Shows
Return To AuthenticityCutting Through the Fog to Find Purpose with Trauma Surgeon Felix Boecker | EP95Episode 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 help him figure some things out. Immediately, he saw the benefit of working with someone to help him discern his life's purpose. No small measure, given all he'd gone through and the...2024-06-121h 03Return To AuthenticityChasing Human Traffickers with CIA & Special Operations Veteran Nic McKinley | EP94Episode 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 human trafficking. Nic founded the DeliverFund, the only donor-funded solution to human trafficking that provides proprietary data and technology to law enforcement, enabling them to take dow...2024-06-051h 41Return To AuthenticityLeading with a Fierce Heart with Cheri Mason | EP93Episode 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 tenacious spirit to become the first woman and military spouse Chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), where she transformed a struggling organization into a hi...2024-05-291h 15Return To AuthenticityFocus, at Mach 2.5, with Fighter Pilot Wes Woodhouse | EP92Episode 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 his approach to laying out a practical and tactical way to manage your own attention for improved productivity and intentionality in the things you pursue. You'll love hearing from this humble leader!En...2024-05-221h 31Return To AuthenticityMichael Jaquith, Leading with a Faith-based approach to self-improvement | EP91Episode 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 shares his thoughts on how important it is that men get back to being the authentic, service-minded and sacrificial leaders they were created to be. Enjoy! ...2024-05-151h 22Return To AuthenticityNavigating Life's Journey's and Overcoming Self-imposed Limits with Kathy Hadizadeh | EP90Episode 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 live an authentic life without self-imposed limits and now leads others to do the same. Enjoy!=====================================================Connect with Kathy here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/i...2024-05-081h 11Return To AuthenticityLife Beyond Your Last Bad Day with Michael O'Brien | EP89Episode 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 by an SUV while riding his bicycle. The wreck should have killed him but he somehow survived. A period of darkness, anger, fear and depression gripped him as he contemplated his new life o...2024-05-011h 20Return To AuthenticityLeaning into grit, resilience, and perseverance with Tessa Arnold | EP88Episode 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 bodily systems, diet, herbal medicine and breath work. We discuss how Tessa learned to recover from loss at a young age and has found herself leaning into resilience and perseverance throughout her life...2023-12-271h 06Return To AuthenticityFrom almost dead to thriving entrepreneur and dad with Cyrus Rustom | EP87Episode 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 and turns to a life of health, gratitude and serving others. Challenges persist, including going all-in on a new business just as the pandemic shuts down the world! Cyrus keeps punch...2023-12-131h 23Return To AuthenticityLearning to Fix Your Belief System to Live Your Best Life with Dr. Greg Pursley | EP 86Episode 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, as his child's health improved, Greg re-evaluated what was working and what needed to change to allow him to thrive and live the life he...2023-12-0654 minReturn To AuthenticityFinding freedom in business and helping others do the same | EP85 Robert PooleEpisode 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 the front man, the operator and everything in between. Something had to give as there wasn’t enough hours in the day to get it all done. You’ll enjoy this conversat...2023-11-291h 09Return To AuthenticityJake Kauffman Shares About Letting Love In After Suffering Abuse | EP84RTA 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 same since. He's now an accomplished author and coach of others. Tune in to hear Jake's inspiring story and follow him for more. 2023-11-221h 01Return To AuthenticityEpisode 83: Raising the next generation to be 10x Leaders with Steve Davis and David Panzik of The Raising Alphas ProjectEpisode 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 great conversation and learn more about the life experiences in the military, the fire service and in business that shaped their decision. We also discuss the value of doing hard things and t...2023-11-151h 45Return To AuthenticityEpisode 82: Converting setbacks to become Unstoppable with Mike C-Roc CiorroccoEpisode 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 addiction, abuse, depression and anxiety. You’re going to love hearing how Mike overcame this to become a successful entrepreneur, leading others to create th...2023-11-0858 minReturn To AuthenticityEpisode 81: The road from addiction to recovery to leading others by example with Nick Pappas.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 Nick before they got better until he found the grit, the grace, and the love of his wife to turn it around. Now Nick is coaching and mentoring others to avoid a si...2023-10-251h 13Return To AuthenticityRTA Uncut 4: Catching up with Mike DeSanti on fatherhood and other adventures on the road to MontanaRTA 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 and son. Enjoy! