The Uncommon Minds Experience

Katie Rizzo is an author, educator, and "accidental poet" with a master's from Yale University and postgraduate medical studies from the University of Colorado School of Medicine . She taught high school biology and anatomy for over fifteen years . Her life was upended on September 17, 2024, when her firstborn son Nicholas died from an accidental overdose involving oxycodone and Xanax after years...

Jason Lange is a men's embodiment coach, group facilitator, and evolutionary guide who helps men drop in and wake up to deeper clarity in their life's purpose and relationships . He believes every man should be in a men's group for the growth and support opportunities they provide . He is a certified No More Mr. Nice Guy coach and has trained and studied with leaders such as John Wineland, Dr. Rob...

Dr. Christiane Schroeter is a behavioral economist, TEDx speaker, and leadership strategist known as The Small Steps Doctor. She is the host of Happy Healthy Hustle, a Top 1% global podcast named 2025 Woman Podcaster of the Year in the education category . She has taught and advised more than 10,000 students and professionals over 20+ years and has spoken on stages across five countries . Her TEDx...

Karen Kendra Holmes is a transgender advocate, author, TEDx speaker, and dedicated public servant whose life story is a testament to the power of authenticity, courage, and self-belief . She retired from the Federal Government after serving for 24 years as a Trust and Safety Officer, served with the Maryland Defense Force, and now serves with the U.S. Veterans Reserve Corps . She volunteers with t...

Rebecca Maff is a cancer biologist with over a decade of experience working in healthcare . She has worked on projects involving chronic diseases while leveraging data and artificial intelligence to solve complex problems in healthcare . Her research interests include what health problems are plaguing us in our modern world with a focus on cancer, autoimmune conditions, preventative medicine, long...

Rick Sorenson is an artist, teacher, author, and creativity coach who grew up as a pastor's kid and has always been interested in art . He first learned to draw in seventh grade, which began a lifelong journey to learn the skills of art in drawing, painting, printmaking, and clay . He graduated from Monserrat College of Art with a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts . He wrote a book, Art: The Church's...

Steve Ward is the founder and Executive Director of STEPS Ministries, a nonprofit ministry with the goals of helping people improve their lives, grow closer to God, and prevent addiction . He spent 38 years at IBM in management and leadership positions across engineering, sales, and global marketing—all while struggling with alcoholism . His wife and two sons dealt with substance use disorder as w...

This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt like they're just going through the motions—and wondered how to find their way back to themselves. David Alan Brown has been teaching personal empowerment, leadership, and spirituality to audiences across the country for more than thirty years . He is the author of many books, including Answer the Call and The Self-Help Paradox . But his journey wa...

This conversation is for anyone tired of shouting matches and ready for thoughtful, nuanced dialogue on the issues that divide us. Elias Martin knows this terrain intimately. He is a Native New Yorker, history buff, and host of the Politically High-Tech podcast, a show with over 250 episodes exploring politics, policy, technology, AI, spirituality, and personal development . His mission is to rest...

This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt like they've become smaller because of criticism, rejection, or failure—and wondered if they could find their way back to themselves. Daniel Curtis knows this terrain intimately. He was told early on that music "wasn't for him" . But he refused to let that define him. Today, his compositions have been heard at the Royal Albert Hall and the London P...

This conversation is for music lovers who understand that the best songs aren't just entertainment—they're messages from the soul. Sheree Brown began her career in the early 1980s as a rhythm and blues and pop recording artist on Capitol Records, releasing two critically acclaimed albums: Straight Ahead (1981) and The Music (1982) . Both albums have become classics among the discerning rare groove...

This conversation is for business owners and executives who are tired of chasing visibility without seeing revenue—and ready to turn podcast guesting into a growth engine. Josh Elledge knows this terrain intimately. He's a Fractional Chief Revenue Officer with 15+ years of experience building revenue through the podcast ecosystem . He has launched more than 300 podcasts for clients, hosted over 3,...

