Born without a choice

What happens when a disagreement becomes something much bigger? In this episode, I sit down with Rodney Phillips, author of Dissension: A Disagreement That Leads to Discord , to talk about ambition, loyalty, betrayal, communication, trust, and the choices that can change everything. Rodney shares the remarkable story behind Dissension —a story he first began writing at 19, only to leave the manusc...

What happens when the career you’ve built no longer feels like the life you want? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by Maggie Perotin, an international business and leadership coach, entrepreneur, former corporate operations leader, and host of The Diamond Effect Podcast. Maggie spent more than a decade building a successful corporate career, eventually reaching Director-level l...

What does it really mean to be a leader? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by Kevin Wayne Johnson, Founder and CEO of The Johnson Leadership Group LLC, executive coach, mentor, trainer, speaker, bestselling author, and Maxwell Certified Leadership Coach. After a remarkable 34-year career across the federal government and private industry, Kevin has dedicated the next chapter of...

What happens when you stop trying to fit into the conversation and start creating your own? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by Victor Jones, podcast host, storyteller, entrepreneur, and the voice behind Liquor Talk Podcast. Victor has spent years building his presence in podcasting and creating a space for honest conversations about relationships, culture, creativity, business...

What happens when your brain’s automatic patterns start working against you? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by Dr. Marcia Ruben, an executive coach, organisational consultant, and graduate leadership professor emerita with more than three decades of experience helping leaders navigate complexity and lead with greater clarity. Dr. Ruben’s work focuses on something many of us e...

Why do some people seem impossible to understand while others immediately feel like they “get” you? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by Sheila Glazov, bestselling author, internationally known personality expert, professional speaker, educator, and creator of the What Color Is Your Brain?® methodology. Sheila has developed a fun and memorable way to understand four different Br...

What happens when the mind that helped you survive difficult circumstances becomes the very thing you struggle to quiet? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by David Godshall, a former Navy SEAL and Beirut veteran who spent more than 20,000 hours training his mind under the guidance of a Tibetan Buddhist master. His journey took him from military service and buried trauma to a dec...

What happens when you’ve dreamed of becoming a writer your entire life—but somewhere along the way, you lose your creative spark? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by bestselling mystery author and creativity coach Liz Mugavero, also known as Cate Conte. Liz’s journey began with a childhood obsession with books and storytelling, eventually leading her to create multiple successf...

In this episode of Born Without a Choice , I’m joined by Venchele Saint Dic, a public health writer, editor, author, and doctoral student in Public Health Leadership. Venchele shares how her experiences, writing, and public health work have shaped her commitment to helping people and communities navigate life-changing circumstances. We talk about resilience, health equity, communication, personal...

In this episode of Born Without a Choice , I’m joined by Maxim Shapiro, a men’s purpose and life coach who helps men move from feeling stuck or disconnected toward greater clarity, purpose, and authenticity. Max shares his personal journey from feeling unfulfilled and disconnected despite outward success to making major changes in his life and discovering a stronger sense of direction. We talk abo...

In this episode of Born Without a Choice , I’m joined by Meta Titus for a deeply personal conversation about faith, identity, the Book of Revelation, and the experiences that have shaped Meta’s understanding of the world. Meta shares the story behind their spiritual journey, including time spent in nature, their interpretation of biblical passages, and why they believe those experiences have given...

In this episode of Born Without a Choice , I’m joined by Sandy Phillips Kirkham, an author, speaker, and advocate for survivors of clergy abuse. Sandy shares how her experience as a teenager in a church community eventually led her to confront a painful chapter of her past decades later. We discuss grooming, manipulation, trust, healing, finding your voice, and the importance of speaking up when s...

In this episode of Born Without a Choice , I’m joined by Cathy Colver Garland, writer, speaker, mentor, and co-author of Revelationship: Transformative Intimacy With Christ . Cathy shares how divorce, loss, disappointment, injury, and years of waiting shaped her understanding of faith—and how those difficult seasons ultimately led her toward a deeper, more personal relationship with God. We also t...

In this episode of Born Without a Choice , I’m joined by Rosemary Fisher, author, Freedom Coach, speaker, and founder of Recycled Women Ministries. Rosemary shares a powerful story of growing up surrounded by abuse, addiction, fear, and generational cycles—and how, at 30, a moment of complete surrender transformed the direction of her life. We talk about breaking destructive patterns, discovering...

In this episode of Born Without a Choice , I’m joined by Sherry Shaban, creator of the Make Peace with Food™ Method and a health and life coach with more than 25 years of experience. We talk about her journey from serious physical challenges and chronic pain to discovering a more holistic approach to health—one that looks beyond diets, exercise, and willpower. Sherry explains how the nervous syste...

Why has American politics become so focused on “us versus them”? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, Ross “Yergz” Yerger joins us to explore political division, fact-checking, media bias, government, and what it really means to be an informed citizen. Ross brings a unique background to the conversation, including 21 years with the U.S. Secret Service, experience in intelligence, history, pol...

How much of sports prediction comes down to data, experience, psychology, and disciplined analysis? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, Ed Franklin joins us to discuss more than three decades in the sports-information industry. With an MBA in Finance and extensive experience analyzing sporting outcomes, Ed shares his perspective on statistics, research, AI, decision-making, and the challenge...

What if the animals we think we rescue are actually rescuing us? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, Holly B. Gutwillinger joins us for a heartfelt conversation about storytelling, rescue animals, grief, healing, creativity, family, and the unexpected ways our pets shape who we become. Holly is an author, podcaster, and fiction writer from northern Ontario. Her debut novel, North of Broken &...

What started as a podcast about the circumstances we never chose has become a journey through stories of courage, loss, faith, resilience, purpose, and transformation. In this special episode of Born Without a Choice, I take a moment to reflect on the incredible guests and conversations that have shaped the show so far. From personal struggles and unexpected challenges to stories of rebuilding, fi...

What does it really mean to carry responsibility? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by Rev. Kevin T. Taylor, a pastor, leadership advisor, and author of A Charge to Keep . Kevin and I explore the unseen pressures of leadership, the difficult decisions leaders often carry alone, and the courage required to move from hesitation to action. We talk about faith, executive leadership,...

In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by Alex Duenas, a mindset coach and entrepreneur who has spent 18 years helping people overcome destructive patterns and develop greater discipline, confidence, and wisdom. Alex shares how bullying, family struggles, and feeling like he was the problem shaped his early life—and how fitness, friendship, discipline, and a life-changing experience...

Nobody asked to be here…” In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by Clifford Brown, a former Beverly Hills commercial lawyer who left a successful legal career to spend 27 years working in international foreign aid with USAID. Clifford takes us behind the scenes of international development, sharing stories from Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Kyrgyzstan, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Colombia,...

What happens when life doesn’t follow the path you expected? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by Michigan author, storyteller, meditation teacher, and host of The Honest Outdoors , Mike Martin. We explore his journey retracing Daniel Boone’s historic path and how that experience became a deeper reflection on identity, resilience, healing, and beginning again. Mike shares how wi...

What happens when a health scare, depression, and spiritual dryness force you to stop and rethink everything? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by Mark Osborne, host of The Valiant Forge —a podcast created for Christian men who want to grow in faith through honest, grounded conversations. Mark opens up about his own late-life wake-up call and how a difficult season reshaped his...

What if creativity is more than a talent—and what if many of us were taught to be afraid of it? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, I’m joined by Rick Sorenson, artist, teacher, author, and creator who has spent decades exploring the relationship between creativity, faith, identity, and the arts. Rick shares how his lifelong journey in drawing, painting, teaching, and studying the arts event...