Return To Authenticity

Special Christmas Episode!   That last gift that was hiding behind the tree is this week's episode of RTA Uncut #6 with my guest and friend, Nicky Billou.  Nicky is back in the studio to catch up with us since he was last on Episode 60 of Return to Authenticity back over a year ago on May 3, 2023. Go check out episode 60 to hear Nicky's powerful story. A brief summary of that episode is...

Episode 114! Joining us in the studio today is Austin Davis.  Austin earned a Bachelor of Science in Pastoral Ministry from Lee University in Cleveland, TN, and furthered his education with a Master of Arts in Counseling from The Church of God Theological Seminary. This education laid the foundation for his professional journey in clinical counseling and church ministry.  Austin is now a leader in...

Episode 113! Today in the studio, I have guest Liam Naden. Liam was an ambitious success-seeker who became a business entrepreneur and multi-millionaire - only to lose everything and become homeless and penniless in his mid-40s. In rebuilding his life, Liam uncovered how to use his brain in a way to reduce stress, anxiety and the “fight or flight” mode, and make better decisions, solve problems qu...

Episode 112!  Struck by the events of 9/11, which took place when he was 15 years old, James (J) was convinced stopping radicalization and violence was the best way to help his community.  After earning multiple degrees, he went on to work for the City of Pittsburgh Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security and Region 13 Counter-Terrorism Fusion Center. As an emergency management spec...

Ep111!  Joining us in the studio this week is Brianna Greenspan, founder of Brianna Greenspan International, an educational consulting firm helping adults and children throughout the world.  Brianna had to overcome her own genetic physical challenges being born with a rare connective tissue disorder that led to her losing the ability to walk at age 19.  She made radical changes in her life to gain...

Episode 110!  Today’s guest is Anthony Trucks.  At the age of three years old, Anthony was abandoned by his biological mother and placed into the foster care system, a system where 50% of kids will end up homeless upon aging out of the system, and 75% of prison inmates in the U.S. are former foster kids.  His future did not look bright. For much of his childhood, Anthony felt adrift, unworthy and...

Episode 109! Catherine Nikkel joins the show from Toronto, Canada where she is a writer and a bestselling author specializing in ghostwriting books and blogs for CEOs, entrepreneurs and influencers where she has authored 15 books.  Catherine is the author of The Lightbulb Moments Journal, an Amazon bestseller and has been featured in leading publications, including Forbes, Business Insider, NY Wee...

Episode 108! On this episode, Bodhi Aldridge joins me in the studio all the way from Byron Bay, Australia where he lives by the beach with his wife of 40 years and their 4 children and 10 grandchildren.  He spends time in the ocean daily enjoying surfing and walking on the beach with his wife and also travels the world where he coaches executives from companies like Google, Tesla, Netflix, YouTube...

Episode 107!  This conversation with Sam is all about mental health from the perspective of someone leading what is now one of the world's most respected Ketamine clinics. Ketamine has it's proponents and it's naysayers in the mental health treatment space and Sam covers the risks and benefits to this therapy that has been a key aspect of therapy for many of his clinicians' pat...

Episode 106!  This was a conversation I was so excited to have with my pastor, Father Edwin Leonard, who is the pastor of St Ann Catholic Parish in Coppell, Texas. We talk about his childhood, his early faith life, and his conversion to living his life as a disciple of Jesus Christ and shepherd of one of the largest Catholic churches in the region as a Catholic priest.  Followers of the show know...

Episode 105!  What a great conversation with Darryl Lyons! Darryl tells his story of coming from humble beginnings in a trailer park before rising to the heights of success in the financial world.  Along the way, Darryl faced hardship, struggle and loss.  He found his own will and mental toughness would only get him so far.  At one low point, Darryl heard God say to him "Are you done yet?  Yo...

Episode 104!  After the tipping point moment of not achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Major Annette Whittenberger (ret.) left the military after 17 years of service.  She had experienced and seen others struggle with depression while in the service and struggled to find her own way post-military career.  Annette started writing a blog called "A Wild Ride Called Life" and now sees...