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Intro/Outro Music by Chris Trapper, and his hit song, "Avalanche" On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/trac...2023-10-1848 minReturn To AuthenticityEpisode 80: Rising from addict to real estate entrepreneur and business owner with Austin LinneyEpisode 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 uprooting it - acknowledging he had to quit to drinking and using drugs. One step became two, and now, Austin is a real estate investor and busin...2023-10-041h 05Return To AuthenticityEpisode 79: Dom Brightmon brings the power of happiness, joy and gratitude to all he pursuesEpisode 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 is an engaging speaker with many tips for finding joy in your everyday life. Sit back and enjoy the knowledge Dom shares on how to be happy! ________________________________________________Keep up with Dom here: Web...2023-09-271h 06Return To AuthenticityEpisode 78: Rick Scadden finds a way through the darkness to healing, transformation and redemptionEpisode 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 powerful story you'll want to be ready for! _____________________________________Connect with Rick here:Facebook: https://www.facebook...2023-09-201h 35Return To AuthenticityEpisode 77: Learning to use hard work, focus, and family to overcome hardship and loss with Eric DaddarioWelcome to episode 77 of Return to AuthenticityThis 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 determination, which Eric was more than willing to give. What he did not count on was losing sight in his right eye to a freak accident when he was in the eighth grad...2023-09-061h 18Return To AuthenticityEpisode 76: How to recover from a mistake so major you end up in foreign prison and wind up a published author with Chancellor JacksonEpisode 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 bet on himself has now led him to be an accomplished author of multiple bestselling books ranked in the top of their category on Amazon. And...2023-08-301h 09Return To AuthenticityEpisode 75: Learning to be a better father with Chris BrunoEpisode 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 and resources for men to develop deeper relationships with their children. Tune in to hear how Chris's life experiences shaped him to be prepared to live the life he's livi...2023-08-231h 06Return To AuthenticityEpisode 74: How Josh Goodman refused to accept failure and quit despite every opportunity to do so.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 playing college football. Then became a successful salesperson. And then an entrepreneur bringing an idea to market that did not exist. All pioneers and adventurers face challenges and Josh was no...2023-08-161h 41Return To AuthenticityEpisode 73: How to pivot and find your true self when life throws the ultimate curveball with Mike KaedingEpisode 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 challenge after another and Mike continued to take one more step and solve the next problem. His determination ultimately resulted in the business surviving and then, the fun started as Mike b...2023-08-091h 03Return To AuthenticityEpisode 72: Learning to rise and soar like a phoenix after tragedy strikes with Zoe ThompsonEpisode 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 subway lines on July 7, 2005. Zoe's family was rocked by this loss and Zoe found herself adrift. A family funeral flipped the s...2023-08-021h 23Return To AuthenticityEpisode 71: The Brotherhood of Fatherhood with Scott RammageEpisode 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 calling as a father and the things your family truly needs from you beyond simply bringing home a paycheck. This one goes deep into...2023-07-261h 11Return To AuthenticityEpisode 70: Learning to use the power of the mind to escape the victim within, with Vin InfanteEpisode 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 with anxiety, depression and panic attacks - from Vin's perspective as a licensed psychotherapist. Join us for this fun and engaging episode. 2023-07-191h 14Return To AuthenticityRTA Uncut 3: Aaron Guyett walking it out as a Disciple in ChristRTA 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 fellow disciple, Steve Stary. Discipled in Christ is a free app and has great tools and courses in Daily Discipleship, Apologetics and Parenting. It will give you the nourishment to fill your cup and the fuel you...2023-07-121h 02Return To AuthenticityEpisode 69: Moving Beyond the Rut with Jerry DuganEpisode 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 decade teaching leadership development and communications skills before branching out on his own to coach others to find their way to living their best lives in the...2023-07-051h 11Return To AuthenticityEpisode 68: Learning the 6 P's of being an entrepreneur with Dr. Kevin GazzaraEpisode 68! A fun conversation with Dr. Kevin Gazzara about the joys of driving in Philly with Jersey plates, Philly cheese sandwiches and dancing Intel processor chips on television. Seriously, Kevin drops some great stories and some serious knowledge bombs about how to build a career while also building a bridge to your dreams and what lights you up. An entertaining and engaging conversation you won't want to miss. Enjoy! -----------------------------------------------Connect with Kevin here:Website: https://magnaleadership.com/Website: https://pqtrainingandcoaching.