Dare to Be Great, Dare to Be You Hosted by Shawn Langwell

24 seasons. 20,000 fans. One unforgettable voice. And a story you never saw coming. If you've ever been inside Chase Center when the Warriors take the floor, you've heard Franco Finn before you ever saw him. That voice — electric, commanding, unmistakably Bay Area — has been the heartbeat of Dub Nation for 24 seasons. And full disclosure? I'm one of those fans. I love this team. I love the sport and everything it represents about life. Getting the opportunity to sit down and have a real conversation with the man behind the mic was a huge honor. But what I didn't expect was how deep this conversation would go — past the championships, past the crowds, past the hype — into the story of a son on a quiet, determined search for his father. Franco Finn is so much more than a hype man. And this episode proves it. About Franco: Franco Finn is a San Francisco native, small business owner (Franco Finn Productions, LLC), and member of the San Francisco Film Commission. He is best known as the In-Arena MC and TV Personality for the Golden State Warriors, now in his 24th season, where he energizes 20,000+ fans each game as the iconic “Warriors Hype Man.” Franco has appeared on ABC-7 KGO-TV, KRON 4, and serves as an MC/host for Cal Bears Football & Basketball. His hosting career spans major national and international sporting events, including NBA All-Star, FIBA World Cup, Major League Cricket, SailGP, Rugby World Cup, and EuroBasket. A professional benefit auctioneer, Franco is a graduate of the prestigious Mendenhall School of Auctioneering and holds the Benefit Auctioneer Specialist (B.A.S.) designation. He has helped raise millions for organizations such as the American Red Cross, March of Dimes, Ronald McDonald House, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA, and Make-A-Wish Foundation. More Images: Finn@ City Hall   Finn with Fitz & Buike Find him here: https://www.instagram.com/francofinn/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/franco-finn-07a9524/ https://www.facebook.com/franco.finn/ Articles: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4218492/2023/02/17/nba-all-star-warriors-hype-man-franco-finn/     About the Host: Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, Teacher and Gap Mindset Coach & Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers, Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.  

Grit, guts, tenacity, and humble boldness. These are a few words I would use to describe Raven Divito. She's a self taught photographer who broke the gender barriers starting in little league. She went on to become a union electrician in a male dominated industry, and was a key player leading the Sir Francis Drake High School (Now Archie Williams) Womens Basketball team to a state Championship in 1982. Her whole life exemplifies the title of this podcast. Join us as we dive into her recent solo journey to the Far East and talk about what shaped her to become the confident, kind and compassionate woman she is today. Here's a little more about Raven in her words: Fearless, relentless, and always evolving—at 61, I’ve spent a lifetime rewriting the rules. From one of just three girls who fought Marin County’s system to play in boys’ Minor League, and Little League baseball, to defying my 1978 West Marin Elementary dress code in a bold blue suede suit, I’ve never waited for permission.   A 1982 state champion in basketball, I carried that same fire into the trades as an IBEW union electrician in 1989—one of the few women in a gritty, male-dominated field. I also became a self-taught concert photographer in 1999, capturing the music scene with a Pentax film camera before going digital, contributing to magazines, and exhibiting my work in a San Pedro gallery.   In 2026, I retired from both the trades and the music industry to chase new horizons. Now I’m a solo backpacker, avid nature lover, and perpetual adventurer—embracing reinvention and the thrill of the unknown.   Social Media - Facebook @ravendivito    About the host: Shawn Langwell is an Author, Teacher, Speaker, Gap Mindset Coach/Sales & Marketing Communications Consultant. He's written several transformational, self-improvement books. He's served as president of Redwood Writers (CWC) and is currently on the board of directors as vice president, speaker and conference chair, as well as pr director. Find him at shawnlangwell.com.    

Grief isn't Bad We all experience grief, loss, and the emtional pain of change. But many of us do not have the tools necessary to process it in healthy ways that heal. Dr. Korie Leigh is a keynote speaker, thanatologist, and child life specialist with more than two decades of experience helping people navigate grief, loss, and major life transitions. She teaches healthcare professionals, educators, and leaders how to communicate with clarity and compassion when it matters most. An award-winning professor and author of three books on grief for children and families, her work blends clinical insight with practical tools people can use right away. She is also the founder of Willow Ritual and is based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.   Find her books on Amazon   Website: www.korieleighphd.com Social Media links: https://www.instagram.com/drkorieleigh https://www.linkedin.com/in/korie-leigh-phd-ccls-ft-99a5073a/     About the host:   Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, Teacher, and Gap Mindset Coach, Sales & Marketing Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers Branch, and Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Shawn lives in Northern California. Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.

Burning Flame Sculpture, College of Marin, CA Harkin Lucero Jr. — Sculptor of Monuments, Keeper of Memory A Navajo-descent master sculptor who has spent decades carving history into stone and bronze — from Alcatraz Island to the halls of justice in Colorado. Career span 41+ yrs Largest work 72,000 lb Reach Worldwide   About Harkin It’s not every day you sit down with a gifted artist and sculptor of Navajo descent whose work has graced public spaces across the globe. Harkin Lucero Jr. has dedicated his career to creating monumental artwork in marble and granite — guiding projects from concept through completion. Based in Northern California, his commissions span diplomatic institutions, spiritual centers, and civic landmarks. Notable projects   14,000 lb Chung Tai Zen Center sculpture Sunnyvale, CA 72,000 lb Buddha restoration — Kim Son Temple Mt. Madonna, Watsonville, CA 8,000 lb Sun and Moon granite sculpture New Justice Center, Pueblo, CO 1994 Honor plaque — Native Occupation Alcatraz Island Recent Medal of Honor Monument restoration 4 bronze soldiers, 14 ft tall on granite bases Public Totem Pole Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA Civic California Mission Indians monument Sonoma, CA Intl Commissions: Bank of Spain SF, Bank of Portugal SF, Irish Consulate SF     Honors & recognition Eagle Emmy Award — Southern CA Motion Picture Council Lifetime Achievement Humanitarian Award — Southern CA Motion Picture Council (1999) Oakland City Council Humanitarian Award Inductee — Bojack Native Hall of Fame   In the news College of Marin — Burning Flame sculpture dedication   Connect with Harkin LinkedIn — Harkin Lucero Jr. [email protected]   About the host, Shawn Langwell:  Shawn Langwell is an inspirational author, speaker, teacher, marketing mentor and Gap Mindset Coach. He's written several transformational, self-improvement books. He's been in media sales for 34+ years and lives in Northern, CA. Find him at shawnlangwell.com.

AUTHOR, YOGA TEACHER AND SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR, MARYELLEN WHITTON Join us for another unscripted conversation about serving those in recovery at Pura Vida who need rides to and from meetings and appointment, and a transportation model that can be expanded across the country.   MaryEllen moved from New York to Northern California to attend San Francisco State University. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Marketing and enjoyed many years in sales. As an entrepreneur, she has started several businesses and most recently Co-Founded a nonprofit, RECOVERY TRANSPORTATIONS SYSTEMS and serves on the Board of Directors. She’s also a dedicated fitness enthusiast, having discovered yoga after the birth of her daughter. It became a huge passion, and she enrolled in an Advanced Studies/Teacher Training program. She is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT) with the Yoga Alliance and has been leading classes, workshops, and retreats for over 23 years. When not on her yoga mat, she loves traveling to explore new cultures. Closer to home, she can be found hiking the local hills, walking her dogs, and spending time with family. Find her book here: Lean Into Your Light  Find her on here: Facebook Page   About the host: Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, Teacher, and Gap Mindset Coach/ Communications Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers Branch, and Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Shawn lives in Northern California. Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.  

What's Bringing You Joy? Join me and Natalie as we discuss her process of writing her inspiring memoir. She talks about how she nagivated her way through a disabling illness to transform pain into a rich and vibrant life and is now offering workshops to help others live more sustainably and with greater purpose.   Natalie Gould is a coach, storyteller, and retreat leader who guides people and organizations through transformation using embodied practices rooted in nature, narrative, and nervous system regulation. After a post-viral condition left her disabled, Natalie recovered using somatic and mind-body approaches. This journey transformed her work—she now helps people make change in their lives—particularly learning to live more sustainably and with greater purpose. Her approach integrates her background in theater and outdoor education with extensive training in spiritual formation and leadership development. She spent over a decade in corporate leadership, including as CFO of a small multinational software company, before dedicating herself fully to coaching and retreat work. Natalie is writing a memoir about her farm and healing journey and publishes a free monthly newsletter on Substack where she weaves farm stories with practical teachings on nervous system regulation and living with greater presence and wholeness. Connect with Natalie:  [email protected] Website: www.sparrowcrowfarm.com Social Media links: • https://www.instagram.com/sparrowcrowfarm/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-gould-20b7b3155/ • https://sparrowcrowfarm.substack.com/   About the host: Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, Teacher, and Gap Mindset Coach/ Communications Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers Branch, and Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Shawn lives in Northern California. Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.  

