The Open Exchange with Paul Martinez

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Episode 105 of The Open Exchange — Suave Ski joins Paul in studio talking about growing up in New London, the night his parents packed his bags at 13, and the four years in Fort Worth, Texas that reset his life. We get into the cousin who first made beats in his bedroom (Milky Beats), the early Camacho days, the rebrand to Suave Ski on a sprinter v...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! At 16, Kaprece Ransaw got kicked out of her house. By 19, she had her real estate license. By 27, she's building Kawfee  — a mobile coffee brand born out of New England roots, late-night raves, and a stubborn refusal to climb someone else's ladder. In Episode 104 of The Open Exchange, Kaprece sits down with Paul to talk about what "f...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Episode 103 of The Open Exchange. Paul sits down with James O'Grady — DJ of 16 years, owner of O'Grady's Junk Removal, and serial entrepreneur — to talk about quitting social media, accidentally landing in the Top 8 of a viral Connecticut radio contest, delayed gratification, mentorship, and why "you are who you hang out with.&q...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! I'm not a politician. I don't have a party on my chest. I'm just a guy from Connecticut who started paying attention and formed some opinions along the way. Joe de la Cruz is my friend. We've been arguing at the bowling alley for over a decade. He sees some things differently than I do. And he's running for CT State Senate...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! What does it really mean to love someone whose life belongs to the military? In Episode 101 of The Open Exchange, Paul sits down with Brittany Lewis — a RE/MAX realtor, military spouse, and mother — for one of the most honest conversations about sacrifice, identity, and resilience you'll hear this year. Brittany didn't sign up for the mil...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! For 100 episodes, Paul has been the one asking the questions. Today, the tables turn. His close friend David Cruz takes the host seat and goes deep — on the origin story of The Open Exchange, the unglamorous early mistakes, the moments Paul almost quit, and the things he's never quite said on mic before. This one covers it all: what it took to...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! What does it actually feel like to watch the person you love more than anything slowly disappear? Justin Schunk joins Paul on The Open Exchange for one of the most honest conversations this show has ever had. Justin lost his wife Katie on April 29th, 2024 — after a 3-year battle with stage 4 metastatic colon cancer that had spread to her lungs and...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Most people won't say this out loud — but I will. I've been walking with Christ for 20 years, and I still wrestle. Still waver. Still feel the gap between who I want to be and who I actually show up as on a given day. In this episode, I'm being completely honest about what faith actually looks like from the inside — not the polished...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! You're not lazy. You're not a bad dad. You're just carrying something nobody taught you how to put down. In Episode 96 of The Open Exchange, Keith Turner — my very first guest from Episode 1 — comes back nearly two years later. A lot has changed for both of us. Keith is now a father of two, one of Connecticut's top mortgage advi...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Something happened during the Super Bowl halftime show that I can't stop thinking about — and it has nothing to do with the game. I went in expecting the left to ruin it. I walked out realizing my own side was doing the exact same thing. For the first time in years, I felt genuine pride in my Puerto Rican identity — not because someone told me...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Kenny Wildes has eaten pizza EVERY SINGLE DAY for 3,130+ days (over 8.5 years) in his quest to make the Guinness Book of World Records - and he's not stopping until he gets in. What started as a simple challenge with a coworker turned into an incredible journey supporting local Connecticut pizza shops, raising money for charity, and inspiring...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! When's the last time you made a REAL decision about your life? Not what to eat for dinner. Not what to watch tonight. A real decision that required you to think, choose a direction, and commit to something that might actually change where you're headed. If you can't answer that quickly, you're drifting—and you're not alone....

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! When rapper Zebulon stormed Paul's For You page, it wasn't just another viral moment—it was a masterclass in storytelling through hip-hop. In this episode of The Open Exchange, Paul sits down with the Georgia-born, California-raised artist to explore the intersection of artistry, mental health, and the grind of building a creative career....

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! In this episode of The Open Exchange , Paul sits down with Ruben Santiago for a raw conversation about identity, belonging, and the quiet reasons people make destructive choices. Ruben opens up about growing up searching for acceptance, how hustling became a way to feel valued, and why selling drugs was never really about money. He walks through th...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! DJing isn’t just about the moment when everything clicks — it’s about everything that happens before it ever does. In this episode of The Open Exchange , I sit down with Alex Walker to talk through his DJing journey — from early gigs and teaching himself equipment, to learning how to read a room, build confidence, and grow through repetition and tr...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Adulting isn’t real — and most of us feel behind because we were told it was supposed to look a certain way. In this episode, I sit down with Zaga, co-host of the Adulthood Pending Podcast, for a real conversation about trauma, ADHD, identity, and the pressure millennials carry into adulthood without a blueprint. Tony opens up about growing up in t...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! In this episode, Rob Springer shares the story behind his discipline: surviving a violent assault as a teenager, navigating mental health struggles inside his family, building a career early, and learning when to carry responsibility — and when to let things go. We talk about: Growing up too fast The cost of always saying yes Trauma, resilience, an...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Lauren Bergeron returns to the podcast nearly two years after being Episode 2 — and a lot has changed. In her first appearance, Lauren shared her journey through massive weight loss, grief, addiction, miscarriage, and rebuilding her life through fitness. On the surface, she looked strong and disciplined. Internally, her body was breaking down. In t...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! What happens when the identity you’ve built your entire life suddenly disappears? In this episode of The Open Exchange, Paul sits down with Mike Loudon, a former college baseball player and teammate who opens up about identity loss, body dysmorphia, alcohol, career uncertainty, and the long road to rebuilding himself. Mike shares: What it felt like...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Joe Logudice’s story is a raw, honest journey through the depths of addiction and the climb back to faith, purpose, and gratitude. Between ages 19 and 22, Joe’s life unraveled through cocaine and opioid addiction despite a loving upbringing. In this emotional exchange, Paul and Joe explore what truly causes addiction when “everything seemed fine,”...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Maxi Blanco’s story is unforgettable — from facing a potential prison sentence to receiving a full pardon and rebuilding his life from the ground up. He shares the night everything changed — when a split-second decision nearly cost him everything — and the path that led him toward redemption, peace, and purpose. The conversation goes deep into ange...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Fhil Brown — aka Famous Fhil — has lived many lives: car salesman, artist, podcaster, and father. In this episode, Paul Martinez sits down with him to unpack how he went from chasing quick money through sports cards to earning $5,400 in one month from a single remix and 20 million YouTube streams . They talk about detaching from the outcome, stayin...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! What if everything you thought about solar was wrong? In this episode, Paul Martinez sits down with David Mansulla, founder of SunTastic Solutions, to break down the myths, truths, and hidden realities behind the solar industry. From government tax credits and Eversource billing to long-term savings, aesthetics, and misconceptions — this conversati...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Tim Allen joins me to discuss the upcoming Men's Faith and Motivation Conference, focusing on the importance of faith, identity, and mental health for men. He shares personal experiences and insights on family dynamics, the challenges men face in expressing their struggles, and the need for community and support. The discussion emphasizes the...

Send a text to suggest topics you’d like to hear! Troy Brunson went from posting a dog video that hit 19 million views to building a full-time photography business. In this unfiltered conversation, Paul Martinez and Troy talk about turning creativity into a career, battling imposter syndrome, going viral, and how AI fits into the artist’s journey. If you’ve ever thought about going all-in on your...