Caller ID

Sarah Johnson joins the Caller ID Podcast to talk about her path from healthcare marketing to Case Western Reserve and now Chief Communications Officer for the City of Cleveland under Mayor Justin Bibb, overseeing everything from media and social to internal messaging for 8,000 employees—plus crisis communications during incidents like shootings and a cyberattack. She shares why she initially resi...

In this episode of Caller ID, Brandon Davis Wells talks with Dr. Mohsine Bensaid—Ashland University assistant professor and TESOL program director—about identity beyond the usual “what do you do?” question. Bensaid shares how growing up in Morocco, dreaming of pro soccer, and discovering English through an influential teacher shaped his path into language, education, and intercultural exchange. He...

In part two of our 2-part call, Linda and I dive into all kinds of topics, including:why someone stays at a company like Southwest Airlines for a long time, mentorship, what growing up in a single parent household meant, mentorship, paying it forward, how to deal with imposter syndrome, women in leadership, Clifton Strengths, and what she looked for in candidates to work on her team.  Support the...

What does it take to go from an entry-level employee to the Chief Administration Officer of one of America's most beloved companies? In Part 1 of my conversation with Linda Rutherford, we explore Linda's remarkable career journey from the newspaper industry to the executive leadership team at Southwest Airlines. After losing her newspaper job when her employer closed, Linda found an oppo...

In part two of our call, Coach Ellenwood talks about his desire to keep learning and how he deal with getting a little bored.  He also leans into his calling as someone who isn't a hoops expert (although I'll tell you having spent countless days on the road with him and his staff, they're definitely expert level hoops tacticians).  How he deals with losing now vs when he was a young...

This week is part one of my call with Ashland University Head Men's Basketball Coach, John Ellenwood. Coaching basketball wasn't the original plan, but it's definitely turned into a calling. Turning down opportunities with the FBI and other major retailers are pieces of the first part of our conversation. John. talks about nearly being fired, and what it took for him to save his job...

This week, I catch up with a former boss, Cleveland Cavaliers television producer, Brent Valenti. Brent has produced live Cavalier basketball for the last fifteen years. I served on his home crew for years in the truck.  We talk leadership, how to make it in sports television, what to learn from failure, and how to keep a family together while you're spending time on the road.  Support the sh...

ESPN Director, Adam Bryant, joins me this week on the call, as we talk what it takes to work in sports broadcasting, being an African-American in the tv industry, and you'll hear my old nickname with the worldwide leader.  Adam has directed some of the biggest events in sports, from the NBA Playoffs to the WNBA Finals, bowl games, and all kinds of other events.  You can hear him talk about hi...

On part two of our fascinating call, Dr. Grady talks about how she went from grad school to getting a full-time professor role, the impact of AI on higher ed, her amazing work with corrections ed, and some great career wisdom.  You'll also hear about my ridiculous freshman comp story at Ohio University.  Support the show Thanks for listening to Caller ID . You can follow Caller ID wherever yo...

Dr. Maura Grady joins me this week as we talk about higher ed careers, but also more than that as usual. It's not just her career path to higher ed, but what she learned along the way about herself, how to not attach outcomes to identity, and what drove her to English. All of this and more in part one of a two week conversation with one of the best and smartest people you'll find anywher...

If you can’t be yourself in the interview… you don’t want the job. This episode is a real conversation about authenticity, career alignment, and why so many people feel stuck in work that doesn’t fit. We get into:  Red flags in interviews (on both sides)   Why people change jobs more than ever   The danger of tying identity to your title   How to actually find meaningful work  No fluff. Just hones...

Every once in a while you meet someone who reminds you that the most meaningful work does not come with a flashy title. It comes through presence, curiosity, and the ability to truly listen. Matt Trukovich is a barber, but what happens in his chair goes far beyond a haircut. From factory floors to cleaning bathrooms to running an MMA promotion, his journey is built on saying yes to opportunities o...

Ashley Davis joins the Caller ID Podcast to share her journey from intern to full-time HR Generalist at School Specialty—and what the transition from college to the professional world actually feels like. In this conversation, Ashley reflects on how her internship at the Career Center for Life Calling at Ashland University helped shape her direction, the moment she realized HR—and especially recru...