Love. Resilience. Undeniable Wit.  And a Heart for Service. Join me and Chris as we discuss his Memoir Touched by Hannah: A man with cancer. His one pound newborn. And their fight for life.     About Chris: Chris Hennessy is an award-winning filmmaker, author, and speaker. A Rice University graduate, he spent 28 years producing over 1,500 films for major clients including Google, eBay, and the SF 49ers. Since retiring from commercial filmmaking in 2018, Chris has built a multi-platform creative presence with 6.8 million combined views. His TV series Yolo YoYo's won Best New TV Cable Series in 2019. His documentary Miracles on College Street earned the Film Heals Award at the 2022 Manhattan Film Festival and Top Five Best Documentary honors. Chris shares monthly essays through his HennSchtick newsletter on Substack, blending humor with unflinching honesty about living with stage IV cancer. His memoir Touched by Hannah—A Man with cancer. His one-pound newborn. And their fight for life—launched to 125 standing-room-only crowd November 2024. Chris and Hannah are planning a 2026 Northern California book tour and national podcast tour. Member: California Writers Club Sacramento and Elk Grove Writers Guild.   Find Chris Here:    Website: https://www.henchris.com Social Media links:  https://www.facebook.com/Chris.Hennessy.Uniondale/ https://www.facebook.com/touchedbyhannah/ IG  @chrishennessyfilms   About The Host: Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, and Sales & Executive Gap Mindset Coach/Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers Branch, and Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Shawn lives in Northern California.  Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.  

A Bold Spanish Conquistador with a Heart for People. The Adventures of Cabeza de Vaca is an adventure unlike any other and one worth telling in history classes around the world. Karl Kadie bucks the trend of most conquest stories of finding gold and riches of land to discover a new, more fruitful path—one with a much deeper meaning in the landcape of life—winning heart of native americans who lived here long before we did by becoming one of them. Karl Kadie is the author of two poetry collections, Revenge of Nature and The Burning House. In this episode we discuss his latest work, The Adventures of Cabeza de Vaca, a fictional depiction of the life of a Spanish conquistador.   About the Host:  Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, and Sales & Executive Gap Mindset Coach/Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers Branch, and Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Shawn lives in Northern California.  Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.        

Join me for a series of impactful workshops to guide you through the minefields of doubt to close your mindset gap and begin feeling like you're winning again. This is a promo for a series of virtual workshops I'll be presenting over the next few months specifically designed to help you identify what you really want and to give you precise tools you can start using immediately to manifest the meaningful changes you say you want.   Warm-Up: Three Free introductory workshops: 1/10, 2/7 and 3/7  SHAWN LANGWELL PRESENTS- FREE MASTERCLASS: BEYOND GOALSETTING   https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shawn-langwell-presents-free-masterclass-beyond-goalsetting-tickets-1979676005223?aff=oddtdtcreator   What This Series Is About This is a practical, live workshop series designed to help you: Slow down when everything feels urgent • Get clear about what actually matters right now • Take a real next step without overthinking or burnout Each workshop stands on its own. Together, they form a simple, repeatable path forward. You’re welcome to attend one, two, or all of them.   NOTE: Due to scheduling conflicts, some of the workshops mentioned in this podcast have been postponed. Below are the ones avaialble for registration and there will be different ones inthe future. Visit my website for the most current list: https://shawnlangwell.com/events/ APRIL — Integration & Bold Action Saturday, April 11 | 10:00 AM PDT The Art of Presence Hosted by the Napa Valley Writers Club Registration details coming soon: https://www.napavalleywriters.org/ Saturday, April 25 | 10:00 AM PDT One Bold Move https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1979458584913?aff=oddtdtcreator   About the Facilitator Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Teacher, and Sales & Executive Gap Mindset Coach/Consultant (NLP Certified) with more than three decades of sales experience and real-world application of the principles he teaches to create meaningful, lasting results. He is the author of Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness (and its companion workbook), Morning Motivation, and Chill, and is the Past President of the California Writers Club (Redwood Writers) and Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. His work is grounded, practical, and focused on real change — without hype, dogma, or pressure. And he gets results. Learn more at www.shawnlangwell.com  

Michelle and Trevor Leopold (Michelle Leopold / Fox News) One Tough Momma   No words can ease the pain of a mother who's lost her son.  I know what this is like having lost my brother in 1999. Please join me and Michelle in this hopeful heartache of a story that has given her a new purpose worth fighting for: Love and Life Michelle shares about her beloved son honestly and completely, to prevent other parents from joining this horrific club none of us chose to be in. Sadly, Michelle is now her son Trevor’s voice, and often shares this quote when she speaks publicly:  “I thought I’d be teaching my son about the world. I never imagined I’d be teaching the world about my son.” Michelle Leopold is a Mom in all her efforts – and a tough mom at that. She is the Mom and CMO/Charitable Contributions at six Mom & Pop Ace Hardware Stores in the SF Bay Area. She’s been a serial Mom Volunteer in everything from Mother’s Club to Cub Scouts, Little League, and especially the PTA. She’s the Dog Mom to two furbabies, Marley and Maverick, who insist they are smaller than 225# combined. Most importantly, she’s the Mom to Parker (who just graduated from CSU Channel Islands), age 23, and his older brother Trevor, forever 18.  And Michelle even had “One Tough Mother” tattooed recently on her ankle.   Additional information: When Michelle realized Trevor had become addicted to today’s high-potency THC, she put all she learned about today’s cannabis in an anonymous website she created in 2016:  My Kid Smokes Pot – now what? When Trevor died, she and her husband immediately decided not to hide behind the shame and stigma usually reserved for substance use deaths – especially since Trevor’s death was likely fentanyl poisoning (confirmed, he had taken a Blue M 30 Oxycodone – not knowing it was a “Dirty 30” laced with what proved to be a lethal amount of fentanyl. This was a poisoning, not an overdose.) Since then, Michelle has been an outspoken activist, especially in two areas: It’s not “just pot”: today’s high-potency THC is dangerous, especially when regularly used by young adults. #OnePillCanKill - The danger of today’s street pills to teens, many of whom don’t know about the harms of fentanyl in today’s street drugs, and/or think they are invincible.  Michelle’s efforts have resulted in an emmy-award-winning mini-documentary, One Pill She started a website in 2021, WeAreNotAlone.Community focusing on education and support for families with similar stories to Trevor’s, but she has been too busy advocating and speaking in these areas to complete & keep the website updated as she’d like.  Additionally, five months after Trevor’s death, Michelle spearheaded the Nar-Anon online family group Hope After Loss, specifically for those who have lost a loved one to the disease of addiction. Almost six years later, over 1,200 Nar-Anon members have come through the virtual Zoom doors of this international support group, currently offering four meetings a week. Michelle recently received her 9-Year Virtual Chip in Nar-Anon.   Trevor London Leopold: Sunrise 1/30/01 – Sunset 11/17/19 – Forever 18 from a fentapill   Find Michelle Here: Facebook: Michelle Saevke Leopold Twitter: @50RandomActs IG: @Michelle94904 BlueSky: @Michelle94904 Resources/Links: NarAnonHopeAfterLoss.org  WeAreNotAlone.community StansHardware.com Also visit Michelle’s Emmy-award winning documentary One Pill and her Ace Heartware video Ending The Stigma. ____________________________________________________________________ About Shawn Langwell: Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, and Sales & Executive Gap Mindset Coach/Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers Branch, and Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Shawn lives in Northern California with his wife Crissi, and Maine Coon cat Cleo. Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.