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company...2023-06-281h 32Return To AuthenticityEpisode 67: Learning to take that first step and then keep going with John JacksonEpisode 67!John Jackson began mountain bike racing as a teenager and while preparing for a 6-hour endurance race, he crashed over the handlebars and broke his back and neck in a devastating crash. During his road to recovery, he stumbled upon making healing oils and ended up creating a beard oil company before beards were a thing in a market that didn't exist. He battled through through the death of love ones, a global pandemic and the draw to go back to the simple 9 to 5 job in creating a global company that now sponsors professional hockey teams in...2023-06-2159 minReturn To AuthenticityEpisode 66: Overcoming depression, addiction, and homelessness with Charles SmithEpisode 66! Meet Charles Smith. Charles lost both his mother and his father before he turned 12 years old and then lived in 10 houses over the next 11 years. As a young adult, he turned to drugs as a way to cope with the loss and depression he experienced. He joined the military in an effort to gain control of his life and struggled while working in a Gitmo Bay Cuba detention center in riot control. After the military, he went into a depression and was homeless when he tried to end his own life. After that near death experience, Charle...2023-06-1455 minReturn To AuthenticityEpisode 65: How to achieve your dreams by going all in on your authentic self with Kevin PalmieriEpisode 65! What a great conversation with this podcast pro, Kevin Palmieri. He tells a great story of bouncing off the bottom again and again in one dead end job after another and being caught in his own victim mentality. Once he decided to take ownership for his circumstances and go all-in, life turned and through hard work, and staying true to his values, he's created an unbelievable platform where's helped thousands live their best lives. Tune in for this fun and enlightening conversation!--------------------------------------------Connect with Kevin here: YouTube: https://www.yout...2023-06-071h 16Return To AuthenticityEpisode 64: Hear how persistence, resilience and creativity allowed Megan Lowdon to build the life of her dreams.Episode 64! Meet Megan Lowdon. She built up a corporate career in hospitality and event management working 80-hour weeks and giving her all to her career. When the world went on lockdown during the virus outbreak, events were cancelled and she was let go without a defined date to return. After a brief respite enjoying the downtime, Megan started to get anxious to get back to work. She found a different opportunity in the meantime - helping her husband with his photography business using the skills she'd honed in the corporate world. And she's never looked back. Joi...2023-05-311h 51Return To AuthenticityEpisode 63: Learning how to maximize your health through food, medicine and life choices with Daniel LaudonMeet Daniel Laudon, CEO of Nature's Warehouse which is dedicated to promoting natural health and providing resources for people to make their own decisions about their health and the health of their families. Daniel grew up on a farm, living, working and playing in the great outdoors. We have a fun and informative discussion about farming, food, pesticides, GMO's, egg shortages, and burning chicken factories, among other things! Tune in and learn from a farmer living on the front lines of providing food for the masses. Enjoy!--------------------------------------------------------------------Connect with Daniel here: ...2023-05-241h 08Return To AuthenticityEpisode 62: Using the power of the mind to change your circumstances with Jesse FiscoEpisode 62! Welcome and meet Jesse Fisco. Jesse is a serial entrepreneur with multiple seven-figure businesses. He didn't start that way however as Jesse struggled with a scarcity mindset, anger and poor health. His family life suffered and his wife and kids became accustomed to angry outbursts and non-stop talk about business. He finally decided something needed to change and he started with himself, his outlook on life and how he viewed things. His pivot toward an abundance mindset has made the difference. Tune in to hear the details of how Jesse did it! ----------------------------------------------------------------------You can k...2023-05-1752 minReturn To AuthenticityEpisode 61: Learning to move past betrayal to live your best life with Dr. Debi SilberEpisode 61!Meet today’s guest, Dr. Debi SilberDebi is a holistic psychologist, health, and mindset speaker, author and mentor helping people move past betrayal. She is the founder of the Post Betrayal Transformation Institute and the author of “Trust Again.” She is a 2-time, #1 International bestselling author of: “The Unshakable Woman” and “From Hardened to Healed” and hosts the leading podcast: “From Betrayal to Breakthrough”. Debi shares the lessons learned from her recent