Cautious Coffee

On the latest episode of Cautious Coffee, DeRae and Austin discuss the importance of finding and articulating one’s voice. They emphasize how the quality of one's life and achievements is largely dependent on their ability to recognize and communicate their skills and experiences. DeRae shares insights from his military background and the transition to civilian life, highlighting the challenges ve...

Navigating our mental wellness takes work – and it’s increasingly difficult to do it on our own. On this week’s episode of Cautious Coffee, DeRae and Austin are joined by Jeremy Paxton , a licensed professional counselor, and delve into the intricacies of mental health, anxiety, and the impact of traumatic experiences. The conversation stems from a recent anxiety attack experienced by Austin in wh...

DeRae and Austin ignite a powerful conversation on mastering life in the new year. On the latest episode of Cautious Coffee, they zero in on pivotal themes: robust personal health, savvy financial planning, and the art of networking.  Sleep, the unsung hero of productivity, takes center stage as they stress its vital role in everyday success. And, the duo doesn't shy away from advocating for a har...

You went for it and it didn’t work out. Now what? In the latest episode of Cautious Coffee, DeRae and Austin return after a long hiatus and dive deep into the themes of failure, resilience, and goal-setting. DeRae opens up about his recent attempt to qualify for the Olympics in boxing, sharing his journey of ambition, challenge, and the eventual acceptance of not achieving his dream. The conversat...

Life, sacrifice, and fighting for yourself and those you love — both inside and outside the ring. On this episode of Cautious Coffee, Austin Staton sits down with DeRae Crane to hear more on his journey to become the oldest qualifier to make the U.S. Olympic Boxing team ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.   “Don’t strive to be the best, strive to be the only.” This is an episode you won’t want...

There are over 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the United States representing 5.7% of our economy. However, the U.S. boasts about 15% of the world’s nonprofits. Why do people start nonprofits? Is it for the greater good, attention-seeking behavior, or something different? On the latest episode of Cautious Coffee, DeRae and Austin discuss the issue of people wanting to start nonprofits witho...

Is love enough to get married or stay together? Why break up a happy home? In the latest episode of Cautious Coffee, DeRae and Austin examine the cultural taboo of extramarital affairs and why some have historically found refuge in a “mister” or “mistress” to help navigate complex relationship issues.  ABOUT CAUTIOUS COFFEE Cautious Coffee is a forum for candid, often uncomfortable conversations....

In the season two premiere of Cautious Coffee, Austin and DeRae delve into the complex topic of poverty. With over 1.2 billion people rising out of extreme poverty since 1990, the discussion centers on whether poverty can be seen as a blessing or an automatic curse. The duo shares their own experiences of living below the poverty line in the United States and explore the ways in which poverty mani...

“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.” Aristotle.    DeRae and Austin end season one of Cautious Coffee with a conversation about habits. Good (more optimal) or bad (less optimal) habits make a life and determine the quality of said life. Habits are learned from our parents, siblings, and peer group. Others we pick up as we explore things we like - they make us feel good, provide stimulation or c...

Austin and DeRae sit down with Tony Colunga , an entrepreneur and financial planner by trade to discuss the topic of financial literacy once again. Tony shares how he got involved in the finance industry and what influenced him to finally set out on his own and found his own wealth management firm.    DeRae and Austin share some of their financial experiences, personally, or through friends and fa...

In this week’s episode of Cautious Coffee, Austin and DeRae chat about the legalization and decriminalization of illicit drugs.  There is no serious doubt that illicit drug use and smuggling are detrimental to the human condition, and the United States has taken a hard line with its War on Drugs campaign. Former President Richard Nixon declared drug abuse public enemy number one.  DeRae attributes...

Reimagining the office and work life after COVID-19 is an ongoing debate in many corporate boardrooms. Data suggests that as many as 89 percent of office-based employees “say they want to be allowed to work remotely some or all of the time” and one in four employees suggest “they might quit their jobs after the pandemic, mostly because they want to look for work with greater flexibility.” In this...

This week Austin and DeRae conduct a radical thought experiment about a democratic lottery here in the United States for all elected offices.  DeRae believes a democratic lottery will address many of the issues with our current system, while Austin is rightfully skeptical. But we want to know what you think. With only a few more episodes left in the first season of Cautious Coffee, listen to this...