For the love of dogs! From my first conversation with Lauren as a client, to this podcast, I knew Lauren had something profound to share. Writing though our grief is one of the most cathartic things we can do whether we wish to be published poets, memoirists, or just want to use writing as a tool to process deep emotions. If you love dogs and poetry and writing/journalling, or have recently expienced loss, this podcast and Lauren's recent book, King Copper, is an ideal prompt for deep refelection through heartfelt poetry. Find it at Amazon or at Copperfield's Books in San Rafael, CA. About Lauren: Author and poet, Lauren Scott, enjoys small-town living in the Bay Area with her husband, Matt, of thirty-seven years. Their adult son and daughter live out of state, and with frequent visits and technology, the family of four remains close. Lauren has published four poetry collections, a memoir, and her first children's book. Her latest poetry collection is a tribute to her family’s Chocolate Labrador who crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in spring 2025. Lauren is a recent Pushcart Prize Nominee and has been a guest on several podcasts. Her writing is featured on Spillwords Press where she was voted Author of the Month and garnered Publication of the Month awards. She is a contributing author in several anthologies, and her work is shared bimonthly on Gobblers and Masticadores. Her muse discovers inspiration from her family, spending time outdoors, reveling in simple things, and marveling at the mysteries of life. Find Lauren at:  https://baydreamerwrites.com/ https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lauren-Scott/author/B08NCRH4MK   About Shawn Langwell: Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, and Sales & Executive Gap Mindset Coach/Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers Branch, and Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Shawn lives in Northern California with his wife Crissi, and Maine Coon cat Cleo. Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.

  From Lonliness to Connection John Crowley builds community wherever he goes. As founder of Aqus Café and the Aqus Community in Petaluma, he creates spaces where neighbors meet, talk, collaborate, and belong. He leads initiatives like Cool Petaluma, the Joiners movement, social crawls, mixers, and community dinners—each designed to strengthen local connection and resilience. John focuses on practical ways people can rebuild social capital in everyday life. I invite you into a rich conversation with John about building community and shared bonds that enrich the lives of all. Articulate, thoughtful, and humble, John leads with compassion because he truly cares about people. Join us in another real and unscripted conversation about bridging the divide bewteen isolation and belonging—especially for the younger generation that is feeling more alone than ever before.  Find John here: Website: Aqus.com, Aquscafe.com, CoolPetaluma.org Social Media links: FB: Aqusnews   About the Host: Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, and Sales & Executive Gap Mindset Coach/Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers and Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Shawn lives in Northern California with his wife Crissi, and Maine Coon cat Cleo. Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.        

Mindi Levine is a winner!   Recently Mindi Levine of Mindi in the Morning won the Best Radio DJ in the 2025 North Bay Bohemian Music Awards and “Best Media Personality: Radio/Print/TV” 2016 by readers of The Bohemian. Join us as she gets to be in the guest seat for a change, on this Podcast!  We talk about her early years as a relationship marketing guru, what drove her to become a DJ, and her humble beginnings and advice for anyone else looking to get into radio or Marketing or PR...  She even shares a vulnerable moment from her "other life" as a Teacher / Advisor / Garfield HS / East Los Angeles, CA.  Like most of my guests, Mindi is a delight. I'm honored to have her as my guest... Enjoy the show. Be sure to tune into Mindi in  the Morning from 6-10 weekdays, and listen in on Tuesdays at 8:45 am through January 2026, for Get lit- a partnership with Copperfield’s Books and Redwood Writers. Find her here: krsh.com Mindi in the Morning Social Media links: https://www.facebook.com/mindi.levine/ https://www.instagram.com/mindiinthemorning/ ______________________________________________ About Shawn Langwell: Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, and Sales & Executive Gap Mindset Coach/Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers and Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Shawn lives in Northern California with his wife Crissi, and Maine Coon cat Cleo. Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.      

What a delightful human and living example of resilience! Join me and Natalie in this inspiring episode where we discuss her challenges of a three-year journey from severe cognitive and physical disability to recovered health.  She is living proof that subtle shifts—mentally, phsyically, emotionally, and spirtually—can have a profound impact on our health and well-being.  She shares her insights on how she assists others in transforming their situation, whatever it may be. This episode is gold! About Natalie: Natalie Gould is a coach, storyteller, and retreat leader who guides people and organizations through transformation using embodied practices rooted in nature, narrative, and nervous system regulation. After a post-viral condition left her disabled, Natalie recovered using somatic and mind-body approaches. This journey transformed her work—she now helps people make change in their lives—particularly learning to live more sustainably and with greater purpose. Her approach integrates her background in theater and outdoor education with extensive training in spiritual formation and leadership development. She spent over a decade in corporate leadership, including as CFO of a small multinational software company, before dedicating herself fully to coaching and retreat work. Natalie is writing a memoir about her farm and healing journey and publishes a free monthly newsletter on Substack where she weaves farm stories with practical teachings on nervous system regulation and living with greater presence and wholeness. Website: www.sparrowcrowfarm.com Social Media links: • https://www.instagram.com/sparrowcrowfarm/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-gould-20b7b3155/ • https://sparrowcrowfarm.substack.com/   _________________________________________________________ About Shawn Langwell: Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, and Sales & Executive Gap Mindset Coach/Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers and Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Shawn lives in Northern California with his wife Crissi, and Maine Coon cat Cleo. Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.  

80 million downloads and humble enough to have a real conversation with me. There is a great sense of joy and accomplishment when we make a decision and take a bold step forward to face our fears. I did that 10 years ago when I started following Kevin Miller on the Ziglar Show- yes that Ziglar. He had conversations with best-selling authors and thought leaders from a broad spectrum of back grounds. We connected on social media and occasionally he read some of my answers to prompts from his show on air, some with Zig Ziglar’s son Tom Ziglar. I felt heard. I felt like I had something valuable to contribute to a meaningful conversation about success or goal setting.   Later, while working on Ten Seconds of Boldness I reached out to him for an interview to discuss drive, desire, and motivation. That was a key part of adding credibility and a fresh voice to support what I had known most of my adult life-- that motivation is an inside job. We stayed in touch over the years and recently I reached out and invited him to be my guest on the Dare to Be Great, Dare to Be You Podcast. "I'd be honored." He replied without hesitation. And in truth it was an honor for me to have a real conversation with someone who's experienced tremendous success as a pro cyclist,  podcast host for the past 10 years, and a perpetually curious seeker of self-improvement.  His 1,650 podcast episodes have more than 80 million downloads! Our vulnerable and unedited conversation isn't about all the external shiny objects and accolades most of us equate with our identity and success.  It's richer, deeper, and more meaningful than that. It’s about digging into the stuff of the heart and soul of motivation. Asking the question: what drive us to want to lead lives that matter? I am privileged Kevin was kind enough to spend time with me and that we get to share our hour-long conversation about life with the rest of the world. Enjoy the show!   About Kevin:   Facilitator of Philosophical Discussions & S.A.G.E. Guidance On The Path To Inner Peace   Kevin spent a lifetime pursuing achievements. He did it all. Until he couldn’t. Thus began his journey from high performance, confidence, and capability to the pursuit of inner peace. He now savors a contemplative life, researching what provides true fulfillment to himself and humanity. He shares this in his Kevin Miller Podcast, his writings, and now through the S.A.G.E. psychological model (sageprocess.com) where he works directly with people desiring inner peace through increased personal agency. Connect with Kevin on his podcast and at kevinmiller.co   The numbers people like to see, but fail to tell the real story: Former pro cyclist competing for 20 years in over 1,000 races  19 Business start ups Almost 32 years of marriage (now divorced) 9 children, 2 adopted 10 years podcasting, 1,650 episodes, and over 80 million downloads Deep conversations with over 300 of our world’s most influential educators in human potential  Worked directly with 1,000s of people pursuing more fulfillment in their lives Author of What Drives You (McGraw Hill Publishing) https://www.kevinmiller.co/media     About Shawn Langwell:    Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, and Sales & Executive Gap Mindset Coach/Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers, Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Shawn lives in Northern California with his wife Crissi, and Maine Coon cat Cleo. Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.   This show continues to reach people where they are. Please like, share and follow. There are many more wonderful conversations watong to be shared.  