PhD study on how we experience betrayal where she discovered 3 groundbreaking lessons that change our understanding of how long it takes to...2023-05-1052 minReturn To AuthenticityEpisode 60: Learning what it takes to live the life you were born to live with Nicky BillouEpisode 60! It was an honor to welcome Nicky Billou to the studio this week. He shares the very real perspective of watching his home country slip from a thriving, modern, democratic and free country to one of oppression and tyranny. This was the country of Iran in the 60's and 70's and what ultimately led Nicky's family to flee when he was 13 years old. They ended up settling in Toronto, Canada where Nicky lives today. His father's entrepreneurial spirit and kindness made a big impact on Nicky's life and he now works with top male and...2023-05-0356 minReturn To AuthenticityEpisode 59: Gaining perspective on what's important with Tyler PigottEpisode 59!!Today's guest is Tyler Pigott. Tyler grew up in Washington State on a 100-acre Christmas tree farm and learned to drive a tractor before he was 10 years old. He watched his father start and run his own businesses which took Tyler on a similar path of working for himself and having an entrepreneurial mindset. Tyler's skills in computer technology and design were learned working in his father's computer training business, which he later turned into a lucrative run as an animator and designer in the biotech industry and which later led him into the con...2023-04-261h 14Return To AuthenticityEpisode 58: Finding purpose after a devastating health diagnosis with Danielle MatthewsEpisode 58!!Meet Danielle Matthews. Danielle is a super energetic, sporty person who loves athletic and intellectual challenges. Her life was nearly cut short when she was struck by a drunk driver and suffered a traumatic brain injury that made even sunlight too much to bear. Without the ability to work, she had to move back into her childhood home where her doctors coached her to accept her predicament as her new normal and treat her pain and anxiety with an ever growing list of drugs. Danielle refused to accept that as normal and continued searching for a bett...2023-04-191h 08Return To AuthenticityEpisode 57: No quit in finding his authentic self after a stop as a corporate spy with Robert KerbeckRTA Episode 57!You'll love the stories Robert Kerbeck tells about becoming a corporate spy on his way to becoming an actor and a writer. It's like something straight out of a novel or a tv series or movie - and in fact, his story has been picked up to be just that! Enjoy! ----------------------------------------------------Connect with Robert here:Website: https://www.robertkerbeck.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertkerbeck/Check out Robert's books (available wherever you buy books):"Ruse: Lying the American Dream from...2023-04-1257 minReturn To AuthenticityEpisode 56: Leadership lessons for a CEO after painting a baby with Matt ShoupWelcome to Return to Authenticity episode 56 with guest Matt Shoup!Matt grew up in Northern New Jersey with his parents as the oldest of 4 siblings, and he says he'd be dead or in prison if his family hadn't moved to Colorado when he was 10 years old. His school life was rough up to that point and involved abuse and bullying. His parents challenged him to raise his own money to buy a boom box he had his eye on and he fell in love with business and making money. After making money and los...2023-04-051h 09Return To AuthenticityRTA Uncut, Episode 2: Matt McCartney: Moving from the Dark to the LightWelcome to RTA Uncut Episode 2 with return guest Matt McCartney!Matt was a guest one year ago to the day on Episode 4 and he brings us up to speed on all he's been up to this year: launching two coaching programs for men - one virtual and one in person. He's also part of a team of coaches in a virtual program called the Thriving Man academy. Matt shares his thoughts on some things to do when coming through a dark night of the soul.Enjoy! Music Credit: Chris Trapper, “Avalanche” https://open.s...2023-04-0141 minReturn To AuthenticityEpisode 55: Finding joy and curiosity after the storm with Tim BranyanEpisode 55! Meet Tim Branyan. Tim is a combat veteran of the United States Air Force. After the military he decided to pursue his passion for software development and launched his first project with about $6k dollars and no formal education. He grew to become a tech industry leader and entrepreneur having developed and launched hundreds of apps and platforms, scaling to millions of users and millions of dollars in revenue across his companies since 2010. TIM's latest project “TrueFanz” just surpassed 623,000+ global users. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Tim is also a devoted husband, father of two...2023-03-291h 09Return To AuthenticityEpisode 54: Overcoming change and finding the positive amidst the clouds with Matt DrinkhahnEpisode 54 with our guest, Matt Drinkhahn. Matt grew up a military brat, whose father was an Air Force pilot and mother was an English teacher, and he moved 17 times in 21 years, including 13 different states and 4 different high schools before heading to college. Matt began selling CutCo knives in college and he was transformed into a selling machine. Matt graduated college with a Psychology and Business double major and went to work for a major telecom company selling business telecom services. He led his team to the top of his division’s charts. As he ascended the r...2023-03-2259 minReturn To AuthenticityEpisode 53: Shagging Balls, Overheads, and Software Development with Ashwin VaithianathanEpisode 53 of RTA!Meet Ashwin Vaithianathan Ashwin grew up in a suburb of Denver as an only child in a traditional Indian household. His parents had him focused on academics first with sports for fun. And he played them all. He found tennis in his junior year in high school and fell in love with the sport. He was determined to play college tennis and even dropped out of Purdue when he learned he would not have the opportunity to play on the team. He transferred to a Division 3 school so he could contin...2023-03-151h 08Return To AuthenticityEpisode 52: From Tennis Court to Marine Corps and Back Again with Clint LaukhufWelcome to episode 52! Meet Clint Laukhuf. Clint grew up in Dallas in an athletic home, playing competitive tennis as soon as he was able to hold a racket. This led to burnout and resentment and after a short stint in college, Clint found himself in the US Marine Corps where he graduated selection to the elite 1st Recon division and deployed to Iraq in 2003. After leaving active duty, Clint went back to the tennis courts as a coach, where he combines his experiences and lessons learned in the Corps, with a variety of prog...2023-03-081h 46Return To AuthenticityEpisode 51: Milk Trucks, Buckeyes and Real Estate with Phil MoellerEpisode 51!Meet Phil Moeller. Phil is from a large Catholic family, raised in Dayton, Ohio. His father owned his own trucking company after driving a milk truck earlier in his career when Phil was a kid. Phil went to Ohio State to study engineering and moved into corporate America in a product development and management role, as his parents guided him toward the safety and security of a corporate job. His favorite part of his corporate job was developing people and in 2013 what started out as a way to make a sec...2023-03-011h 10Return To AuthenticityEpisode 50: Free Labor with Charles KaoWelcome to episode 50!Charles Kao grew up in a home that valued hard work and being your own boss, as Charles's father and mother owned and operated a restaurant and commercial real estate properties in Michigan. Charles embraced travel and gaining knowledge in a variety of areas from exercise to banking to sales before taking a hint from his personal training clients regarding how to be wealthy and not simply rich. Charles embarked on a plan to achieve the former, which to him meant having his money work for him without intense intervention on his pa...2023-02-221h 05Return To AuthenticityEpisode 49: Metal Heads, Ray Guns and Dopamine with Dr. Mike T. NelsonEpisode 49! Meet Dr. Mike T Nelson. This conversation was so fun as Mike is super knowledgeable about all things the human body. We discuss how his educational pathway led him to dive deep into the world of physical optimization despite being more interested in music as a kid - a love of Metal that continues to this day. His depth of knowledge on physical performance based on clinical research is astounding. If you're interested in how to optimize physical performance and respond to stress through lifting heavy objects, heart rate variability, breathing, cold, heat, etc., you wil...2023-02-151h 33Return To AuthenticityEpisode 48: Changing Environmental Trees with Nick AlfanoHere we go with RTA episode 48! Meet Nick Alfano. Nick grew up in a broken home and by the age of 14, he was couch surfing to find a roof over his head each night and living out of his backpack. This led to Nick craving affirmation and achievement to compensate and hide his rough upbringing and he excelled at school and business. There was no price too high to pay to be seen as the best and soon the deception and lies became too much to bear.Tune in to hear how he turn...2023-02-081h 33Return To AuthenticityEpisode 47: Psychedelics and demons with Josh RamseyRTA Episode 47! Meet Josh Ramsey. Josh grew up in South Africa in a loving home with a supportive family. Along with his successes as a fitness model, stuntman, and entrepreneur, Josh struggled with depression and overuse of medications and psychedelics. Addictions to weed, alcohol and porn continued to pull him down. Something had to change. Tune in and hear how Josh began to focus on serving others while searching for meaning in life and found his way to God. Enjoy! Connect with Josh here: Be In Touch...2023-02-011h 38Return To AuthenticityEpisode 46: "God Rest Her Soul" with Chris Trapper, Part 2Return to Authenticity Episode 46! This is the first "part 2" episode with Chris Trapper returning to the studio for a continuation of our first conversation on last week's episode 45. I love talking with Chris and we settle into an easy banter brought on by knowing each other since we were kids living down the street from one another, playing sports and chasing adventure the way we did before TV, the internet and social media gave us other options. Chris talks about starting over as a solo artist after establishing himself as the lead singer of The...2023-01-251h 13Return To AuthenticityEpisode 45: An August Gold Rush with Chris TrapperReturn to Authenticity