Control or Be Controlled

What if the network you already have could help you find your next job, mentor, business opportunity, or leadership role? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Jennifer Cunningham , an alumni engagement and nonprofit consultant with nearly 20 years of experience helping organizations build communities that turn connections into meaningful opportunities. Jennifer h...

What if better conversations—not more technology—are the key to transforming your organization? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Douglas “Squirrel” Squirrel , a software leader, executive coach, consultant, author, and technology strategist with 50 years of coding experience and 30 years of leading software teams. From startups in fintech, biotech, and music...

What happens when outward success no longer feels like inner success? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Dr. Jonathan Locust Jr., researcher, educator, and founder of ConsciRise, for a thought-provoking conversation about burnout, healing, consciousness, purpose, and what it means to rebuild your life from the inside out. Jonathan spent years serving as a unive...

What happens when the problems in your relationship aren’t really about the relationship but about the wounds, fears, and patterns you brought into it? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Nancy Pickard, Certified Relational Life Institute therapeutic coach, relationship expert, and bestselling author of Bigger Better Braver: Conquer Your Fears, Embrace Your Cour...

In this episode, we’re joined by Nita Sweeney, an award-winning author, mindfulness teacher, meditation leader, mental health advocate, ultramarathoner, and retired attorney who has built her life around learning how to thrive while managing serious mental illness. Nita openly shares her journey from struggling with depression and feeling like she was barely staying afloat to becoming an ultramara...

Why do great products lose deals even when customers clearly understand what the product can do? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Dan Weisleder, a business value and enterprise sales expert with more than 20 years of experience helping technology companies turn complex products into compelling business cases. Dan argues that many enterprise sales teams are so...

What if successful investing isn’t about chasing the highest returns—but building strategies that can survive different market environments? In this episode, we’re joined by Zachary Levitt , founder of Opus One Asset Management and Sixth Turn Capital , two investment platforms focused on disciplined risk management, diversification, and generating high-quality, uncorrelated returns across asset cl...

Cybersecurity isn’t just about protecting computers—it’s about understanding how attackers think, where systems fail, and what happens when someone discovers a vulnerability before anyone else does. Today, we’re joined by Adriel Desautels , a cybersecurity pioneer with more than 20 years of experience and the founder of Netragard . His work in vulnerability research, penetration testing, and the z...

What if the reason so many people struggle with love and intimacy isn’t that they’re bad at relationships, but that they were never taught how to connect authentically? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Paul Aaron Travis, founder of SchoolForLove.com and SchoolForLovers.com, author of The Spark We Have Been Missing , and creator of the Auth Intimacy Framework....

Who controls your money, your choices, and ultimately your economic freedom? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Dr. Doug Cardell, economist and author of Why Socialism Struggles , for a direct conversation about capitalism, socialism, taxation, government planning, and the economic forces shaping everyday life. Dr. Cardell breaks down complex economic ideas in...

Today’s guest is Elias Martin , a history buff, researcher, and host of Politically High Tech , who explores one of the most pressing issues in America today: why political tribalism has become so intense and why people are increasingly hostile toward those who disagree with them. As a native New Yorker with interests spanning history, politics, technology, policy, spirituality, and self-improveme...

What if control isn’t always the answer? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Michael Magruge, a multimedia artist, author of five books, former Newport Beach Arts Commissioner, and creativity awareness educator, for a conversation that challenges conventional ideas about success, productivity, leadership, and human potential. Michael shares how growing up neurod...

What happens when you lose the people who were supposed to guide you through life? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled, Darlington sits down with Mark Motsenbocker for a deeply personal conversation about loss, resilience, mentorship, giving, receiving, and the unexpected people who can change the direction of your life. After losing both of his parents at a young age, Mark found himself s...

What if the most transformative experience of your life isn't the ceremony itself—but what you do after it? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Oliver Glozik, founder of Harmonica Retreat, a Colombia-based ayahuasca retreat center working within the Kamsá Biyá Indigenous tradition of the Putumayo region. Oliver came to ayahuasca searching for something he couldn...

What happens when the trauma you survived becomes the starting point for healing, self-awareness, and a life filled with peace? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Donna Donahue , psychotherapist, trauma recovery specialist, and survivor of childhood complex trauma, for a deeply personal conversation about healing, resilience, self-empowerment, and learning to f...

What happens when the life you built no longer feels like your own? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Matt Davies, a former banking and finance professional who spent more than two decades climbing the corporate ladder before reaching breaking point. Overweight, unhealthy, unhappy, and mentally exhausted, Matt made one decision that completely changed the dire...

What if law school could teach you more about yourself than the law? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Dina Ovsepian , a licensed attorney, legal commentator, and self-development advocate who has built a platform around making complex legal issues understandable while helping people become more confident, resilient, and self-aware. Dina didn’t enter law schoo...

Can the space around you influence the way you think, feel, and live? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Jodi Koch, CEO of Elizabeth Erin Designs and host of Designing in 5D , to explore the connection between our environments, creativity, lifestyle, and the way we experience everyday life. Jodi has developed the EED Process, a five step approach designed to si...

What if transformation isn’t about changing one part of your life—but reclaiming every layer of who you are? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Holly Fair, known as Queen Holly, a transformational life coach, speaker, Tony Robbins Trainer, and Robbins-Madanes Certified Coach, for a powerful conversation about healing, confidence, identity, and becoming the pers...

What if the biggest thing standing between you and the life you want isn’t your circumstances—but the version of yourself you’ve been carrying? In this episode, Nicole Tuxbury shares her powerful journey from early loss, self-doubt, and devastating personal challenges to becoming a mindset strategist, author, and advocate for self-mastery. We explore how limiting beliefs are formed, how our identi...

In a world shaped by AI, misinformation, social media, and constant digital stimulation, young people are facing challenges that previous generations never had to navigate. But how do we help teens make healthy decisions without fear, shame, or judgment? In this episode, Darlington sits down with Chris Rogers , an experienced public school teacher, performer, public speaker, worship leader, and po...

What if healing trauma isn’t just about understanding what happened to you—but learning how to safely integrate what your body still remembers? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Dr. Eric Wolterstorff, a psychotherapist, trauma specialist, trainer, and crisis management professional who has spent more than four decades exploring the intersection of trauma, soma...

What happens when we stop choosing political sides and start looking for solutions? In this episode, Darlington sits down with Evan , an international business development specialist and founder of the Solutions Party , to explore leadership, governance, freedom, prosperity, and the systems that shape the societies we live in. After living and working across multiple countries, cultures, and langu...

Today’s guest is Maison Collawn, a passionate speaker, media enthusiast, and host of the MC Anime Podcast. Diagnosed with autism at an early age, Maison grew up often feeling different and found connection and understanding through television, anime, manga, and storytelling. In this conversation, Maison shares how the stories we consume can become more than entertainment—they can help us understan...

What happens when life keeps taking things away—but you refuse to give up hope? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Cheri Baugh Woods, faith-based speaker, cancer survivor, and author of Win-Win: Miracles Still Happen , for a deeply honest conversation about resilience, faith, purpose, and finding hope when life doesn't go according to plan. Cheri has survived t...