Is your life out of control? Tired of feeling stressed out and burned out of trying to hold it all together only to still feel like you're not good enough? I know what that’s like and it sucks. I've spent most of my adult life striving for perfection, trying to live up to the expectations of others. Trying to be the man I thought my dad should've been when he left me, my mom, and two younger brothers when I was twelve.  That led to a series of self-destructive behaviors and addictions that nearly cost me my life. Along the way though I had many wins-- getting sober, going to college, getting married and having a son, and buying a home that I still live in today.  In my teens, my quest for success was fueled by inspirational authors and speakers like Earl Nightingale, Wayne Dyer, and Tony Robbins. I had grand hopes and dreams to one day be an inspirational author and speaker. For the past few years, I have been living that dream. Recently, I led a session called the Art of Presence: Pro Marketing and Self Promotion Tips for Authors and Entrepreneurs  for the Elk Grove Writers Conference. And last weekend I co-led an all-day workshop with Audrey Kalman entitled the Book and Beyond.  I’m sharing this because a lot has happened in the past ten years since I wrote and published Beyond Recovery. I’ve written five more books, taken on more leadership roles, and had the opportunity to share my recovery story to thousands of people around the world. I just celebrated thrity-nine years of continuous sobriety and am finalizing the updates for a ten-year anniversary edition of Beyond Recovery and at least two more books to that series. Additionally, I have invested the past three months mapping out a blueprint and strategy for the next thirty years of my life.  In the process, I found myself chasing all the bright shiny objects like many of us do. Ultimately, I came back to earth, back to center, back to my roots. Earlier this week I had an epiphany that brought me to tears. It is the missing link - the cotter pin or keystone to making all of these dreams to inspire others and help them believe in themselves come true. This episode is the first of many that will kick off the next phase of this incredible life I have been blessed to live, sober. I cannot hide from my faith and belief in a power greater than myself and I must keep sobriety at the center of who I am.  Today, I choose to embrace the space between fear and freedom and boldly step into the life I believe I was called to live- as a Messenger of Hope. I invite you to have a listen to this deep and vulnerable episode and join me as I progress in the direction of my dreams, trusting that I do not have to walk it alone.   About Shawn Langwell: Shawn Langwell is an Inspirational Author, Speaker, and Sales & Executive Gap Mindset Coach/Consultant. He has written several transformational books including, Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness and its companion workbook, Morning Motivation, and Chill. He’s also the Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers and Past President of Toastmasters of Petaluma. Shawn lives in Northern California with his wife Crissi, and Maine Coon cat Cleo. Find him at www.shawnlangwell.com.  

Helping Middle-Age Women Move from Who and Where They Are to Who and Where They Want to Be   Sometimes the best gems happen after we open up, let our guards down, and become a little more vulnerable. As we become bold enough to step into our fears, reflect on our past, and become willing to want to make a few changes, that's when the magic happens... When Mel and I start talking about processing grief and forgiveness, the whole show comes full circle. Don't miss it. If you are a woman in midlife and trying to balance menopause with caring for aging parents, while still making time to honor yourself and your body, this show is for you. It's a teaser into increasing self-awareness and self-love so you can start living a richer fuller life and begin to embrace who you already are: a beautiful, caring, and compassionate, driven woman who wants the best for yourself and those you love. That's it.  If you are struggling with a myriad of compulsive behaviors, including your relationship with food and body image, Mel can help guide you through the mental minefield of outdated beliefs and emotions and patterns around your past to help you feel more alive and comfortable in your own skin. About Mel: Mel is a Behavioral Nutritionist who integrates clinical knowledge with behavioral psychology and education to help individuals create lasting, meaningful change. Her approach goes beyond food choices—she helps clients uncover the emotional, cognitive, and environmental influences shaping their habits. By combining evidence‑based nutrition guidance with insights into behavior, emotion, and memory, Mel empowers people to transform their relationship with food and their well‑being. She specializes in guiding individuals who have struggled with traditional diet culture or inconsistent habits to build a sustainable foundation for health and happiness. Through personalized strategies and compassionate support, Mel helps clients implement realistic changes that improve energy, balance, and confidence in everyday life. Her mission is simple: to help people nourish their bodies, rewire unhelpful patterns, and thrive—not through restriction, but through awareness, connection, and empowered choice. Find Mel here: motivatewithmel.com   Holiday Season Preparation Special Tis the season…to have a strategy! Stop the cycle of holiday chaos and the January 'do‑over'. This year, head into the season prepared, empowered, and ready to enjoy. Comprehensive medical + behavioral assessment Three (3) private 50‑minute sessions Your personalized Holiday Survival & Thriving Plan  ALL for just $399 Reserve Your Spot Today by booking a complimentary Momentum Builder Call Here.      Downloads of the Dare to Be Great, Dare to Be You Podcast continue to skyrocket—recently downloads were up 300%!  I have to assume it's because people are liking we talk about on the show. If you liked this episode, please share it with friends and colleagues or leave a review and follow the show.  If you want to learn more about what I have going on, including events, my latest books, and more, please visit: www.shawnlangwell.com. 

All I Want for Christmas is a New Liver So I Can Live There are best-selling guided journals out there like "Bro, tell me your story."  But those are guides, this is the raw, unedited real deal from my brother Kelly talking about his downfall with alcohol and the "Christmas Miracle" five years ago when he was literally given a liver transplant that saved his life.  This is our heartfelt, real conversation about the incidents leading up to that miracle and how we both have battled our own inner demons from our dysfunctional upbringing, including our escape with drugs and alcohol and how we've lived to tell the story.  Beyond these events, and the fact that our youngest brother Seth wasn't so lucky (after years of battling his own demons, he lost the battle, falling asleep at the wheel in 1999. He died instantly in a car crash two weeks shy of his 29th birthday) we are sharing this story with the world because it might help a few people or their families find the courage, strength, and resilience to keep fighting and never give up. May the brotherly love we share be a light to guide those who are still suffering and encouragement to help them (or you) ask for help.   ____ about this show____ Downloads of the Dare to Be Great, Dare to Be You Podcast have increased by 200% in the past 30 days. I have to assume it's because people are liking we talk about on the show. If you liked this episode, please share it with friends and colleagues or leave a review and follow the show.  If you want to learn more about what I have going on, including events, my latest books, and more, please visit: www.shawnlangwell.com.   

Why Heart Matters and Creative Writing is a Great Elixir for Exploration and Healing Join me and Curtis as we talk about writing, family dysfunction,   how he turned three screenplays into an evocative new book, Lost and Found: Coming of Age. Coming Clean.   Synopsis: An eighteen year old leaves his home in Philadelphia to get away from a drug- addicted mother and her abusive partner—and to track down the man he thought was his deadbeat dad. His bus trip across the country and adventures in San Francisco, bring him answers and unexpected discoveries—and a new friend. When an accident brings both mothers and dad together for a reunion of opposites, we just might discover that we can respect and appreciate our different journeys.   About Curtis:  Every writer’s experiences can influence a novel’s storyline and characters. Curtis’ struggles plus those of his characters (including homelessness, addiction, sexual, or domestic abuse), might inspire readers to look into their own lives and local resources.   He returned to San Francisco State University to do postgraduate in screenwriting and believing his stories should entertain even when they might enlighten and empower, he converted his trilogy into a novel. That actually has allowed him to go deeper into the lives and psyches of his original characters.   Now living in Santa Rosa with his husband, Dr. Charles Roth, PhD, and working a few days a week in the Wellness Department at Oliver’s, he shares what he knows about nutrition. Additionally, he offer assistance to organizations such as Verity, a rape-crisis service in Santa Rosa whose mission is to help people recover and find peace and harmony in their lives.   Website: www.jcurtismoran.com    Email address: [email protected]   About this show and Shawn Langwell: Downloads of the Dare to Be Great, Dare to Be You Podcast have increased by 300% in the past 30 days. I have to assume it's because people are liking we talk about on the show. If you liked this episode, please share it with friends and colleagues or leave a review and follow the show.  If you want to learn more about what I have going on, including events, my latest books, and more, please visit: www.shawnlangwell.com.   

How to Increase Efficiency for Small Family Businesses Join me and Consultant, Jonathan Mahrt for an Open Conversation About Making Meaningful Upgrades to Systems, Processes, Operations   About Jonathan: Jonathan Mahrt is the founder of Flywheel Consulting, a boutique business consulting firm focused on digital transformation and business process improvement. Growing up and working on his family’s farm, Jonathan learned the value of hard work, creative problem solving, and doing the right things the right way. He leverages 14 years of real world business, operations, IT, and automation experience to help his clients make meaningful changes in their businesses by streamlining busywork, modernizing operations, and automating business processes. This allows business owners to spend less time working in their business so that they can spend more time working on their business. Find Jonathan Here: Flywheel Consulting [email protected] 707-232-5352 Website: www.flywheelconsulting.co Social Media links: https://www.instagram.com/flywheel_consulting, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558910588811, https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanmahrt/ _______________________________________________________ About the show and where you can find/follow me: Downloads of the Dare to Be Great, Dare to Be You Podcast have increased by 355% in the past 30 days. I have to assume it's because people are liking what we talk about on the show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends and colleagues or leave a review and follow the show.   If you want to learn more about what I have going on, including events, my latest books, and more, please visit: www.shawnlangwell.com.   

