Grit, Grace, & Inspiration | Inspiring You to Dream Bigger, Find Your Purpose, & Become Your Best Self

A story of do what I say, not what I did. Michael Levitt combines a sense of humor with a serious subject as he delivers an impactful message on the importance of recognizing when you are suffering from Burnout. TODAY'S GUEST Michael Levitt is the founder & Chief Burnout Officer of The Breakfast Leadership Network, a San Diego and Toronto-based burnout consulting firm. He is a Keynot...

Caitlin Conner isn't your ordinary warrior. She combines strength and determination with style and pizzazz! She is an   athlete, model, brand ambassador, social media manager, mom, and founder of the non-profit, Be More Adaptive. Did I mention that she’s also a total badass? Because what others do with 2 legs, Caitlin does with one! DON'T FORGET YOUR CRAZY SOCKS! from John's Crazy Socks!...

Outside of the city limits, away from all the hustle and bustle, far away from highspeed internet and cable TV is a place where one goes not to escape life, but rather to be sure life doesn't escape them. Because it's here, in nature, where the true meaning to life lies. Be transported to the beautiful Sierra Nevada as Kevin sits down with the author of The Trail - A moving story showing how natur...

Former NCAA Mens Basketball Coach, Randy Brown has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. In fact, his expertise in dealing with life's adversities provides a powerful and transparent platform for his presentation, “The Comeback Kid". Coach RB's rise in the coaching world was matched by his dramatic plunge to the depths of depression, daughter's deaths, prison, and a ca...

When John Cronin was nearing graduation he knew that he did not want to fall victum to the statistics of people who are disabled who are also unemployed. Because even though John has Down Syndrome, John new he was above all else, an entrepreneur! Sitting down with his dad, Mark Cronin, the two of them began to brainstorm what business the two of them could start. Through a list of ideas they would...

Lonnie Bedwell is a blind Military Veteran, extreme adventure athlete, motivational speaker, and author. And I was just lucky enough to slow him down enough to have him on my podcast! Following a successful career in the United States Navy Lonnie would face his toughest battle while back home in Indiana. Lonnie was critically injured in a horrific hunting accident that instantly took his eyesight....

This week I am sitting down with the absolutely marvelous, Dorothea L. Gordon, author of the inspiring memoir, "When Life Has Other Plans... Discover the Hidden Gifts". Dorothea Gordon is a retired high school teacher for foreign languages (French, Spanish, German, and Latin). She continues to use her teaching skills to empower others to create their best life. Dorothea offers her wisdom and...

Kathryn F. Burmeister is an unconventional, animal-loving lawyer, author, and speaker focused on women’s self-care and dedicated to making a difference in the world. Kathryn served in quite a few law firms before going to law school, then dabbled in a  few more after graduating. Still, she ultimately decided to forego the big firm route to start her own practice — and the reason may surprise...

It doesn't matter how you start the race. What matters is how you finish it! Doug Noll is a perfect example of this... Douglas E. Noll, JD, MA was born nearly blind, nearly deaf, with two club feet, and left-handed. But Doug had a mind and would teach himself to learn. He would also develop quite the sense of adventure despite his various disabilities. Today, Doug Noll is a lawyer turned peacemake...

All it would take was a simple skiing accident to set Susannah Juteau on a path she never could have imagined. Following a 10-hour surgery to remove a brain tumor - Susannah would suffer for 5 years from constant, debilitating headaches and Migraine attacks. But after focusing on not only WHAT to eat but WHEN to eat it, she was able to get off all meds and has not experienced any migraine episodes...

As Maui’s elite fitness professional and healthy lifestyle specialist, Suzie Cooney has been changing people’s lives since 2001. As a motocross racer, wind surfer, and “water woman,” Suzie’s inspiration has always been the outdoors, and all of her training with clients draws upon this experience. Suzie’s specialty is in training water sports professionals and recreational enthusiasts; while using...

Ty Belknap was homeless as a teenager. Then he became a surfer and SCUBA diver while living in Hawaii. From there he found his inner nerd and started in the tech industry. By 25 he was a network engineer working at companies like Microsoft, Compaq and HP. At 36, he left the corporate world and started a web design and online marketing company (before it was called SEO). Now, with a Doctor of Strat...