This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt like their demons were taking over—and wondered if they could learn to live with them instead of fighting them. Joe Gonzalez—known as "Scuba Joe"—is a disabled Navy Seabee who knocked on heaven's door three times and was turned away every single time . After surviving three near-death experiences, he came home and named his demons . His framework i...

This conversation is for leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performers who are tired of burnout culture and ready to build success that actually lasts. Marla Ballard knows this journey well. Raised on a farm in Kentucky, she studied Equine Science at the University of Kentucky and stepped into leadership immediately after college, managing operations for a thoroughbred racehorse farm before completi...

This conversation is for anyone who loves a good story—and believes it's never too late to find your voice again. Laura Van Wormer knows this intimately. She published 14 novels with major publishers, including the bestselling Riverside Drive in 1988 and the Sally Harrington mystery series . She even wrote TV tie-in books for Dallas and Knots Landing . Then, in 2015, everything changed. A drunk dr...

This conversation is for anyone who has ever wondered who they really are, why they're here, and how to connect with something greater than themselves. Dr. MonaLisa Coburn knows this terrain intimately. After two near-death experiences opened what she describes as a direct channel to One Consciousness, she now teaches, channels, and writes to help others remember who they truly are . She describes...

This conversation is for anyone who has ever wondered why sincere believers who genuinely love God often remain trapped in the same struggles they desperately want to overcome. John V. Ruggiero knows this question intimately. Like many Christians, he spent years wondering why sincere believers who love God often remain trapped in the same struggles . The more he studied Scripture, the more he noti...

This conversation is for anyone who looks successful on paper—but feels stuck, exhausted, or quietly disconnected from their own life. Carla Coates knows this terrain intimately. She spent decades in leadership roles where, on paper, everything looked successful, but internally she was stuck . She was respected, accomplished, and dependable, yet operating on autopilot and quietly exhausted . What...

This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt like the underdog—and wondered how to win anyway. John Verrico knows this terrain intimately. As an undersized youth and the victim of bullies, he found hope in classic monster movies and "B" flicks where the little guy always won . He learned that you didn't need to be the biggest or most senior to be a leader. You just needed to be innovative, co...

This conversation is for leaders who feel like they're scaling their business—but scaling themselves straight into burnout. Joe Patneaude knows this terrain intimately. With more than 25 years in financial services, his career spans operations, compliance, technology, and executive leadership, including a rise from the mailroom to the C-suite . That journey gives him a perspective most coaches don...

This conversation is for founders who feel stuck—fighting internal friction, endless debates, and slow decisions—and know their company should be growing faster. Patrick Sweeney knows this terrain intimately. He went from Olympic-level athlete to five-time founder, investor in 60+ startups, and WSJ bestselling author . His journey took a dramatic turn when a leukemia diagnosis forced a confrontati...

This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt stuck in their own story—and wondered how to rewrite it for sustainable high performance. Michael Seiler knows this terrain intimately. With over thirty years in the corporate world across human resources, television, and healthcare, he has led digital strategy initiatives and founded successful companies in e-commerce, digital strategy, and endura...

This conversation is for anyone facing an overwhelming diagnosis—and wondering if hope and humor can coexist with the hardest moments of life. Dr. Brad Miller knows this terrain intimately. A month after retiring from a 43-year career as a pastor, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer . His response was to laugh to keep from crying . A Christmas visit with his preschool granddaughters convinced hi...

This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt buried by their own success—and wondered if it was possible to rebuild from the ground up. Brett Gallant knows this terrain intimately. A few years ago, he weighed 349 pounds and was completely buried in his business . He had built a successful IT company, but somewhere along the way, he lost himself . When he decided to rebuild, he didn't just los...

This conversation is for anyone who has ever worked in a nonprofit and felt the impossible tension between serving today's mission and building a sustainable future. Joe Rockey knows this terrain intimately. With a background in accounting and finance from Duquesne University and over a decade of experience building businesses from scratch, he has launched more than 15 entities across multiple ind...