Control or Be Controlled

In this powerful episode of CONTROL OR BE CONTROLLED, Darlington sits down with psychotherapist Ward Lassoe to explore the extraordinary life of Diane—a woman whose childhood was marked by abandonment, abuse, homelessness, and unimaginable hardship, yet who refused to let her past determine the person she would become. What began as a simple fifteen-minute classroom assignment during Ward’s gradua...

What happens when abuse doesn’t fit the stereotype we’ve been taught to recognize? Today, I’m joined by Liana Lucine , author, learning specialist, and former Metropolitan Police officer, whose book Men Ignored examines one of the least discussed sides of sexual assault, harassment, and domestic abuse: the experiences of male victims. With 25 years in learning and development, including 18 years w...

What happens when you’re excellent at earning money—but haven’t given the same attention to what happens to it next? In this episode of CONTROL OR BE CONTROLLED , Darlington sits down with Paul Carroll , CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and founder and CEO of Avion Wealth , to explore the financial decisions that can determine whether a successful career ultimately translates into lasting financial se...

What if the cash your business needs isn’t missing—it’s simply sitting in your customers’ accounts? In this episode of CONTROL OR BE CONTROLLED , Bill Ferrier , founder of Ready Set Collect and a veteran of nearly 40 years in the credit and collections industry, joins us to reveal how companies can take greater control of their cash flow by getting their own money paid on time. For many businesses...

What if the biggest thing standing between you and the life you want isn’t your circumstances—but the way you think about them? Today’s guest is David Taylor-Klaus , a serial entrepreneur, master coach, and bestselling author who has spent more than three decades helping entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders perform at a higher level without losing sight of what matters most. David is the author...

What does it really mean to live with courage? In this episode, Darlington sits down with Simon Lee, a veteran coach with more than three decades of experience helping men and teenage boys develop courage, resilience, purpose, and mental strength. Simon shares his own difficult journey and explains why courage—not achievement, status, or physical strength—should become the foundation of a meaningf...

What if the life you want requires you to stop waiting for certainty, approval, or permission? Today’s guest is Hussein Hallak , a founder, entrepreneur, strategist, author, and lifelong learner who has spent two decades helping people and organizations navigate uncertainty, complexity, reinvention, and change. Hussein is the CEO of Next Decentrum and author of The Dark Art of Life Mastery , a blu...

Today’s guest is Tabatha Thorell, a real estate investor, entrepreneur, speaker, coach, bestselling co-author, and mother of five who has spent nearly two decades building businesses, investing in real estate, and pursuing financial independence. Tabatha brings a unique perspective on money mindset, wealth building, entrepreneurship, personal development, communication, emotional intelligence, and...

What happens when you’re excellent at earning money—but haven’t given the same attention to what happens to it next? In this episode of CONTROL OR BE CONTROLLED , Darlington sits down with Paul Carroll , CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and founder and CEO of Avion Wealth , to explore the financial decisions that can determine whether a successful career ultimately translates into lasting financial se...

In this powerful episode of CONTROL OR BE CONTROLLED, Darlington sits down with psychotherapist Ward Lassoe to explore the extraordinary life of Diane—a woman whose childhood was marked by abandonment, abuse, homelessness, and unimaginable hardship, yet who refused to let her past determine the person she would become. What began as a simple fifteen-minute classroom assignment during Ward’s gradua...

What if the part of you that you thought you lost isn’t actually gone? For many women, singing was once a huge part of their lives—choir, school musicals, college performances, or simply singing for the joy of it. Then life got busy. Careers, children, relationships, and responsibilities took over, and somewhere along the way, the singing stopped. Twenty or thirty years later, they want it back—bu...

What if joy isn’t the reward for success—but the strategy that helps create it? Today’s guest is Rachel Bents , a Joy-Led Leadership Architect, speaker, founder of The Joy Collective, host of Joy Unfiltered , and author of Joy Is the Strategy . With advanced degrees in Education and Kinesiology, Rachel combines science, storytelling, and practical tools to challenge the traditional approach to lea...

