Battle Ready (Audio)

On Battle Ready, host Rickey Chavez welcomes Dr. Tracee Seals to discuss preparing student athletes for name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities. They explore brand deals, family involvement, education, financial literacy, and the support systems and planning needed for life beyond sports.

On Battle Ready , host Rickey Chavez speaks with meteorologist Albert Martinez Bobe about planning for hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms before warnings arrive. They discuss clear, bilingual weather alerts, how immersive graphics help explain risks, and the benefits and challenges of AI in weather communication. Chapters (00:00:07) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:01:01) - Alber...

Host Rickey Chavez speaks with entrepreneur and Marine veteran Andy Valadez about military-inspired leadership, adapting to change, and using AI responsibly in business. They also explore customer-focused marketing, automation, human judgment, authentic relationships, and purpose-driven growth.

Host Rickey Chavez speaks with Zac Armstrong about his journey from the Marines to becoming a Navy officer and F-18 pilot. They explore discipline, leadership under pressure, and Zac’s personalized, data-driven approach to improving health, energy, and long-term performance.

Rickey Chavez sits down with Nathan and the Upstream Fitness team to explore transformation, adaptive fitness, and creating opportunities for people of all abilities. Nathan shares his journey of losing over 120 pounds and discovering a deeper purpose in helping others build confidence, strength, leadership, and belonging through fitness.

Host Rickey Chavez speaks with transformational leader and business mentor Marina Painter about overcoming personal loss, leaving corporate life to build her own tax practice, and developing the resilience required for entrepreneurship. They also discuss abundance mindset, emotional intelligence, responsible leadership, and the value of proactive tax planning. Chapters (00:00:00) - Battle Ready: H...

Host Rickey Chavez speaks with financial strategist David Klyman about values-based financial planning, communication between spouses, managing emotional decisions, and preparing for uncertainty. They also discuss family-business dynamics, debt, long-term care, wealth protection, and building a lasting legacy.

Host Rickey Chavez speaks with Latino Startup founder David Favela about entrepreneurship, resilience, and helping founders turn ideas into scalable businesses. They discuss the Lean Startup method, customer discovery, mindset, cultural identity, and aligning business opportunities with personal values and practical goals.

Host Rickey Chavez speaks with Sheila Warnock about her caregiving experiences and the origins of Share the Care. They discuss caregiver burnout, organizing friends and family into structured support groups, sharing responsibilities, respecting personal limits, and adapting care for conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

On Battle Ready , host Rickey Chavez speaks with Teresa Valenzuela about her journey from journeyman carpenter to accessibility innovator. They discuss resilience, battery anxiety among electric wheelchair users, her vision for an intelligent network of charging stations, and how lived experience, data, and inclusive design can advance independence and social impact. Chapters (00:00:16) - Teresa V...

On Battle Ready , host Rickey Chavez speaks with William Conn about applying lessons from law enforcement and SWAT leadership to business, building mission-driven teams, and leading through trust and accountability. They also discuss purposeful financial planning, defining how much is “enough,” balancing savings with meaningful experiences, and viewing health, time, and relationships as essential...

Host Rickey Chavez sits down with James Rosone , Iraq War veteran, former military interrogator, and bestselling author, to discuss how military service and intelligence experience shaped his career as a writer. Their conversation explores military leadership, interrogation, research, modern warfare, AI and autonomous technologies, and the process of creating realistic military thrillers. James al...

In this inspiring episode of Battle Ready , host Rickey Chavez sits down with Mark Parrish , a U.S. Army combat veteran, McDonald's franchise owner, and leadership expert, to explore how military discipline, resilience, and personal growth can shape extraordinary business success. Mark shares his journey from serving in Iraq to leading 22 McDonald's restaurants with more than 1,200 employees, reve...

In this episode of Battle Ready , host Rickey Chavez sits down with Jason Volkert , Vice President of Insurance Sales at the Gibraltar Group and a U.S. Navy veteran, to discuss how military service shaped his approach to leadership, discipline, and business success. Jason shares his journey from joining the Navy after college to building a nearly 30-year career in the insurance industry. Together,...

