Backstories & Buy-In's Podcast

Lisa Jaster is one of the first women in history to graduate from U.S. Army Ranger School, one of the toughest military leadership courses in the world. In Episode 8 of Backstories & Buy-Ins, Lisa shares the story behind that journey, including how she almost ignored the email asking for volunteers to attempt Ranger School before encouragement from her husband and kids pushed her to go for it....

In this episode of Backstories & Buy-Ins , I sit down with Dr. Justin Reyna — chiropractor, sports scientist, and founder of Modern Movement — to talk about recovery, performance, and the future of healthcare. We dive into chiropractic work, rehab, dry needling, and functional medicine, including how Justin uses comprehensive blood work to identify deficiencies, guide nutrition, and optimize l...

In Episode 6 of Backstories & Buy-Ins, UFC fighter Jared Gordon opens up about the battles most people never see. Jared talks about how martial arts entered his life, his fight with drug addiction, getting sober, and the moment he finally made it into the UFC. He shares what it was like competing while in active addiction, how opiate withdrawal kept pulling him back, and how sobriety became th...

On this episode of Backstories & Buy-Ins , I’m joined by Alexa Yanes , a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt who has competed her way across the world. Alexa talks about how she first started jiu jitsu, how she began competing at blue belt, and why she sometimes entered tournaments alone — with no coach, no team, just belief in herself. She shares the story of getting promoted mid-competition to ch...

In this episode of Backstories & Buy-Ins , I sit down with Priest and Phenix Rivera , hosts of Burn Factory Show . Priest shares how a life-threatening burn accident changed everything — and how he found purpose through pain. Phenix opens up about the moment he got the call that his brother was in critical condition, and how they turned that tragedy into motivation to inspire others. From the...

Episode 3 | Backstories & Buy-Ins 🎙️ UFC fighter Daniil Donchenko joins me for a powerful conversation about his journey, from growing up in Ukraine to stepping into the UFC cage. We talk about: His martial arts path from judo ➝ Free Fight ➝ MMA Fighting 8 times a week as a teenager and stacking 150+ amateur fights Training in Thailand and learning the brutal reality of Muay Thai How acceptanc...

In this episode of Backstories & Buy-Ins , we sit down with Justin Gutierrez — a marketing expert, entrepreneur, and car wash owner — to unpack his journey from creative strategist to full-fledged business owner. Justin shares how he found his voice in marketing, the moment he bought in to building brands, and how owning a car wash fits into his bigger picture. He also brings direct value to l...

In this first episode of Backstories & Buy‑Ins , I sit down with John Cervantes , Partner and Senior Investment Advisor at CrossVault Capital Management. We dive into John’s background, how he built his career in wealth management, and the path that led him to his current role. We also explore his passions outside of finance, including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and CrossFit, and hear the exact momen...