In Part 2 of this conversation, B.Davis and Dr. Jason Barnhart turn to the topic of friendship and the challenge of being truly known. Drawing from Jason’s upcoming book, they explore why meaningful friendships can feel so difficult, especially for men, and how our tendency to fix rather than listen gets in the way of real connection. Jason shares personal stories about vulnerability, emotional gr...

In this episode, B. Davis sits down with Dr. Jason Barnhart, Professor of Theology at Ashland Theological Seminary, to explore how our sense of calling is shaped over time. Jason shares his journey from youth ministry to the classroom and reflects on how theology, worldview, and life experience all play a role in forming identity. Together, they unpack what it really means to “listen to your life”...

This week on Caller ID, I’m joined by my wife, writer Sarah Wells, on the day her new book Say One Million Times, Wow! Essays on Awe, Faith, and Family from America’s Great Outdoors (and Some Hotel Rooms)   releases. But this isn’t just a conversation about a book—it’s about calling. We talk about what it looks like to build a creative life in the middle of real responsibilities, how identity gets...

Firefighter. Cornell grad. Serial entrepreneur. Real estate investor. Risk-taker. Keith Saffles has lived several lives in one — and each chapter has required bold decisions, deep resilience, and a willingness to start over. In this episode of Caller ID , we dive into Keith’s journey through public service, entrepreneurship, and real estate, exploring what drives someone to repeatedly step into un...

Kris Mowry joins me on the show today, and we talk about the influence of growing up in rural Ohio, succeeding without a college degree, sales, faith, quitting drinking. It's a jam packed 40 minutes of wisdom, with a few laughs mixed in too.  Support the show Thanks for listening to Caller ID . You can follow Caller ID wherever you listen to podcasts, and if you’re enjoying the show, a quick...

What happens when God interrupts your comfortable plan? Former high school teammate and lifelong friend Art McMahon joins Caller ID to share his journey from teaching and coaching at CVCA to becoming a missionary educator in Haiti. Art and his wife Miquette survived the 2010 earthquake — a moment that tested their faith, resolve, and courage. Now serving as Director of Beulah Beach Christian Camp,...

Imagine being pulled out of 5th grade because your parents didn't have a dollar to help send you to school. One dollar. This kind of thing can break you, or it can make you into the person you're called to be. On this week's episode of Caller ID, I talk with Miquette McMahon about her calling to help provide education for her native country of Haiti. We talk about the earthquake and...

Dr. Rob Pool wears many hats, Vice President of Student Affairs and Auxiliary Services at Ashland University, faith-driven leader, mentor, husband, and lifelong drummer. But in this episode of Caller ID , we strip away titles, roles, and résumés to get to the real question: Who are you when the labels are gone? Rob and I go way back — from playing in bands together to walking through leadership, f...

Jim Pfander is the General Manager of the Akron RubberDucks and the 2025 Minor League Baseball Executive of the Year, but his journey to the GM’s chair came with real tradeoffs, sacrifices, and moments of letting go. In this episode of Caller ID , Jim and I reconnect as Ohio University classmates and broadcast program peers to talk honestly about what it takes to build a sustainable career in prof...

What does Kobe Bryant have to do with Shakespeare? More than you might think. In this episode of Caller ID , I sit down with Mark Rankin, a Renaissance literature and English professor whose approach to calling, identity, and excellence is shaped as much by the Mamba Mentality as it is by Milton. We talk about following your passion, but how much work that takes. We also tackle the hard work requi...

In this episode of Caller ID, we sit down with Dr. Jacob Sands, one of the world’s leading oncologists and an instructor at Harvard Medical School. But before all of that, there was a moment when he walked away. Dr. Sands shares how dropping out of Ohio University and traveling to Costa Rica on a whim, seeking clarity, learning from a shaman, and sitting with uncertainty, became a turning point th...

In the Pilot episode, Brandon Davis Wells sets the scene for the podcast. Who we may hear from, why this podcast can be a place for learning about ourselves, our identity, and how our careers and jobs play a role in all of the above! Tune in as we get rolling to figure out how we can each continue to live into our gifts and skills as we help each other become the best versions of ourselves regardl...