How To Battle Podcast

Travis Sanchez is the founder of Arizona Custom Car Design, a bespoke automotive restoration shop specializing in classic American cars. In this powerful episode, Travis opens up about growing up with fractured family roots, struggling with addiction, doing two stints in prison, and fighting through issues of identity and belonging. He shares how embracing discomfort, seeking mentorship, and findi...

Katie Shannon is a leadership coach and founder of Katie Shannon Co., where she helps leaders and teams unlock their authentic power. In this episode, Katie gets real about choosing her own path over family expectations, navigating recovery, and reshaping leadership through vulnerability and “soft power.” She digs into the messy truth of putting yourself first, why tough conversations are essentia...

Dr. Payal Beri is an organizational psychologist, speaker, and host of the podcast ‘Reframing Perspectives’. With a deep commitment to empathy, social impact, and helping others shift their mindsets, Dr. Beri explores what it truly means to "live well" and how curiosity can change our lives and our relationships. In this insightful episode, she unpacks the power of pausing, the role of privilege a...

Zeara Jea is a reentry specialist, mentor, and community healer. Having spent nearly a decade at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC), Zeara’s life mission is to support people impacted by incarceration and violent street environments. In this powerful conversation, Zeara opens up about her childhood in Northeast LA during the 90s, being surrounded by gang culture, teen motherhood, and the raw jour...

Bruce Bryan is an advocate, speaker, and Justice Defenders program leader who spent nearly three decades wrongfully incarcerated. In this powerful episode, Bruce shares his incredible journey of surviving the U.S. prison system, transforming pain into purpose, and building a new life after release. Host Carlos Vasquez and Bruce dive into the mental strategies, soul-searching, and community support...

Joe White, Recovery Pastor and Program Leader at the Los Angeles Mission, joins Carlos Vasquez for an extraordinary conversation about overcoming addiction, recidivism, and hopelessness. After spending over a decade behind bars and battling a 17-year addiction, Joe found hope and lasting freedom through faith, community, and service. Now, as a recovery advocate and spiritual leader in Skid Row, Jo...

This week, Carlos Vasquez sits down with Ernesto Sanchez, a man who’s walked through fire and lived to rebuild from the ashes. After spending years inside some of California’s most brutal prisons, Ernesto isn’t just surviving – he’s redefining what life after prison can look like. In this candid conversation, Ernesto opens up about breaking generational cycles, confronting the trauma that led him...

Peter Meyerhoff is an author, speaker, and host of the ‘Roll Call with Chappie’ podcast. Once a shot caller for the Aryan Brotherhood in Arizona’s toughest prisons, Peter’s journey spiralled through heroin addiction and violence, ultimately leading to 12 years behind bars. In this powerful conversation, Peter opens up about the crushing realities of prison life, breaking free from generational cyc...

Kyle Walker is a professional skateboarder, Vans shoe designer, and passionate youth mentor. With over two decades of experience in the skateboarding world, Kyle has not only achieved the heights of professional success – designing signature shoes and competing on global stages – but has also dedicated himself to lifting up the next generation. In this episode, Carlos Vasquez sits down with Kyle t...

Jules Horn went from a small village in Germany to the global stage as a model, but behind the polished images was a deeper journey of burnout, self-worth, and healing. In this powerful conversation, Jules opens up about the cost of chasing external validation, the trauma that shaped him, and the path he found back to himself. From redefining masculinity to the power of breath, movement, and prese...

What does it take to rebuild your life after 14 years in prison? Jabarri Pangelinan joins Carlos Vasquez just weeks after his release. He spent fourteen and a half years incarcerated, emerged not broken, but transformed. A devoted father and advocate for second chances, Jabarri shares the mental and emotional toll of incarceration, the pain of being separated from his children, and the strength it...

Eric Bigger is a mindset coach, author, and the voice behind the Spiritual Fitness podcast. But beyond the titles, Eric’s story is about real transformation. In this conversation with Carlos Vasquez, he opens up about his journey – from growing up in Baltimore to finding himself in Los Angeles – and everything it took to get there: the struggles, the breakthroughs, and learning to lead with vulner...

What does it really take to rebuild your life from rock bottom? In this powerful episode, Rachel Coker opens up about her raw and deeply personal journey through addiction, loss, and recovery. Once in the depths of darkness, Rachel now stands as a voice of strength, compassion, and unflinching honesty. She shares the turning points that changed everything – the pain of losing loved ones to suicide...

