection through yoga and meditation, how to overcome mental blocks, and the importance of loving (and knowing) oneself in order to be able to love another.    

LVfromCLE (Lamar McKnight) is a Cleveland-based recording artist, songwriter and studio engineer. I was joined by LV and his manager, Billy Gura, for a conversation about music, culture, and influences throughout the entire Cleveland hip-hop scene. Connect with LV on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Connect with Billy on Instagram  

Sally McRae is a Nike sponsored ultrarunner who provides coaching and training services in addition to motivational speaking and consulting.  She first began her ultrarunning journey in 2010 and hasn't looked back since.  You can find her on YouTube in an array of ultrarunning videos, always portraying a positive 'can do' demeanor regardless of the adversity she faces on the trails.  Connect with...

Are you sick and tired of getting dozens of phone calls from ghost solicitors trying to sell or "help" you with something every single day?  Yeah, me too.  This company kept calling tonight, so I decided to record them as well and see what it is they were offering.  Needless to say, it seemed like a scam, although I will let you - the listener - decide. The point of this whole thing is that we nee...

Devin McCourty is a 3X Super Bowl champion of the New England Patriots.  He joined me for a conversation about football, family and what it takes to be a success both on and off the field. Connect with Devin on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter  

Aaron Wilson is an NFL reporter for the Houston Chronicle who covers the Houston Texans. Formerly a reporter in Baltimore covering the Ravens, Aaron opens up about the loss of his wife several years ago, how that loss fueled him to improve his lifestyle, and provides details into the delicate relationship between reporter and player.  We also talk Cleveland Browns football and outlook for the 2019...

Larry Zukerman is the managing partner at Zukerman, Lear & Murray Co. , one of the top defense law firms in Northeast Ohio.  For over 30 years, Larry has fought for the rights of individuals facing allegations of white collar crimes, computer/Internet crimes, murder, sexual assault, Federal narcotics crimes and many others. He often handles the cases of high profile or well known citizens and also...

Rabbi Zushe Greenberg returned to the podcast to share insight into life, after-life, and the duty we all have to live for today.  It was another inspirational and thought-provoking episode that I can't wait for you to hear!  

Amani Roberts is a professional DJ, music producer and podcaster who left the corporate world to pursue his passion in music after the tragic loss of his father.  Ever since, he has created a premier DJ agency known as The Amani Experience and has produced remixes for artists such as Kehlani, Little Big Town, Niia and Camila Cabello.  In addition to DJ'ing, he also hosts The Amani Experience Podca...

Ricky Mendez is an implementational speaker and business coach who helps people better their lives through association changes and the daily practice of gratitude.  Brian Thompson is a recovered drugs and alcohol addict - turned hip-hop artist - who uses his past as the fuel behind his music as lead singer of the band, Stealing Oceans .  Ricky and Brian joined me for an insightful conversation abo...

Tommy Sinito is a restaurateur whose family owns Marble Room Steaks and Raw Bar and Il Venetian .  In addition to hospitality, he now manages local R&B artist and rapper, Peso.  Both Tommy and Peso joined me for an insightful conversation about the power of their relationship, why relationships and teams matter, and how they work together to create winning synergies. Connect with Tommy on Instagra...

Dr. Roy Buchinsky is a family doctor specializing in internal medicine at University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center.  He joined me for what became a conversation in which he drops a plethora of knowledge related to health, wellness and optimal living.    

Leah Hester returns to the podcast for her second appearance to update us on her freshman year experiences at SDSU and to provide outlook for the upcoming semester. Connect with Leah on Instagram  

Afif Ghannoum is the CEO of BIOHM Health , a revolutionizing microbiome company specializing in probiotics that not only break down and neutralize bad bacteria - but also bad fungi - within the gut.  In this episode, hear about Afif's growing company and how re-balancing our digestive systems are critical to achieving an overall healthy lifestyle.  Afif also shares insight into his evolving relati...