Creating a "Can-Do" Mindset  for Older Aspiring Authors, regardless of skill Join me and Tommie in an encouarging conversation about writing at any level or age. More specifically, using his latest novel, The Bar Pilot as a framework, we talk about how to have fun with characters, themes, and start writing the novel you've often dreamed of. About Tommie: After graduating from UCLA in his still beloved City of the Angels, Tommie thought he would spent a quick three years at UC Hastings in San Francisco and then move to Los Angeles to practice law. Now, some 45 years later, he still lives in Marin County with his wife Svetlana and thoughts of moving south are only a dream. However, the law career, first as a criminal defense lawyer and then as a divorce lawyer, is winding down. Instead, creative writing (novels, short stories and memoirs) is taking over.  In this new endeavor, Tommie is often able to offer intimate first hand and insightful views on that old adage, “Criminal lawyers see the worst people at their best, while divorce lawyers see the best people at the worst”. However, Tommie has not limited his writing to criminal law and divorce. His first novel is about three couples. One member of each couple attends a series of personal development retreats and then deals with the consequences with their spouse when they return home. To say that the results are unexpected is an understatement. The second novel, to be published later this year, is a fictional account of his grandparents, Tom and Leone, in Arkansas, where they were farmers. Both were handicapped in their own way, Tom physically and Leone mentally. Yet four sons came of the union, all of whom overcame their parents to lead normal lives. find him at: http://tommiewhitener.com/ __________________________________________________ If you liked this episode, please share it with friends and colleagues or leave a review and follow the show.  If you want to learn more about what I have going on, including events, my latest books, and more, please visit: www.shawnlangwell.com. 

  In January 2021, Leaning into Light founder Jessica Rios was diagnosed with a massive brain tumor. During a 9-hour brain surgery, she had a near death experience (NDE) that catapulted her greatest passion — illuminating the beauty of the human spirit by loving humanity into remembering the truth of who we are. Join us for a candid conversation about  trusting and surrendering to the divinity within and embracing our couargeous capacity for love from the inside out. Jessica Rios is a prolific lifelong letter writer. Since childhood, Love has been her ' religion' and she has taken this devotion into her journey as a serial social entrepreneur, working on behalf of our planet Earth and to illuminate the beauty of the human spirit, so we can collectively create a world based more in Love, than fear. In 2021, she was diagnosed with a massive brain tumor that led her to release a lifelong addiction to food and sugar, and she now lives with more vitality than she ever knew was possible. On her 50th birthday, also the 50th anniversary of the UN declaring International Women's Day, Jessica performed a one-woman-show called Making Love to Fear. She is passionate about dancing, hiking, freestyle frisbee, cappuccino foam and singing Love songs. Raised in Fairfax, California, she has lived in Petaluma since 2013 with her daughter and their Goldendoodle, Jerry.    Find Jessica at: Website: ​www.leaningintolight.com Social Media links: ​@makinglovetofear (IG)   _____________________________________________ # Gratitude  _______________________________________________________ Downloads of the Dare to Be Great, Dare to Be You Podcast have increased by 500% in the past 30 days. I have to assume it's because people are liking what we talk about on the show. If you liked this episode, please share it with friends, and colleagues or leave a review and follow the show.  If you want to learn more about what I have going on, including events, my latest books, and more, please visit: www.shawnlangwell.com.   

This is a special treat to hear Crissi's story about Overcoming Compulsive Overeating, Sugar Addiction, and Body Image Issues. Join us for a vulnerable and inspiring conversation about real  struggles with food and sugar addiction and her struggle to accept the concept of a higher power. A power, program, and new way of thinking and relating to food that has helped her make the positive mental, physical, emotional, and spirtual shifts with lasting results: Ilosing 50+ pounds, and reclaiming a sense of power and serenity around food and body issues over the past 2+ years. About Crissi:  Crissi L. is living in food recovery and has celebrated more than two years of abstinence from compulsive eating. As both an author and a storyteller, she shares openly about her journey to encourage others who are seeking freedom from food obsession and body shame. Find her on substack at foodaddict.substack.com.    _______________________________________________________ Downloads of the Dare to Be Great, Dare to Be You Podcast have increased by 500% in the past 30 days. I have to assume it's because people are liking what we talk about on the show. If you liked this episode, please share it with friends, and colleagues or leave a review and follow the show.  If you want to learn more about what I have going on, including events, my latest books, and more, please visit: www.shawnlangwell.com. 

Challenging systems takes courage and tenaciity as well as humble curiosity and a willingness to look in the mirror to connect with who we really are. Join me and Tanya in this unedited and real conversation about working for the State of California under Governor Gavin Newsom, and how she has leveraged social advocacy through goodtroubleforchange.com and her coaching practice to help people identify, clarify, and replace old stories with new ones.   Tanya M. Thompson, MPA, CPM, is the founder of Level Up Coaching and creator of The Storyboard MethodTM, a framework that helps individuals, leaders, and organizations transform lived experience into strategy for growth and resilience. With 30 years across law enforcement, education, and social work, Tanya brings expertise in personal empowerment, cultural transformation, and organizational change. Her work bridges the personal and the systemic: guiding individuals to reclaim their voice and purpose, equipping leaders to foster inclusion and integrity, and supporting organizations to unlock shared knowledge and build thriving, future-ready workplace cultures. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration with a focus on Organizational Change and Counseling, and is a Certified Public Manager, a national designation for leaders in public service. Through her coaching, speaking, and advocacy, Tanya challenges systems while equipping people at every level to step into freedom, power, and possibility. Her coaching website is under construction but you can reach Tanya by email: [email protected]   or through her other website: goodtroubleforchange.com or on IG https://www.youtube.com/@WWB-Good-Trouble; @levelupcoaching2023 (Instagram) _______________________________________________________ # Gratitude Downloads of the Dare to Be Great, Dare to Be You Podcast have increased by 500% in the past 30 days. I have to assume it's because people are liking what we talk about on the show. If you liked this episode, please share it with friends, and colleagues or leave a review and follow the show.  If you want to learn more about what I have going on, including events, my latest books, and more, please visit: www.shawnlangwell.com.   

Taking Audio Book Production to new heights!   Join me for an insightful and enaging conversation with Audiobook producer, Ralph Scott   ABOUT RALPH  He's an award-winning producer with a get-it-done (with a smile) attitude, Ralph Scott produces audiobooks, audio theatre, scripted entertainment, commercial spots, or pretty much anything within the live or recorded audio arena.   The characters Ralph creates on the spot (we lost count just north of 83) are only bested by the number of children’s verses he has written since he was handed a cocktail napkin on a dare back in 1993. (That would be just north of 1,700.) Give him three words and he’ll compose a witty poem for you in under five minutes.   Give him a studio and your manuscript and he’ll vibrantly breathe life into any character you craft.   Together with his roster of expert thespians, Ralph turns the studio into a theatre for the ear. Be sure to grab a chair the next time you download one of his audiobook productions. Dim the lights. And don’t forget the popcorn. You’ll swear you’re in a movie.   URL: www.squeakycheeseproductions.com  PH: (707) 971 9419   Connect above and learn how to infuse your novel or nonfiction story with authentic characters and narrators through the power of radio theatre. Why use one narrator to tell your story…when you can now afford three, four…even ten! (Of course, for the Purists, we also produce Solo; Duet; Dual; and Dual-hybrid audiobooks, tapping an entire troupe of award-winning talent.) “All I can say is WOW! YOU ARE SO AWESOME! That is amazing! You…captured my characters so perfectly!” – Miller Thomas, Author – Wolf Hunter Inquisition   To find out what else I have going on, please visit shawnlangwell.com      