What if the life you want requires you to stop waiting for certainty, approval, or permission? Today’s guest is Hussein Hallak , a founder, entrepreneur, strategist, author, and lifelong learner who has spent two decades helping people and organizations navigate uncertainty, complexity, reinvention, and change. Hussein is the CEO of Next Decentrum and author of The Dark Art of Life Mastery , a blu...

What happens when your neurodivergent child turns 18 and the systems of support that carried them through school suddenly disappear? Carol Waldman—parent advocate, parent mentor, and founder of The Waldman Way—joins us for a powerful conversation about supporting neurodivergent young adults through one of life's most challenging transitions: from high school to college, and into meaningful employm...

Carolyn Sophia Skowron shares a powerful story of overcoming mental health struggles, adversity, and self-doubt to discover resilience, purpose, and hope. After a life-threatening car accident and learning she had Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD), Carolyn began a transformative journey through therapy, mindfulness, and self-reflection. Today, she is an author and public speaker passionate abou...

Today’s guest is Andrew Gillsmith , a Catholic science fiction author exploring the fascinating intersection of artificial intelligence, consciousness, faith, philosophy, and the future of humanity . Andrew is the author of Our Lady of the Artilects , a metaphysical science fiction novel described as “The Exorcist meets Westworld, with a light dusting of Snow Crash.” Drawing from his background in...

Today’s guest is Dr. Rahul R. Prasad , an applied physicist, global philanthropist, adventurer, and USA national bestselling author featured in Success DNA: Mastering Persistence in Leadership and Life . With a PhD in Applied Physics from Yale University, Dr. Prasad has spent decades working at the forefront of scientific innovation, including serving as a Senior Physicist and Manager at Lawrence...

In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , we sit down with Michael T. Brown , licensed counselor and leadership expert, to explore what it really takes to regain control when life feels overwhelming, uncertain, or completely off track. We talk about: · Why people feel powerless when circumstances feel out of control · The hidden role of belief deficits and thought patterns in keeping people st...

What if some of the patterns controlling your life today were formed long before you were old enough to understand them? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Christopher Barker , clinical psychologist, speaker, author, and host of the Holding Space podcast, joins CONTROL OR BE CONTROLLED to explore how childhood experiences, complex trauma, and attachment wounds can continue influencing the way we t...

What happens when you’re excellent at earning money—but haven’t given the same attention to what happens to it next? In this episode of CONTROL OR BE CONTROLLED , Darlington sits down with Paul Carroll , CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and founder and CEO of Avion Wealth , to explore the financial decisions that can determine whether a successful career ultimately translates into lasting financial se...

What happens when you’re excellent at earning money—but haven’t given the same attention to what happens to it next? In this episode of CONTROL OR BE CONTROLLED , Darlington sits down with Paul Carroll , CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and founder and CEO of Avion Wealth , to explore the financial decisions that can determine whether a successful career ultimately translates into lasting financial se...

What if some of the answers you’ve been searching for aren’t outside of you at all—but have been waiting to be discovered within? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled , Darlington sits down with Brandt Morgan , a writer, teacher, mentor, and certified firewalking instructor who has spent decades helping people reconnect with their deeper sense of purpose, authenticity, and possibility. Bran...

What happens when you’re excellent at earning money—but haven’t given the same attention to what happens to it next? In this episode of CONTROL OR BE CONTROLLED , Darlington sits down with Paul Carroll , CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and founder and CEO of Avion Wealth , to explore the financial decisions that can determine whether a successful career ultimately translates into lasting financial se...

What if some of the answers you've been searching for aren't outside of you at all—but have been waiting to be discovered within? In this episode of Control or Be Controlled, Darlington sits down with Brandt Morgan, a writer, teacher, mentor, and certified firewalking instructor who has spent decades helping people reconnect with their deeper sense of purpose, authenticity, and possibility. Brandt...

What happens when you’re excellent at earning money—but haven’t given the same attention to what happens to it next? In this episode of CONTROL OR BE CONTROLLED , Darlington sits down with Paul Carroll , CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and founder and CEO of Avion Wealth , to explore the financial decisions that can determine whether a successful career ultimately translates into lasting financial se...