Austin and DeRae are once again joined by special guest Justin Cade in an episode about parenting. DeRae has a 12-year-old son, and in those 12 years has come to accept that while kids are wonderful - they’re also little hater machines. Justin joined the fatherhood within the last three years, but Austin remains free of the responsibilities of parenting.  Parenting is hard, that’s likely what make...

Austin and DeRae are joined by special guest and friend of the show (and Patreon subscriber) Justin Cade as they explore their experiences leading and being led.  The COVID-19 crisis pushed many leaders out of their comfort zones and forced them to reexamine the status-quo. As organizations take a long look in the mirror at what they have become and make decisions of how to best put the pieces bac...

Perfect men do not exist – neither do perfect countries. But the energy, hard-nosed swagger, and victor mentality of one of the greatest countries to ever exist is to be admired.  Whether you’re from a state on the East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, or down South – DeRae and Austin hope that if you’re an American, you’re as proud to be an American as they are.  In this episode DeRae and Austin share...

We all know someone that refuses to get vaccinated, and maybe even refuses to wear a mask. Hell, they might even think the last 18 months was a ruse. We asked our followers if the COVID-19 vaccine should be mandated, as vaccination rates appear to be stagnating with new variants of the virus spreading in many parts of the world.  Austin and DeRae chat about what’s driving skepticism and vaccine he...

Can money buy you happiness?  DeRae likes to tell people he’s never had a problem that money couldn’t solve. Austin shares his earliest experiences with credit cards, and what he wishes he knew back then. Money and credit are tools, yet many people have no idea where money comes from and how credit (or debt) works - and often suffer from the money illusion.  In many ways, getting money is a game,...

Following a midseason break, Austin and DeRae are back. The duo chats about some of the ways many people have no idea who they really are. Now that may seem like quite a strong statement, but unless you have a really good idea of how the human brain works - it’s just not possible to fully grasp what you’re capable of or where your limits are.  DeRae stresses his experience with boxing stripping aw...

While the U.S. is a rich country, globally, our country ranks 24th in math, 21st in science, and 15th in literacy. Why? Our system is flawed and separates the haves and the have nots.  Digging deeper, the U.S. attracts most of its teachers from the bottom two-thirds of college classes, with nearly half coming from the bottom third. Are teachers properly equipped and incentivized to solve the educa...

Believe in freedom? Great! Austin and DeRae do as well. They sit down with their first in-show special guests, Alan Lett and Anthony Ferrell of OG 713 , an LGBTQ-owned small business based in Houston, Texas.  Join the conversation as Cautious Coffee discusses allyship, civil rights, discrimination, and the logic of freedom. ‘Merica! ABOUT CAUTIOUS COFFEE Cautious Coffee is a forum for candid, ofte...

Cancel culture is nothing new. In today’s social media heavy world, one wrong tweet might get you canceled. But what does attempting to cancel someone or something say about society as a whole? Austin and DeRae discuss cancel culture in the 21st century. ABOUT CAUTIOUS COFFEE Cautious Coffee is a forum for candid, often uncomfortable conversations. Hosted by Austin Staton and DeRae Crane, each epi...

Can you create your own luck? What about creating your own opportunity? Where does effort into the equation? On this episode of Cautious Coffee, Austin and DeRae discuss the implications of what it means to be lucky. Listeners will find out why they feel lucky and maybe reflect on your own life in all the ways you’re lucky, too. ABOUT CAUTIOUS COFFEE Cautious Coffee is a forum for candid, often un...

Since the onset of COVID-19, about 40 percent of adults in the United States have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder. For young adults under the age of 24, that number spikes to more than 56 percent. To wrap up Mental Health Awareness Month, DeRae and Austin discuss their struggles with anxiety and depression, how they cope, and most importantly – why it’s ok to not be ok. RESOURC...

Marriage is a beautiful thing, but has society given too much weight to the role love plays in it? In this episode Austin and DeRae chat about their experiences with relationships and marriage. DeRae has a more systematic approach to marriage, while Austin has a more traditional approach. Where do you stand? ABOUT CAUTIOUS COFFEE Cautious Coffee is a forum for candid, often uncomfortable conversat...