Episode 45! I had a blast with my good friend and guest, singer/songwriter, Chris Trapper, in the studio. Chris grew up in Buffalo, NY, and his love of music started at a young age and was encouraged by his parents. Chris describes what it took to follow his dreams and stay true to his authentic self in becoming and remaining a professional musician for over 20 years.Chris signed with Capital Records in 1999, and has played over 150 dates a year for decades. He's written, sold and played songs on TV and movies including "ER"...2023-01-181h 33Return To AuthenticityEpisode 44: McClain HermesHere we go with Episode 44!!Tune in and meet McClain Hermes. McClain lost her eyesight to a rare condition called Wagner Syndrome at the age of 8 years old. She didn't let that stop her as she wanted to enjoy and play in the same games as her friends. She learned, adapted and grew along the way. She continued to swim and was swimming year round by the age of 10. Her mom driving her an hour each way to practice twice a day! She continued to progress in swimming to an elite level, eventually competing in two Paralympic Games...2023-01-1148 minReturn To AuthenticityEpisode 43: Matt HermesSeason 2 of The Return to Authenticity podcast has arrived! Season 2 starts off with guest, Matt Hermes. Matt’s story is incredibly inspiring as he shares how he faced and ultimately overcame challenge after challenge, including financial devastation with the 2008 real estate market crash, loss of his home in a short sale and near homelessness, and the severe chronic illness of two of his three children. Through it all, Matt had to come to grips and deal with the fact that he had become a functioning alcoholic to cope with stress, and it was time for a change - his...2023-01-041h 30Return To AuthenticityEpisode 42: Aaron GuyettHere we go with episode 42!Tune in and meet Aaron Guyett. Aaron joined the US Marine Corps in 1999 and deployed to Kuwait and Iraq while on active duty. After leaving active duty in 2003, Aaron took a turn down the dark path of nihilism that led to the end of his marriage and a bottoming out before reaching a turning point and changing his life. He felt a call to dig into his faith and he began a journey of exploration, immersing himself into a wide variety of faiths and ideologies to find the tr...2022-12-211h 39Return To AuthenticityEpisode 41: Scott WellsWelcome to Return to Authenticity, episode 41, with our guest, Scott Wells.Scott has an highly entertaining story that twists from the world of journalism to the oilfield, to the commodities trading floor to the world of magic on the high seas! Quite a journey for a kid from Southern Illinois who grew up in a town of six thousand people, 80 miles from St. Louis. Scott was disciplined in setting goals and having a plan for his life and when the time came to leave the trading floor, he was ready and th...2022-12-141h 33Return To AuthenticityEpisode 40: Jessica DepatieEpisode 40!!What a great conversation with Jessica Depatie. Jessica grew up in Southern California, attended Cal State University, Long Beach and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with an emphasis on public relations. She pursued work in the field of marketing and had great success. In 2016, after a series of jarring personal events, she found herself at a fork in the road. Jessica chose a path less traveled and is now a shadow work educator, the host of the Shadow Work Library podcast, a Kambo provider and plant medicine apprentice, and the Co-Founder, Chief Marketing Offi...2022-12-071h 21Return To AuthenticityEpisode 39: Josh PainterEpisode 39!What a great conversation with Josh Painter. Josh is a chill, California guy with an easy way about him, and an incredible story of rising to the occasion again and again. He has continually said yes, and then figured out how to make it happen. It began with an major curve ball at age 17 when he got his high school girlfriend pregnant and then figured out how to make a living to support his soon-to-be new wife and new baby. After burning out in the grinder of a job as a corrections officer, Josh dov...2022-11-301h 26Return To AuthenticityEpisode 38: Mike DeSantiWelcome to Return to Authenticity Episode 38! Meet Mike DeSanti. Mike grew up in a close-knit, Italian family in New Jersey, where he played sports at a high level and life was comfortable, predictable, and stable. In a few short weeks, life changed dramatically as Mike suffered an injury that put him on the sports sideline indefinitely just as his brother moved away to college and his parents announced they were getting a divorce. As a teenager, Mike retreated into his own psyche and lived outdoors for a year while studying classic writers and ancient teachings. 