  Author of 18 Books While Working a Full-Time Job Crissi Langwell is a romance author who writes heartfelt stories filled with humor, emotion, and a heavy dose of angst. She has been publishing books for over a decade, including her beachy Sunset Bay romance series, and now her steamy small town romance series, Lahoma Springs. When she’s not writing, Crissi stays busy as president of her local writers’ club Redwood Writers, serving as Communications Director of Oakmont Village Association, and getting lost in a good book (everything from romance to fantasy to thriller). She lives in Northern California with her writerly husband, Maine Coon cat Cleo, and a chair of laundry she swears she’ll fold any day now.   Join our conversation about writing process, fun backstory insights, and recent success with her recent Sunset Bay series and current release, The Jilted Lovers Club. in the Lahoma Springs Series.   Recent release (Summer 2025) The Writer’s Healing Reset   The Writer’s Healing Reset is a gentle companion for burnt-out creatives, offering essays and journal prompts to help you untangle creative block, rediscover your voice, and return to the page with clarity and compassion. Whether you’re stuck in self-doubt or simply weary from the grind, this book invites you to reset on your own terms.   Find all her books here:  Crissi's full library, including the Sunset Bay Series, of published books.   Find her here: Contact facebook Insta PS: she is also is an outstanding Editor, Book Formatter, and Cover Desiger. Learn more at North Coast Stories.   On a personal note, she has done the covers and formatted every one of my books and is a dynamite human being I am proud to call my best friend and wife!

"I didn't know what I didn't know," said MaryEllen when making the decision to write her first book, Lean Into Your Light   What started as a way to connect to her young adult daughter as an act of love and support, became somethng magical and much bigger.   Join us as we "Lean Into Our Light" with her first ever podcast episode talking  about her process and her first book, an award-winnng gem that has been featured in several publications including The New York Telegraph Women's Reporter, CEO Times and Women's Insider. One of the joys about this show is having raw, unedited conversations with my guests and trusting that what is supposed to happen will happen and the questions and answers that come out of it are what people will want to hear. The irony is both MaryEllen and I have written books about trusting this process and learning how to overcome self-doubt while also building self-confidence.  There are no mistakes! Only opportuities to learn, grow and improve. Learn more about MaryEllen here: Lean Into Your Light [email protected]  MaryEllen moved from New York to Northern California to attend San Francisco State University. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Marketing and enjoyed many years in sales. As an entrepreneur, she has started several businesses and most recently Co-Founded a nonprofit and serves on the Board of Directors. She’s also a dedicated fitness enthusiast, having discovered yoga after the birth of her daughter. It became a huge passion, and she enrolled in an Advanced Studies/Teacher Training program. She is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT) with the Yoga Alliance and has been leading classes, workshops, and retreats for over 23 years. When not on her yoga mat, she loves traveling to explore new cultures. Closer to home, she can be found hiking the local hills, walking her dogs, and spending time with family. Find her on here: Facebook Page     Find me at Shawn Langwell Author | Speaker | Teacher | Coach      

Gloria Steinem put it simply: Dusty Roads “started it all.”     Elaine Rock is the author of Dusty Roads: Meet the Hidden Figure Who Really Ignited the Women’s Movement, a groundbreaking biography that brings to light the untold story of a trailblazing stewardess who reshaped history. A lifelong advocate for women’s rights, Elaine draws on her experience as a history teacher and technology executive to illuminate stories that inspire and empower. Elaine is passionate about uncovering the lives of courageous, unsung women and men whose persistence and resilience help change the world. When released on Amazon, Dusty Roads immediately became a #1 Hot New Release in Biographies and Memoirs, Social Activist Biographies, and Feminist Theory. The audiobook will be available soon. Elaine and Dusty Roads were featured in the PBS American Experience documentary Fly With Me, a history of flight attendants, broadcast in 2024 and March 2025 for Women’s History Month. Elaine lives in Sonoma County, California.  And just for fun (FYI), here’s a short blurb on the book: Barbara “Dusty” Roads was a trailblazing stewardess and union leader who challenged the airline industry’s sexist policies in the 1950s and ’60s. Fighting against marriage bans, age limits, weight restrictions, unequal pay, and humiliating girdle checks, she refused to back down. As one of the first female union lobbyists to Congress, she advocated for workplace equality and later made history by filing the first-ever Equal Employment Opportunity Commission discrimination complaint in the United States. Her efforts helped prevent a nationwide strike, transformed airline policies, and opened doors for employment for both women and men nationwide.     Website:  ElaineRock.com Social Media links: Instagram: @ElaineRockAuthor Facebook: ElaineRockAuthor LinkedIn: in/ElaineRock/ Pinterest: ElaineRockAuthor   If you like this episode, please share it, like it and spread the word. One of the great joys in my life is getting to have personal, meaningful, and impactful conversations like this one with Elaine, on topics that matter. to learn more about what I have going on, please visit shawnlangwell.com  

New Release From Shawn Langwell Chill: Embrace the Space Between Extremes   Contrary to popular false narratives, the world isn’t out to get us. We are not all victims of circumstance. We owe it to ourselves to learn healthier ways of taking responsibility for our own lives and to start cultivating compassion with ourselves, others, and the world. At its core, Chill is a self-awareness relationship book that reveals a deep secret you already know, but often are too scared to put into practice. The path to true freedom, connection, and happiness is found when we learn how to Chill and embrace the space between extremes.   Available now: https://a.co/d/3kOE76B   Shawn Langwell is an inspirational author, speaker, marketing mentor, and confidence coach who is passionate about helping others dare to take a chance on themselves. The author of Beyond Recovery, Ten Seconds of Boldness, and Morning Motivation, he lives in Northern California with his wife Crissi and their Maine Coon cat Cleo. Find Shawn at www.shawnlangwell.com

Hey Entrepreneurs! Don't miss this episode... Lance Cottrell helps overwhelmed founders become confident and capable CEOs through Feel the Boot, an educational platform he launched in 2019 to guide entrepreneurs on their journey. A serial entrepreneur, Lance founded Anonymizer, the world’s first internet privacy company, in 1995 and led it to a successful exit in 2008. He is also an active angel investor, president of the North Bay Angels, a venture partner with multiple funds, and a Global Entrepreneur in Residence with the Founder Institute. Drawing from decades of experience, Lance blends practical advice, strategic insight, and hands-on support to empower early-stage founders to achieve their goals. Join us as we unpack the little known nuances of coaching start-up entrepreneurs. Discover valuable insights on what it takes to be seriously considered by angel investors so you can raise capital to launch or scale your fledgling business.   Find Lance here:    Website: www.FeelTheBoot.com Social Media links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lancecottrell/ 

Barbara Cottrell is a former professor who gave up her career to pursue her true passion: writing weird fiction. The first book in her series of supernatural thrillers, Darkness Below, won a gold medal at the Book Fest, was named best first novel by Indie Reader and was an editor’s pick for BookLife. She is also an active member in the Horror Writer’s Association and has presented her work alongside New York bestselling authors Gabino Iglesias and Tananarive Due. She has also served as judge and editor on several Redwood Writer anthologies. When she isn’t exploring her dark side, she makes wine with her husband Lance. Join us as we dive into the back story and heart of writing and what makes its scary and fun.   Find Barbara at www.barbaracottrell.com Promo: The third book in my series is coming out soon so now’s a great time to start your adventure! The first book in the series, Darkness Below, is available as an ebook for 99 cents on Amazon. My newsletter subscribers get added perks, so consider joining my group. You can enroll at www.barbaracottrell.com/subscribe.