Nikki Langman is an International Speaker, Amazon #1 Best Selling Author, emotional intelligence expert, recovering alcoholic, and mature age ultra endurance runner. She battled alcoholism and prescription drug addiction for decades while building and (trying to) maintaining an education, family, and career. By the time Nikki was 40 years old, she was successful with long-term sobriety, but still...

Coach Jon  is a weight loss coach and emotional eating expert who has lost 100lbs.  From nanotechnology researcher, to Navy marine engineer, to globetrotting nomad, Coach Jon spent most of his life running from his true calling, until one question changed his life. Now he's on a mission to help others lose weight for good and leave BS diets in the rearview mirror. CONNECT WITH COACH JON...

The story of "The Coca-Cola Trail" makes for a delightful Christmas Special here on the podcast! Grab some Christmas cookies and a glass of milk, or better yet, grab your self an ice-cold Coca-Cola and allow yourself to be taken back in time... Our guest today, Larry Jorgensen has quite the resume when speaking of his time as a journalist, but it's what he is doing today that has brought the two o...

An astute observer of behavior, Jacqueline Wales is fascinated by the messiness of being human, and finds people who are vulnerable and honest about their struggles incredibly interesting and courageous.  As the author of When The Crow Sings, The Fearless Factor, The Fearless Factor @ Work,  and soon to be published Fearless Women Leading The Way, Jacqueline has explored human behavior a...

After nearly 30 years as an airline pilot Dennis Mellen was faced with a career ending medical emergency. Being a pilot was more than a job, it was his childhood dream, his greatest passion, his very identity. And yet something completely out of his control took it all away. But eventually Dennis would come to a place in his journey where he was able to change his mindset - Taking his challenges a...

Are you tired of following the rules? Are you ready to be inspired to live a life of adventure? Are you ready to pursue your dreams while at the same time being able to financially support yourself and your family? Today's power couple, David and Dana Hagstrom are going to be able to help with all of that and more! Choosing to retire to the mountains of Mexico David and Dana Hagstrom would discove...

This BONUS Episode is about all things Thanksgiving! Chances are, you've got turkey on the brain and feelings of thanks in your heart and today's podcast episode is meant to send you into Thanksgiving Day Overload! TOPICS DISCUSSED: Contraversial Thanksgiving Debates My most memorable Thanksgiving Saying thank you to the ladies behind the scenes LINKS for Podcast Editor & Web Designer If you h...

Florida native, MacKenzie Smith is the cheesy proprietor of GrilledCheeseSocial.com - A food and travel blog dedicated to all that is delicious! MacKenzie is also an incredible mama to a 1 year old girl, named Poppy and has recently dipped her spoon into the world of mommy blogging. In addition to that, she has been writing cheesy recipes for over 11 years, has published a cookbook (with more to c...

Rob Kessler is an inventor, boat Captain, serial-entrepreneur and the buddy his friends call first when they are looking for a guy, who knows a guy to help them out. "Connecting people with whatever (or whoever) they need has just been my thing." For 20 years, that “thing” powered Rob's career in sales, where he helped people with the three biggest purchases they’d ever make in their lives - house...

The story of LaQuita Monley takes us back to a time in life when the world just seemed to spin at a little bit slower pace. It was a time when everybody knew everybody, when kids got to be kids, and our world didn't extend past the city limit sign. The life lessons learned during this time paired with her deeply-rooted faith and disciplined thought patterns would help LaQuita persevere through the...

It's been 18 years since the day I rolled through the Operating Room doors at Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital in Orlando, Florida to have a recently discovered brain tumor removed. I was just 17 years old and had been given 6 months to live if this brain tumor, a Craniopharyngioma, was not removed. But what came next would reshape not just my life, but the lives of an entire family. Waking from...

We all face barriers in our lives. And if we are not careful, those barriers can easily rob us of our opportunity to live out our lives to our greatest potential. Erik Weihenmayer would prove to himself and to the world that blindness is yet another barrier that can be overcome. In 2001 Erik would become the first blind person to summit Mount Everest. He would then go on to climb to the highest po...

Ali Ingersoll is a day trader, marketing consultant, disability advocate, writer, blogger, editor, and public speaker. She started her advocacy mission after being repeatedly denied medically necessary equipment by insurance companies over the last 10 years since becoming a C6 quadriplegic and full-time wheelchair user after a shallow water diving accident. With an insanely positive spir...