Life, Mentored

Some people learned leadership in a boardroom, Freeman learned it on the river. As a whitewater rafting guide and operations manager of an adventure company, he led teams in fast-paced, high-stakes environments where clear communication, quick decision-making, and trust made all the difference. That experience shaped how he approach project management, client success, UX design, operations, innova...

Dr. Caroline Danda is a licensed psychologist with over twenty years of clinical experience working with children, teens, and their families. As a mother of three, she brings professional expertise and real-world understanding to the challenges families face today. Her collaborative, educational approach is grounded in real-life solutions—from managing big emotions to improving communication and s...

Dan Cox is an experienced educational leader, endurance athlete, and speaker. With over 25 years in education, including 15 years as a superintendent, Dan has led school districts through both growth and complex challenges, always with a focus on cultivating strong leadership and resilient cultures. Beyond his work in education, Dan is an ultramarathon runner and endurance athlete who transformed...

Dr. Michael Lubelfeld has served as a public school superintendent in Illinois since 2010 and currently leads North Shore School District 112, serving the communities of Highland Park and Highwood, IL, just north of Chicago. A nationally recognized educational leader, Dr. Lubelfeld is deeply engaged in leadership development and professional growth, collaborating with state and national associatio...

Dan Stecken is the District Superintendent of Seneca Township High School in North Central Illinois. He spearheaded the implementation of The Seneca Way and led the district to the honor of being a certified Great Place to Work. He also authored A Stressed Leaders Journey, the Rookie’s Guide to Being a School District Superintendent , and has a weekly newsletter by the same name. Beyond that, he h...

As a mom of 20 years and former teacher of 30, Kathy Van Benthuysen knows firsthand the challenges of raising kids in today's digital world. After spending over 67,000 hours working with children in the classroom, she made a life-changing decision: she left teaching early to help parents navigate the growing crisis of digital dependency. Now, as a speaker and co-founder of Converlation, Kathy tran...

Eric Kussin is a magna cum laude grad of Cornell University and 20+ year professional sports executive, who got his start at the NBA League Office. After five years with the League, he went the team business route and rose the ranks with the expansion Chicago Sky, and then the NBA's Phoenix Suns. He then switched over to the NHL, working with the New Jersey Devils and Florida Panthers, becoming th...

In the first episode, host Joe Mullikin, shares his story of balancing between anxiety and excitement, and living in the anticipation. In his story, he discusses why this project exists and his hopes for it. As someone who has struggled with feeling like he belongs, he sets the stage to create the environment of abundance that exists where everyone's story, everyone’s lived experience, and everyon...

In the final teaser episode, Joe Mullikin talks about the why, the what, the who, and the journey to come. A huge thank you to Brandon Lee Ward, our post-production genius! If you have any marketing, podcast, video, or other work, check him out at www.brandonleeward.com, connect with him on LinkedIn, or email him at blw@brandonleeward.com. Get full access to Joe Mullikin's Substack at joemullikin....

In this episode, Joe Mullikin talks about the abundance mindset necessary to truly bring a sense of belonging to our world. Every single one of us brings a beautiful part of the puzzle, and that puzzle is built by the stories of each of our lived experiences. Get full access to Joe Mullikin's Substack at joemullikin.substack.com/subscribe

Joe Mullikin, host of Life, Mentored, talks about the journey and story behind the podcast. In the midst of being the loneliest generation, we've been sold a lie that our story doesn't matter. This podcast is the place where we change that narrative. Full episodes of everyday people telling everyday stories start March 28th, 2025. Get full access to Joe Mullikin's Substack at joemullikin.substack....

Joe Mullikin, host of Life, Mentored, talks about the journey and story behind the podcast. In the midst of being the loneliest generation, we've been sold a lie that our story doesn't matter. This podcast is the place where we change that narrative. Full episodes of everyday people telling everyday stories start March 28th, 2025. Get full access to Joe Mullikin's Substack at joemullikin.substack....

Joe Mullikin, host of Life, Mentored, talks about the journey and story behind the podcast. In the midst of being the loneliest generation, we've been sold a lie that our story doesn't matter. This podcast is the place where we change that narrative. Full episodes of everyday people telling everyday stories start March 28th, 2025. Get full access to Joe Mullikin's Substack at joemullikin.substack....

Life, Mentored is a podcast about the amazing stories that each and every one of us has told through the lens of everyday people just like you and me. Stories of courage, ups and downs, failures, disappointments, resilience and patience, stories of taking leaps of faith, and stories of the messy middles. If you've ever felt like you're alone like your story doesn't matter, or stuck in the "hard,"...