On this episode of Battle Ready , host Rickey Chavez sits down with Kelly Coughlin , CEO of Everyday CPA, to discuss one of the most overlooked aspects of business success: financial readiness. Together, they explore the critical difference between bookkeeping and financial clarity, why many entrepreneurs struggle with taxes and cash flow despite strong revenues, and how business owners can make b...

In this episode of Battle Ready, host J. Rickey Chavez welcomes Jasmine Davis, Founder and CEO of Pretty Talk LLC, for an engaging conversation about youth leadership, character development, and the power of communication. Jasmine shares how her experiences working in juvenile justice inspired her mission to help young people build confidence, accountability, emotional intelligence, and leadership...

In this episode of Battle Ready , host Rickey Chavez sits down with Vanessa Angulo , Senior Director of Field Talent Acquisition at Sysco, for an inspiring conversation about leadership, resilience, and personal growth. Vanessa shares her remarkable journey from recruiter to executive leader, discussing the lessons she learned through professional challenges, family hardships, and life-changing ex...

On this episode of Battle Ready , Ricky Chavez sits down with Shore Danny, founder and CEO of Community Now, for a powerful conversation about resilience, trauma-informed leadership, mental wellness, and community healing. Shore shares her personal journey through adversity and explains how self-awareness, emotional support, and strong community systems help people move from survival mode into hea...

In this episode of Battle Ready , Ricky Chavez sits down with CPA and entrepreneur Keisha Rodino to break down the true meaning of financial leadership and discipline in business. This conversation goes beyond accounting—exploring how entrepreneurs can gain clarity, build systems, and make smarter decisions to grow and scale successfully. From tax strategies and cash flow management to the dangers...

In this powerful episode of Battle Ready (aired 04-23-26) , host Ruki Chavez sits down with Ryan Conn to break down the truth about leadership, discipline, and performing under pressure. From real-life SWAT experiences to high-level business leadership, this conversation reveals why training alone doesn’t prepare you for real-world challenges. Discover the difference between being trained and trul...

In this episode of Battle Ready , host Ricky Chavez sits down with presentation expert Jeff Brandeis to break down the secrets behind high-impact communication. Learn why most presentations fail within the first 7 minutes and how leaders can capture attention, build authority, and drive real results. Jeff shares his proven ENGAGE framework—designed to transform boring presentations into powerful,...

In this powerful episode of Battle Ready (aired 04-09-26), host Ricky Chavez sits down with retired Command Sergeant Major Alan Cheeseman to explore leadership under pressure, life after the military, and the journey of personal reinvention. From 25 years in the U.S. Army to becoming a science fiction author, Cheeseman shares how discipline, mindset, and resilience shape success beyond uniform. Di...

Discover how modern leaders can thrive in the age of AI in Battle Ready (aired 03-26-26). In this powerful episode, Cynthia Vasquez—AI leadership strategist and founder of Lead with Impact—shares how to move from fear and confusion to confident execution. Learn why emotional intelligence, ethical judgment, and human connection matter more than ever as AI reshapes industries. This conversation expl...

In this episode of Battle Ready (aired 03-19-26), host Ricky Chavez sits down with Dr. Michael Schwartz to break down the real causes of chronic fatigue, burnout, and low energy. Discover why pushing through exhaustion can damage your health and how stress, poor nutrition, and lifestyle habits impact your body’s performance. Learn practical strategies to improve energy, build resilience, and take...

In this episode of Battle Ready , aired 03-12-26 , host Ricky Chavez sits down with Aliyah Zada , founder of the UP and Adam Foundation , to talk about leadership burnout, PTSD recovery, trauma, resilience, and mental wellness . Aliyah shares how high performers and leaders can mistake constant pressure for strength, and why true resilience comes from honesty, regulation, recovery, and community s...