Just Keep Swinging: Motivation for Times When We Doubt Our Ability to Succeed Now is the perfect time to take a chance on yourself. To step into the life you were created to live. To lead with your heart, with love. To reignite the passion with in and surround yourself with others who can support you in a shared purpose and mission.  Yesterday was a great day for Bay Area Sports Fans. The Giants never gave up and kept believing in their ability to keep coming back against the Seattle Mariners for their home opener and celebrated with a walk-off hit from Willy Adames and bold base-running from Tyler Fitzgerald. The fans went wild! What's more the Golden State Warriors continue to battle and climb the playoff standings as they defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, The Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets in the past four days. Future Hall of famers Stephen Curry, Daymond Green, and Jimmy Butler did what it took to win. But like the Giants and the ragtag little league team you will hear about in this episode, it wasn't one player who won the game. It was all of them working together for a common goal—to win. Whether you are struggling with self-doubt or at the top of your game but want to leave a legacy for the next generation or anywhere in between, this episode could be one of the most inspiring moments of your life. It is yours to listen to and feel the energy reach into the depths of your fears and to tap into that inner warrior that desperately wants to win again or give back. This and all I write and teach is for you. I am here to inspire you to dare to be great and dare to be yourself. Everything I do has one goal in mind: to help you believe in yourself. What can you do today to create your own walk-off moments? What's missing? Well I hope after listening to this episode you will not only know. that you will be fired up to go get it! Carpe Diem! Enjoy the show.   About this podcast and how to get more support: Unlike some stuffy podcasts, on the Dare to Be Great, Dare to Be You show, we get down to real conversations for the sole purpose of inspiring listeners to be better, bolder humans.  Learn more about my books, events, coaching, and more at: www.shawnlangwell.com Get a copy of my latest book, MORNING MOTIVATION: The Ultimate Workbook & Guided Journal. Practical Wisdom to Break Free From Self-Doubt & Start Living an Extraordinary Life. It's available on Amazon and in bookstores everywhere in the spring of 2025. Buy it here: https://a.co/d/id8bGk0 You can also get the audiobook of Ten Seconds of Boldness here:  https://a.co/d/9tYkQYZ

If you are a woman, 35 years old + who's looking for permission to break free from some patterns that are keeping you stuck, you need to listen to this episode. This is one of the most meaningful and helpful publisc conversations with a well-known coach and healer, Stephanie Saint Claire.   About my guest: Stephanie Saint Claire "The Inner Child Whisperer" Inner Child Healing Specialist for Women Founder - Vantage Life Design www.vantagelifedesign.com   Stephanie St. Claire is a mom, entrepreneur, and coach specializing in Inner Child Healing for midlife women ready to reclaim their power. She helps women step into their authentic selves, trust their intuition, master their emotions, and take charge of their thoughts—so they can fully savor the life they’ve built and hold nothing back. Trained in complex trauma recovery, clinical applications of internal family systems, and trauma informed meditation and breath work, Stephanie uses her training, as well as personal Healing Journey as an adult child of an alcoholic and narcissist, to help women all over the world come home to their own power, creativity, and spirit.   Special Offer for Stephanie's upcoming 8-week breakthrough course starting on April 11, 2025.   Click the link below for details! https://www.vantagelifedesign.com/first5breakthrough   Socials: TIKTOK: @theinnerchildwhisperer/ INSTA: Stephanie Saint Claire     If you like this episode, please follow and share it with friends. Unlike some stuffy podcasts, on the Dare to Be Great, Dare to Be You show, we get down to real conversations for the sole purpose of inspiring listeners to be better, bolder humans.  Learn more about my books, events, coaching, and more at: www.shawnlangwell.com   A special thank you to Stephanie who will be recommending my latest book, Morning Motivation, to her students. Here are the details: MORNING MOTIVATION: The Ultimate Workbook & Guided Journal. Practical Wisdom to Break Free From Self-Doubt & Start Living an Extraordinary Life. It's available on Amazon and in bookstores everywhere in the spring of 2025. Buy it here: https://a.co/d/id8bGk0  

Jeff Burkhart knows how to connect with Marin's Movers & Shakers and everyone else who loves a good cocktail or story. He is both an award-winning journalist and an award-winning bartender. His popular Barfly column in the Marin IJ was voted best column in California in both 2014 and 2021, and he himself has been voted “best bartender” eight times, by the readers of three different publications. His two books: Twenty Years Behind Bars: the spirited adventures of a real bartender, and its sequel, Twenty Years Behind Bars: parole denied are both best-sellers and he also hosts the popular Barfly Podcast on iTunes. All of which has led to him being voted “Best Media Personality: TV, Radio, Print,” five times by the readers of the Pacific Sun. Join us as we dive into a real conversation about service, connection, and share entertaining stories from the front lines of customer service, writing, and life as sales and service pros in Marin Here are all the ways to find and connect with Jeff: Links: Twenty Years Behind Bars Parole Denied  Twenty Years Behind Bars Barfly Podcast www.facebook.com/MarinIJBarfly www.jeffburkhart.net   If you like this episode, please follow and share it with friends. Unlike some stuffy podcasts, we get down to real conversations for the sole purpose of trying to inspire listeners to be better and bolder humans. Bottom line for you to, Dare to Be Great, and Dare to Be You. Learn more about my books, events, coaching, and more at: www.shawnlangwell.com

Hilary Young is the author of Trusting Gus, a raw and inspiring memoir about resilience, addiction recovery, and the presence of a higher power she calls the "Great Universal Spirit" (Gus). Raised by an abusive, bipolar alcoholic, Hilary navigated a turbulent childhood, battled addiction, and ultimately found sobriety later in life. A near-death experience from liver failure at 58 motivated her to share her story, revealing the moments of grace that shaped her journey. Readers connect deeply with Trusting Gus, responding with their own stories of trauma, supernatural encounters, and personal awakenings. Hilary’s writing is heartfelt and unfiltered, aiming to inspire without preaching. She self-published her memoir to show that healing and transformation are always possible. Beyond writing, she works as a hairstylist, engaging in meaningful conversations with clients. She currently lives in California, where she continues to share her story of hope, survival, and spiritual discovery. Hilary is a natural story teller who effectively uses scene, setting, and dialogue to tell a compelling and evocative story in Trusting Gus. Join us as we have an honest, open, and vulnerable conversation about recovery, spirtuality, finding clarity, and so much more.    Find or follow here here:   Website: TrustingGus.com Social Media links: https://www.instagram.com/hilaryyoungritter/  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1545650302685941   Trusting Gus: True stories of a near death experience, angelic visits, recovery from alcoholism and everyday miracles. You can find Trusting Gus here or your favorite local bookstore. Trusting Gus     If you like this podcast, please leave a review and follow me. You can find me at www.shawnlangwell.com  and purchase my memoir on recovery here: Beyond Recovery or bookstores everywhere.    

One of the funnest things I get to do is have open conversations with wonderful people like Michelle. Energetic, upbeat and in the midst of mastering her craft, Michelle shares inside tips for aspiring fantasy authors who have worlds and stories that must be shared.   MICHELLE MILES believes in fairy tales, true love, and magic. She writes fantasy (including Epic, Urban, and Other Worlds), Paranormal (including Time Travel, Historical, Shifters), and Young Adult (including Fantasy and Fairy Tales) all with an action/adventure twist. She is the author of numerous series that includes everything from angels and demons to fairies, dragons, and elves. She is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA) and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA). A native Texan, in her spare time she loves reading, listening to music, watching movies, hiking, and drinking wine.   Sign up for her newsletter and get Once Upon an Ancient Curse, a Red Riding Hood Fairy Tale Retelling, FREE. This isn’t the story you remember—it’s better! https://viplist.michellemiles.net/enchanted   Find Michelle Here: Website & Blog: http://www.michellemiles.net Newsletter Signup: https://viplist.michellemiles.net/enchanted Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleMilesAuthor Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MichelleMiles Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/MichelleMilesAuthor Threads: https://www.threads.net/@michellemilesauthor Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/MilesOfRomance/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/477915.Michelle_Miles Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/michellemiles YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleMilesBooks TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@michellemilesauthor BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/michelle-miles

