Return To Authenticity

Episode 91! Meet Michael Jaquith.  This was a great conversation with a doctor of science - Michael has his PhD in Chemistry from Cornell - who is also a man of deep faith.  Michael left his corporate job after 10 years to help men optimize their family lives, their marriages and their business relationships by guiding them closer to God with a faith-based approach to self-improvement.    Michael...

Episode 90!   Kathy Hadizadeh shares an amazing story of determination and perseverance to immigrate to the United States from her home country of Iran after the country spiraled from being a modern, Westernized country into a oppressed country in chaos after a revolution in the 70's.   Kathy goes on to lead an amazingly successful life in corporate America before striking out on her own to l...

Episode 89 is here!  We officially kick off the new season, Season 3, with Michael O'Brien.  Michael was a super successful executive in marketing, leading a $700 million brand and had all the trappings of success.  Below the surface, though he was continually feeling like he had to "chase happiness" before he "made it".    Life changed for Michael when he was hit head on...

Episode 88 - our final episode of 2023 and season 2! Tessa Arnold is the COO and Co-Founder of SnapBack Energy, a caffeine-free energy drink supplement.  She came to this role after her late-husband’s passing, leaving behind a career in banking and diving headlong into the mind-body connection, studying neuroplasticity and Ayurveda - a Hindu system of medicine based on the idea of balance in bodil...

Episode 87!  Cyrus Rustom grew up in the UK and joined the Royal Marine Commandos as young as he possibly could - not even 16 years old!  After barely surviving selection, he deploys to Afghanistan where he is severely injured in a non-combat accident that ends his military career.  Life becomes an adventure of partying, booze, drugs and avoidance before Cyrus awakens to the gift that is his life...

Episode 86! After graduating as a Chiropractic Physician, and buying a practice, Dr. Greg Pursley had a goal of becoming a multi-millionaire by the age of 30.  This was put on hold when his second child was born with a rare and life-threatening illness.  His life took a turn into chaos as he tried to keep all the balls in the air while caring for his son and keeping his family together.  In 2018,...

Episode 85!  Meet Robert Poole!  Robert is the co-founder of Total Business Results, a business that helps entrepreneurs learn to run their business without being caught up in the nitty-gritty of running their business.  He shares how he had to come to this knowledge through his own experience when his business partner suddenly passed, leaving Robert to step from the operator in the background to...

RTA EP 84!  Jake Kauffman saw a repeating pattern in his adult life - one of initial success, then failure.  The pattern kept repeating and Jake determined to look within to learn why.  What he found was a suppressed trauma from his younger years - abuse suffered at a youth camp. Through much work, Jake learned he had to let love in to find healing and closure and his life hasn't been the sam...

Episode 83! After seeing their own boys influenced by negative influences at school, on athletic fields and via the media, Steve Davis and David Panzik decided to step into the gap to become part of the solution.  They created The Raising Alphas Project  to teach the next generation of young boys and girls how to live and lead with ambition, persistence, humbleness and accountability.   We have a...

Episode 82! Meet Mike “C-Roc” Ciorrocco, Host of the podcast, “What are you made of?” And author of the best-selling book, “Rocket Fuel: Convert Setbacks. Become Unstoppable.”  Mike is also a performance coach and has been featured by Yahoo! Finance as a Top Business Leader to follow.   Mike didn’t have it easy though, as he had to overcome a broken home as a kid with a family that struggled with...

Episode 81! Meet Nick Pappas.  Nick was a gifted collegiate football player who followed a similar downward spiral of addiction to alcohol as his father. His athletic prowess provided adequate cover, as his transgressions were swept under the rug to allow him to continue to play.  It eventually caught up to Nick and his multiple DUIs ended his chances to play collegiate ball.  Things got worse for...

RTA Uncut episode 4!  Almost one year ago, I interviewed Mike DeSanti on episode 38 of Return to Authenticity.  In the time since that interview, Mike became a new dad to his first son and recently moved his family to a new home.  We catch up on all things fatherhood, rites of passage, building resiliency and how he stay's focused on what matters most to him - his relationship with his wife a...