Episode 103! Gerard White knows something about overcoming the odds and rising above adversity.  After his parents divorced, he became involved with the drug scene - buying, selling and using a variety of illegal substances and enjoying the money, power, and adrenaline it brought.  He knew his life was out of control, and he didn't know where it would end.  Eventually it came crashing down in...

Episode 102!  This week's guest is Mark Silverman.  In 1989, with the help of his brother, Mark got his life together as he entered college as a recovering drug addict and alcoholic.  After college he joined the working world as a salesperson and realized as much as he hated the work, he was good at connecting with people and relating to them.  The former homeless addict was soon at the top o...

Episode 101!  You'll love the energy and positivity Todd Saylor exudes from every pore.  He was raised by a powerful role model in his father, a legendary high school football coach and business owner who taught Todd the value of hard work.  Todd was working in the family store as an eight year old and went on to become an entrepreneur who has owned 14 organizations, five brands, and is a mul...

EPISODE 100!! It's been an amazing first 100 shows!  So many fantastic guests sharing their stories of overcoming so much and finding their authentic self.    I'm so honored that this guest, my friend Dennis Morolda, agreed to be on this special episode.  As I've I said on past episodes with Dennis, he's been a great mentor and guide for me in the podcasting world, helping me g...

RTA Uncut #5!  Chief Stephen Davis is BACK in the studio after joining us on Episode 83 on Return to Authenticity back at the end of 2023.  Stephen is here to update us on all the things he's been working on since getting the boot from the fire service that he served tirelessly and fearlessly for two decades - for not getting a c-shot that he didn't want to get.  A crazy story that he de...

Episode 99! When you struggle and struggle to find what you're called to do, and then find it, only to have it ripped from you. What do you do?  That was the question that Rich Ingram faced when he was blown up by an IED and his life as a warrior in the Army was over.  What do I do with my life now?  Rich struggled with this question and his identity.  As part of his rehab, he was in the pool...

Episode 98!  Adam La Barr was raised an Army brat, and later, he joined the US Air Force and traveled around the world, including a combat tour in Iraq. His wife Raquel, an Air Force veteran as well, introduced Adam to the power of investing in real estate and he enjoyed learning to analyze deals.  He actually bought his first multi-family housing complex while deployed overseas!  After starting a...

Episode 97! Tune in and meet Megan Reamer, wife and mother of four kiddos, a former reporter with the Wall Street Journal and consultant at Accenture (at the time one of the largest consultancies in the world).  Megan tells her story of becoming a mom while balancing the demands of her growing business career. Megan and her husband Scott then experience a parent's greatest fears: a child with...

Episode 96!  Sherry Shaban tells an inspiring story of overcoming being struck by a car while walking at the young age of 16.  She wakes up in the hospital with a broken back and has her first back surgery before the age of 17 while a second emergency surgery as an adult prevents potential paralysis.    Her focus on regaining her strength and fitness leads Sherry to eventually open a CrossFit gym,...

Episode 95!  On this week's episode, I talk with Felix Boecker, a highly skilled and trained trauma surgeon.  Felix worked for 14 years to get through all the schooling, residency and internships needed to become a surgeon, and when he got there, he realized the career was not for him.  Yikes!  That's a lot of investment in time, money and energy!  What to do?  Felix hired a coach to hel...

Episode 94!  Hold onto your hats for this episode, as I sit down with US Air Force special operations Pararescueman and CIA operative, Nic McKinley.  After leaving the Air Force and joining the CIA, Nic saw the power of technology in targeting the bad guys, and after a combined 30 deployments as both a PJ and The Agency, Nic describes how he took his knowledge and skillset onto the battlefield of...

Episode 93!  This episode is originally released close to Memorial Day.  While on Memorial Day, we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their last full measure for the freedom of all,  this week's guest, Cheri Mason, dedicated her career to helping those veterans who are still with us and who need to access the veterans benefits they have earned and deserve.  Cheri used her te...

Episode 92!  This was such a fun conversation for me as I had the opportunity to interview active duty F-15 fighter pilot Wes Woodhouse.  Wes shared lessons learned on concentration, focus and managing your attention while juggling a myriad of potential inputs and distractions.  Lessons he learned from pilot training and then applied in over 400 hours of combat missions.    Wes is methodical in hi...