What really holds us back – and how do we break free? In this episode of How To Battle , Adaku Mbagwu sits down with Carlos Vasquez to share her raw, personal journey, from navigating poverty and family struggles to uncovering the deep-rooted beliefs that shape our lives. As a guide and mentor, Adaku has helped countless individuals break through their limitations by tapping into spiritual foundat...

What does it take to rebuild your life after prison? In this episode, Pablo Asencio sits down with Carlos Vasquez to share his journey from incarceration to purpose, finding resilience as an incarcerated firefighter. After nearly 14 years behind bars, Pablo opens up about the physical and mental challenges of fire camps… and the unexpected opportunities they brought. From battling wildfires to fig...

"The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly" – Eckhart Tolle. This episode dives deep into personal journeys shaped by profound lessons from Eckhart Tolle's ‘The Power of Now’, with former guests Giane Lollar, a personal trainer, Bryson McCalley, the CEO of LAST OF A DYNG SEED, and Travon Harris, founder of Community First Power Washing Company. Whether you're seeking inspiration or tools to...

Richard Pauwels, founder of Rich Nuts and retired L.A. County firefighter, shares his incredible journey from being born in a correctional facility to discovering purpose and strength in the fire service. Now an entrepreneur, he talks about building his snack company and the key lessons on mindset, responsibility, and curiosity that helped him overcome life’s toughest challenges. Tune in to this e...

Michael Haslip, a recent parolee, served 31 years in a maximum-security prison. Despite facing immense challenges, Michael never gave up, even when it would have been easy to do so. Carlos had the privilege of walking the yard with him, being housed alongside him, and receiving his invaluable mentorship during a pivotal time in his life. As a young man seeking guidance, Michael provided him with w...

Joe Reed, a resilient entrepreneur with multiple businesses ranging from cannabis delivery to addiction recovery programs, joins Carlos Vasquez to discuss his unique journey. Overcoming a difficult upbringing, Reed has transformed setbacks into opportunities, emerging as a problem solver whose decisions impact both his ventures and community. This episode dives into Joe's evolving definition of su...

Guido Solares is a cybersecurity expert and former medical physicist with a fascinating journey that spans entrepreneurship, teaching, and consulting. In this episode, Guido shares his insights on achieving success, irrespective of one's starting point, and offers a glimpse into the complexities of the cybersecurity landscape. From recounting his academic challenges at MIT to discussing the intric...

Join us as we sit down with Giane Lollar, a personal trainer, Bryson McCalley, the CEO of LAST OF A DYNG SEED, and Travon Harris, founder of Community First Power Washing Company. In this episode, our incredible guests share their unique experiences with tattoos, from getting inked in juvenile halls and prisons to exploring tattoo removal. They delve into themes of self-acceptance, the lessons lea...

Andrew Mundy and Henry Oliva are two incredible individuals who transformed their lives from a past of incarceration to becoming powerful advocates and community leaders. In this episode, Andrew, co-founder of the Garden 31 Community Initiative, and Henry, a mentor and workshop conductor, share their journeys of resilience, faith, and redemption. They dive into their impactful courtroom experience...

Alisa Sieber is a former Marine Corps pilot and an accomplished author who has dedicated her life to becoming a voice for personal healing and overcoming adversity. Throughout this episode, Alisa shares her powerful journey, from navigating the structured life of the military to dealing with childhood trauma and PTSD. She discusses the transformative practice of "chair flying" and how preparing fo...

In this heart-wrenching episode of How To Battle , Kat Kerr, a 25-year-old survivor of childhood abuse and a physically and emotionally abusive relationship, shares her story for the first time. Kat details the traumatic experiences she faced growing up in an abusive household, including the emotional neglect from her adoptive mother, the pain of being denied love, and her struggle to support her...

In this powerful episode of How To Battle , Michal Ohana , a survivor of the October 7th, 2023 attack on Israel, shares her harrowing experience at the Nova Festival and the traumatic aftermath. The episode explores the pain of loss, survivor’s guilt, and the enduring power of hope. Michal recounts how the terrorists targeted festival-goers, the moments of terror under an IDF tank, and the emotion...