The ability to find clarity and purpose often arises from dark moments in our lives. For Jim Van Eerden, being kicked out of a successful company he co-founded with his family spurred a renewed outlook on life.
For Jay Parker, playing in the NBA and going to the Moon are not out of the realm of possibility and continue to motivate his pursuit of them bot. Jay redirects his college setbacks to a successful sales career with Cutco knives, followed by a visionary commercial space travel project. He never relinquished his basketball dream; not even after a nerve-wrecking accident. Join along to find out more about his mission, #Iamnbaready (“I am NBA Ready”)!
At 19, college football player Joe Delagrave walked with an air of invincibility. On June 10, 2004, a casual boating trip with friends along the Mississippi River quickly escalated into his worst nightmare- an accident that left him with a spinal cord injury. Now paralyzed, Joe’s mind was consumed with swirling questions about love, intimacy and adapting to everyday tasks.
With the intervention of his friends, Joe finally hit the ‘reset’ button. His unlikely encounter with wheelchair rugby sealed his fate, refueling his competitive appetite. A steady course saw Joe’s impressive rise to the 2008 US Men’s Paralympics team. Joe details his winding road to the 2012 Paralympics and 2018 World Championships, and how his identity became trapped in the sport. Joe realigned his priorities by shifting gears to a mentorship role. The US Rugby Wheelchair coach, speaker, Master’s graduate in Professional Counselling, husband and father of three also talks about finding “permanent victory” by planting seeds.
Charmeachealle “Mike” Moore had fulfilled his dream of making it to the NFL, but along the way, he almost lost everything. Suicidal thoughts and alcoholism introduced forceful darkness in his life. Mike’s young daughter’s words helped him claw his way back to life, leading to his ultimate decision to relinquish football and start a new purposeful mission, “We Living.” Listen to see how a Brain Tumor, Death and Divorce provided a wake-up call for Mike to pursuit something greater than the NFL.
Mike Phillips, the son of Liberian immigrants, grew up understanding the privileges of America and the challenges of Liberia. When Mike decided to drop out of college to pursue a career in real-estate instead of accounting and finance, he found himself homeless.
At a peripheral glance, a 27-year-old Jordan Montgomery had the perfect life. He exuded success with a career at a large financial firm, a penthouse and an impressive savings portfolio. Standing from a position of influence, a […]
This week’s guest is a globetrotting songstress and a trailblazing entrepreneur. Oleathia “Butta B Rocka” Robinson’s career has taken her around the world and includes performing alongside Hollywood legends. However, her journey has not been without its’ challenges. Butta B Rocka, shares how she navigated through divorce, a serious knee injury, the pandemic and personal loss to position herself for continued success in the future. She is much more than a singer.
With over 600 varsity games under his belt including 428 wins, Jim shares lessons on coping with brutal losses, the importance of growth even at our best. Listen and discover how an autistic kid “J-Mac” forever impacted Jim’s life on and off the court.
Hear the heart-warming story of Frank Cumberbatch whose life today is a stark contrast from his modest beginnings in Trinidad and Tobago. Learn about how his rural upbringing instilled lifelong values, the track and field scholarship that forever changed his destiny, his grandmother’s lesson in reputation management, and his work as Vice President of Engagement at Bader Philanthropies.
MBA graduate, E-Commerce Executive, Former Division One Basketball player and coach, best-selling author, husband and father John Willkom shares the hardship, streaks of self-doubt and an ever-evolving mind beneath his success. John’s journey was anything but straightforward, follow along and listen to his advice on partnerships, the importance of constantly reinventing yourself, and the birth of his book.