2022-11-231h 07Return To AuthenticityEpisode 37: Kase KnochenhauerHere we go with RTA episode 37!!Joining me in the studio today is Kase Knockenhauer. You're going to enjoy hearing the colorful and varied background Kase brings to the show. His willingness to try new things that interest him and being willing to fail, learn, pivot and grow are matched by his belief that some things aren't meant to be and ego must be kept in check to prevent hanging on to ventures that simply don't serve you. Kase grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan and initially wanted to become an engi...2022-11-161h 06Return To AuthenticityEpisode 36: Mark AndersonReturn to Authenticity episode 36! In this episode, I sit down in the studio for a great conversation with Mark Anderson. Mark grew up outside Boston, Massachusetts as an active kid playing most sports that included a ball: baseball, golf, basketball, tennis, and volleyball. After a semester of junior college, in the months prior to 9/11, Mark joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was active for 4 years from 2001- 2005. During the spin up of the war, Mark did not deploy to a combat theatre prior to leaving active duty. After leaving the military, Mark earned h...2022-11-091h 27Return To AuthenticityEpisode 35: Thomas PfannerReturn to Authenticity podcast episode 35 is up!! Thomas Pfanner grew up in Eugene Oregon active in sports, playing high school football and wrestling. A key turning point in Thomas’s life happened at the age of 18, when he became a father and had no relationship with his son’s mother within a month of his birth. Despite that lack of relationship, life became work, go to school and spend time with his son.Five years later, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and 4 years after that a Master of Arts degree i...2022-11-021h 13Return To AuthenticityEpisode 34: Matthew PaetzRTA episode 34 is here! Meet Matthew Paetz. Matthew went from small town Jamestown, Indiana, population of 700 to traveling the world as an international model in a matter of days. Gone were the days of innocent basketball and one-stop-light-town farm life. Matthew jumped into a foreign world and had to figure things out quickly to survive. From there, Matthew’s life accelerated as he dated a famous Hollywood actress and lived life under public scrutiny. He went through a series of traumas, from a serious car crash to drug addiction, being a male escort, a short time of...2022-10-261h 35Return To AuthenticityEpisode 33: Greg WestgateHere we go with RTA episode 33! Meet Greg Westgate. Greg grew up playing in the woods around his Michigan home, exploring, being in nature and working on a family farm. He decided at the young age of 13 that he was going to join the military, inspired by an uncle in the US Marine Corps. The Corps wasn't his destiny, however, and he continued to run into mentors that guided him away from heavy op tempo and deployment branches based on his being married. He landed in the US Air Force as a mental health counselor and medic - no...2022-10-191h 38Return To AuthenticityEpisode 32: Mike SalemiHere we go with episode 32! Meet Mike Salemi. Mike is a first generation Italian American who grew up around the family stone business. After a short time in the business, Mike decided to pursue his passion for sport, fitness and human performance while remaining near his close-knit family. His passion took him to the heights of the sports of powerlifting and Kettlebell Sport where he became a world champion in 2017. He’s now blazing his own path using unconventional training methods to help his athletes achieve a high level of performance and resolving sport-related injuries by integrating body, m...2022-10-121h 28Return To AuthenticityEpisode 31: Rebecca RouseEpisode 31! You’re going to love meeting this week’s guest, Rebecca Rouse!Rebecca shares her story of continuing to pivot again and again through major life changes such as being told she could not be in the military, to moving back and forth across the country for life and work, and then having her employer shut down and layoff the entire staff during the pandemic. Hear her inspiring story of how she pivoted and thrived through these challenges and how she’s serving others as she goes! Tune in! ...2022-10-051h 11Return To AuthenticityEpisode 30: Chase TollesonEpisode 30! Meet Chase Tolleson. Chase shares a transparent story of life's challenges and how he pivoted around those challenges. After growing up outside of Chicago, Chase joined the Navy with a dream of going to BUD/S to become a SEAL. A roadblock prevented that from happening, and Chase began planning for life after the Navy, opening a CrossFit gym and becoming a personal fitness coach once his four year commitment to the Navy concluded. When the pandemic put a kink in his gym business, and with Chase embracing a balanced fitness and mindset approach, he la...2022-09-281h 03Return To AuthenticityEpisode 29: David WaldyRTA Episode 29! Tune in and meet David Waldy. David grew up in an idyllic life in the country, with fishing poles and BB guns and raising animals in nature. He also watched his dad struggle as the local veterinarian and entrepreneur, working incredibly long hours to make ends meet. The stress that applied to family and home life led David to associate being your own boss with struggle, stress and missing time with your kids, so when the time came, he jumped into the world of sales, rapidly climbing the corporate ladder and watching his income soar. He al...2022-09-211h 17Return To AuthenticityEpisode 28: Amit GaglaniHere we go! Return to Authenticity, episode 28! Meet Amit Gaglani. Amit has a powerful story of business pivots from medicine to business owner to entrepreneur. After returning from Physical Therapy school in Scotland, Amit went to work in the world of PT. A chance discussion with a patient made all