Episode 80!  Meet Austin Linney.  Austin was living life in the fast lane making a six figure income as a 20-something in the high-end restaurant and liquor business.  He became addicted to drugs and alcohol and saw his life unravel almost as quickly as he built it.  He came to terms with the victim mentality that had rooted itself in his mindset and found new courage to take the first step to upr...

Episode 79!   Meet Dom Brightmon a best selling author of "Going North: Tips & Techniques to Advance Yourself" and "Stay the course: The Elite Performers 7 Secret Keys to Sustainable Success".  He was also a contributing author to bestseller, "Crappy to Happy: Sacred Stories of Transformational Joy."  This episode will have you smiling from beginning to end as Dom...

Episode 78!  Rick Scadden grew up in a broken home with a father in and out of jail.   Alcohol and drug use took over Rick's life, landed him in jail and nearly broke him.  Hear how he found redemption and healing and now is committed to a life of service to others.    For those struggling with drugs and alcohol or have family and friends who are, Rick's story offers hope to all!   A pow...

Welcome to episode 77 of Return to Authenticity This week's guest is Eric Daddario, a Boston native who grew up with a passion, an obsession, that was hockey.  He played for hours whenever he could get outside and skate or play street hockey.  Eric's dream was to play Division 1 hockey in a state powerhouse known for top-notch, tough, hockey talent.  It would take ultimate focus and dete...

Episode 76!  Could you imagine being tossed into a Chinese prison, with no lawyer, no ability to speak or understand the language, no idea how long you'd be in for and if you'd ever see your friends and family again?  Chancellor Jackson can imagine, as he lived it.  Tune in to hear how grit, tenacity and courage helped him find his way out and how his no quit mindset and being willing to...

Episode 75! Chris Bruno grew up in Denver, Colorado in a family that encouraged and shaped him to be of service to others.  After a stint in corporate America and a decade of life as a missionary in the Middle East, Chris came home to attend seminary and counseling school.  He founded the counseling center, ReStory and started the Restoration Project to provide "fathering" experiences an...

Episode 74!  Meet Josh Goodman.  Josh was an ADHD kid who never liked school, as he couldn't sit still long enough to give it a chance.  Despite that, he's now a successful entrepreneur and published author!  For those working through raising a high energy kiddo, this episode is one to dial into.  What started as a handicap became a super power as Josh committed and achieved the dream of...

Episode 73! Meet Mike Kaeding.  Mike joined his family's real estate business with the intention to not stay for long.  Those plans changed quickly when the owner of the business, Mike's father, passed away suddenly, leaving Mike to step up and lead the family business.  A business he knew very little about!  Mike struggled, learned and grew.  Those struggles led the business to face one...

Episode 72! Meet Zoe Thompson.  Zoe grew up in the town of Bristol in the United Kingdom, a sporty, active kid who dreamed of one day being part of the UK Police Service.  She accomplishes that dream and served for over a decade in a job she thoroughly enjoyed.  Tragedy hit close to home when a close childhood family friend was killed in the coordinated terrorist bombings of the London bus and sub...

Episode 71!  On this week's episode, Scott and I dive deep into what it means to be a father and a husband.  Is it enough to merely provide for the family?  It's no small feat to provide for a family that's counting on you to bring home the bacon, if you're the breadwinner or a key provider of the bread.  Scott and I dig into how that thinking can lead you astray from your true...

Episode 70!  This was a fun conversation with my new friend, Vin Infante.  If you wanted to know the difference between spaghetti sauce and gravy, this is the episode for you!  Seriously, we spend time on Italian food, and growing up in an Italian home, along with sports and the amount of investment we make in watching others play a game.  Vin and I then dive into the mind and tools that can help...

RTA Uncut 3 is here with my good friend Aaron Guyett!  You'll remember Aaron from episode 42 of Return to Authenticity where he talks at length about his journey from Christian-in-name-only to Nihilist to Unapologetic Christ Follower. It's an awesome journey and so go check it out if you missed episode 42.  Aaron developed the app "Discipled in Christ" with his good friend and...

Episode 69!  Meet Jerry Dugan!  Jerry served in the Army in one of the first units to roll into Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom.  After the Army, he joined corporate America and then bounced out to try his hand in real estate just as the real estate and financial markets had their worst downturn in history.  Jerry found his way back to a corporate roll in human resources where he spent a de...