the difference, as the seed of starting his own practice was planted. Amit nourished that seedling idea and grew his new practice up to 4 locations and 40 employees all while still treating patients as the only provider in his clinics. He learned he had a lot to lear...2022-09-141h 23Return To AuthenticityEpisode 27: Anthony MoroldaWelcome to Return to Authenticity episode 27! Meet Anthony Morolda a certified personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach and co-host of the Building Men podcast. Anthony has a passion for learning that he hopes to instill and inspire in others. Along with the podcast, he coaches individuals one on one and is building a group program and a retreat for young men and their fathers to grow closer to one another and learn from each other. When working with others dealing with various trauma, he speaks from a position of personal experience having battled anxiety and depr...2022-09-071h 17Return To AuthenticityEpisode 26: Rob WolfeReturn to Authenticity Episode 26! Meet Rob Wolfe. Rob grew up outside of Chicago in an idyllic neighborhood and had an awesome childhood. He gravitated to computers and had the personality and drive to succeed and thrive in IT sales for large enterprises. Life's curveballs then started flying, including a layoff, a career change and a health scare that had Rob facing his own mortality. Tune in to hear how Rob navigated through it all! Eric Sardina Executive Life CoachingFeeling stuck, empty or out-of-sync at work...2022-08-311h 13Return To AuthenticityEpisode 25: Chad KirkpatrickReturn to Authenticity Episode 25! Meet Chad Kirkpatrick. After earning multiple college degrees, Chad went on to hold senior level positions as a technology executive in both the private and public sectors, including serving on the Cabinet of the Arizona Governor as Chief Information Officer and working for a Silicon Valley start-up. Despite appearances of success and a high income, Chad felt frustrated and unsatisfied in his work. He put in the effort to understand his "why" and his purpose and left his career behind to begin a new life of meaning as an independent real esta...2022-08-241h 17Return To AuthenticityEpisode 24: Jeff DepatieWelcome to Return to Authenticity, Episode 24! In this episode, you will meet Jeff Depatie.Jeff shares his story of growing up in Northern Ontario Canada as a high energy, explorative young teen who enjoyed exploring the wilderness and pushing boundaries of all kinds. After searching for his path and trying University for a couple of years, Jeff joined the Canadian military. He elevated to Canada's special operations community, serving as a sniper in the JTF2, Canada's equivalent to US special operations Delta Force or SEAL Team 6, the pointiest end of the Canadian mil...2022-08-171h 22Return To AuthenticityEpisode 23: Ken WimberlyHere we go with Episode 23 and our guest, Ken Wimberly!Ken is a US Navy veteran of the first Gulf War and a serial entrepreneur -- and the first sponsor of our show! From his early days at a military school for boys to his business and family successes, failures and lessons along the way, Ken demonstrated grit, determination, discipline and resilience and shares it all in the honest telling of his story. Ken has been a long time supporter of the show, having been our very first affiliate relationship through his co...2022-08-101h 21Return To AuthenticityEpisode 22: Marcus ThorntonWelcome to Return to Authenticity, Episode 22.Meet U.S Army veteran, Marcus Thornton. Marcus has an incredible story of overcoming many challenges including PTS, addiction and even homelessness. An amazing story of picking himself up time and again, overcoming devastating lows, and finding his way home to his authentic self. Tune in Wednesday to hear Marcus’ inspiring and courageous story!Eric Sardina Executive Life CoachingFeeling stuck, empty or out-of-sync at work, at home, or in your relationships? As a business and life coach, I help individuals work throug...2022-08-031h 10Return To AuthenticityRTA Uncut, Episode 1 - Already Gone, with special guest, Dennis MoroldaHey friends! Welcome to our first episode of a special series of Return to Authenticity, called RTA Uncut. On RTA Uncut, you will find host Eric Sardina discussing a variety of topics with special guests to the show.On this opening episode of RTA Uncut, Eric welcomes to the studio past guest, friend, and all-around class act and gentleman, Dennis Morolda. They discuss how to engage a flow state, that feeling of effortlessness that accompanies positive vibes, high energy, joy and a feeling of well-being. They also touch on the Tour de France, The...2022-07-291h 02Return To AuthenticityEpisode 21: Spencer MozingoOn today's episode, we sit down with Spencer Mozingo. When the terrorist attacks occurred on September 11, 2001, Spencer was in the 9th grade. Four years later upon graduation, he was entering the US Marine Corps to join the fight in the GWOT. On his third combat tour, a pressure detonated IED would physically change Spencer forever, and he resolved to approach that change as another step in his lifelong journey of transformation and growth, with plenty of challenge to be overcome along the way. Spencer's new mission is another version of service to his family, his community and the...2022-07-271h 24