"No Warning Shots Fired in This Unit"   This is the sign on the wall at San Quentin Prison where John served 8 years. Since his release, John Wallace, aka Freedom, has made a complete 180-degree turn from a life of gangs and drugs to one of hope and service. Leaders and youth from all walks of life can learn from this vulnerable and inspiring, unedited conversation I had with John on my Dare to be Great, Dare to Be You Podcast. John embodies and lives up to his stage name—Freedom.  He not only talks the talk, he walks the walk. From head to heart to hands, John's mission and purpose to "pass it on", is freaking incredible! Pull up a chair and listen to this raw, real, and open conversation about hope and freedom. On a personal note, it has taken me 25 episodes to find my sea legs as a podcast host. I believe from the depth of my soul that THIS episode is what the universe was preparing me for. I guarantee you will be inspired. After listening, some of you may want to even change the world. To paraphrase John's wisdom: Start small, be humble, and listen. We all want to belong. My hope in this and all episodes of this show is for listeners to not only become inspired, but to become bold enough to trust your inner voice and DO SOMETHING that will make a difference in your life, the lives of others, and ultimately,the world. This show is fast becoming a launching pad where dreams are reignited. I encourage you, wherever you are at this stage of your life, to dare to be great and dare to be yourself and see what happens. Furthermore, there are many more stories like John's in differing arenas that you will hear in the weeks, months and years to come. If you like this, subscribe. Better yet, Pass it on. Please, SHARE IT! About John: John grew up in Marin City and found refuge in the arts as an escape from a troubled home life. Street life and drug use caught up to him, landing John in Marin County Jail numerous times and eventually to San Quentin State Prison for several years. Refusing to give up, John worked hard and earned his GED while in prison. John wrote over 75 songs about his lives experience while in prison.  After he was released, John went on to attend classes at College of Marin, Santa Rosa Junior College and Butte College. He is currently a recognized musician, tattoo artist, and hairstylist who often provides his services at low or no cost to those in need. John believes in the importance of giving back and understands the therapeutic value of art and music   Articles: from https://sanquentinnews.com/sq-parolee-helps-troubled-teens/ "By the time John Wallace was released from San Quentin, he had written 75 songs. John Wallace, 39, who discharged in 2003, founded a project called STOP (Surviving the Odds Project) to help deter at-risk youth from falling into the school-to-prison-pipeline. Fifteen years after his release, he’s showing kids the creative outlet he wished he had at their age. The former gang member now empowers at-risk youth through musical self-expression at Legion Beats in San Rafael, reported the Marin Independent Journal. His first class of 13 students will write, record and create a music video over the course of a few weeks. In May, they’ll have their first live performance. “I wanted to give back to where a kid wouldn’t have to suffer any longer or blame others for what they’re going through and learn how to express themselves,” said Wallace, who grew up in Marin City. https://sanquentinnews.com/program-helps-at-risk-youth-through-music/ https://www.marinij.com/2018/04/06/former-san-quentin-inmate-empowers-at-risk-youth-with-music/ https://redwoodbark.org/84140/culture/lifestyles/breaking-through-chains-john-wallace-empowers-youth-with-his-nonprofit-stop/ "John had been sent to Marin County Jail 19 times for disorderly conduct before going to San Quentin State Prison in 1995, where he was incarcerated for eight years. While in prison, he discovered his love for making music. “[San Quentin] was a dangerous reality to walk into,” John said. “While I was [in San Quentin State Prison], I wrote over 75 songs. I didn’t know that I was a musician at the time, but while I was in there, I didn’t want to feel alone anymore [and music helped me with that].'"   Find John here:  https://www.stoproject.org/ Please donate if you are so inclined.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-wallace-b47136161/   From the Host: Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day all! May each of us learn to become bolder and open our hearts to help those less fortunate than we are. May the world be better because of our courage to dare to be great and bravery to be ourselves! God bless, Love, Shawn   Find me at:  https://shawnlangwell.com/ Read my story here: Beyond Recovery: A Journey of Grace, Love, and Forgiveness https://a.co/d/gv02C5h #recovery #Survivingtheodds #Courage #Forgiveness  

Anthony Amunategui is a freaking Unicorn! He is the the Founder of CDO Group, a National Commercial Construction firm he started about 24 years ago with a small group. Today they have built over 1 million square feet of retail space, working with some of the world's largest brands. He has a true passion for finding out what makes people successful in business and in life. Anthony loves diving into conversations about what the future holds for us personally and professionally, and the adventures that shape the journey. Always a treat to have real, open, and honest conversations with my guests, Anthony hits it out of the park in the episode and pulls no punches. As the co-owner of of a multimillion dollar construction firm he knows people, negotiation, project management, and more importantly, what matters most in life. Newsflash, it's not more money! Listen in as we talk about letting go of our attachment to chaos andhow we individually and collectively can learn to lighten up and enjoy the true values of life- family, friendship, community, and PLAY!   Here's how to reach Anthony: Contact Info: Owner of CDO Group / Host of Future Factory Podcast Email: [email protected] Website: CDO Group: https://cdogroup.com/ Future Factory Podcast: https://www.futurefactorypodcast.com/ Anthony’s Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonyamunategui/ FFP: https://www.instagram.com/futurefactorypodcast/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FutureFactoryPodcast   Find me at: https://shawnlangwell.com/ and buy my books wherever they are sold.    

Jeff Goins is the best-selling author of five books, including The Art of Work and Real Artists Don’t Starve. His award-winning blog Goinswriter.com has been visited by tens of millions of people, and through his online courses and events, he's taught over 20,000 writers since 2012. Jeff lives outside of Nashville with his family, where they spend most of their free time listening to records and making homemade pasta. Books: You Are a Writer  Real Artists Don’t Starve The Art of Work  What Is Writing? Website: goinswriter.com Substack: jeffgoins.substack.com   Jeff will be Keynote presenter at the 2024 Sonoma County Writers Conference on October 19, 2024 hosted by Redwood Writers Club. Both Jeff's Keynote and Workshop will be avaialable for purchase and download after the conference. If you are near Sonoma County and want to attend in person, learn more or register here: https://redwoodwriters.org/2024-conference/  

Ray Engan: SESSION - Love to Write But Hate to Sell? Create Comfortable Conversations That Sell Your Book   Every Year, thousands become first time authors. Every year thousands of books sit in the garages of their authors, waiting for the orders to come through. Today you will walk away with concrete ways to move those books out and bring cash in. The Lean In Factor will guide you in how to use your voice to sell your writing.   About Ray: Ray Engan was a shy little boy who avoided talking to strangers by walking inside the safety of his Mom’s wrap around skirts. He went on to a career in stand-up comedy, performing with and writing for some of America's best comedians. He created a skill of connecting through comedy in the business world and became the sales manager of America’s most award winning small business, Ray has testified before a presidential task force, and appeared on MSNBC, as a Voice of small business in America. Today, Ray is an award winning motivational speaker, coach and Sales coach to entrepreneurs. He created the program, The Humor Algorithm, which demystifies the process of humor and can make anyone funnier. Currently the President and CEO of Leadership Through Laughter and has coached over 2 dozen National Speakers Association Hall of Fame speakers. His upcoming program, The Lean In Factor, is designed for entrepreneurs who present to make quicker connections, faster friendships and bigger sales, and is due out inthe fall of 2024. RayEngan.com LeadershipThroughLaughter.com medium.com/@ray_37327 www.facebook.com/ray.engan/ www.linkedin.com/in/leadershipthroughlaughter   If you are reading this before 10-18-2024 visit: https://redwoodwriters.org/2024-conference/ to learn more or to register. The Sonoma Coujty Writers Conference is held every other year (even years), in Sonoma County and is the Most Comprehensive Writers Conference in the North Bay. Registration is $125-250 for California Writers Club Members; $150-175 for Non-Members. Visit https://redwoodwriters.org/ to learn more about our events and opportunities to help you become a better writer and book marketer. Visit: www.shawnlangwell.com for other upcoming writers workshops.

Max Nijst is the founder and spirit behind Fearless Happyness Coaching & Consulting. Max’s mission in life is to help high performers, executives, and CEOs avoid losing what they have worked so hard to attain.  He helps their families by educating about the disease of addiction so they can better support their loved ones. Max is a motivational speaker, published author, and substance abuse recovery coach.  He is also the host and voice you hear behind the mic on The Fearless Happyness Podcast.   THE FEARLESS HAPPYNESS PODCAST The Fearless Happyness Podcast showcases phenomenal individuals, from all around the world and from all walks of life, who overcame serious traumas, life obstacles and challenges to living the life of their dreams. Listen in each week as Max and his guests sit down to share their experiences and spread strength, hope and faith to help others also become fearless and find their own path to FEARLESS HAPPYNESS! https://maxnijst.org/podcast/ https://maxnijst.org/read-fearless-happyness/ Book: Fearless-Happyness-Addiction-Battles-Recovery   Connect with Max here: https://maxnijst.org/ https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=max%20nijst

Jose Salazar cares about the youth of Sonoma and Napa Counties. He has a heart for teaching and service and is making a difference in the lives of teens and young adults who may not have father figures to encouarge them. With more than 28 years of experience working with Santa Rosa City Schools, he's basically done it all: elementary, middle school, high school and even the collegiate level with Santa Rosa Junior College. se has also beenan adjunct faculty instructor for the Department of Public Safety since 2017. The bottom line is, Jose cares and his actions match his words. He served in the Sonoma County Probation Department as a sworn in peace officer from 2008-2017 and has been with Napa County from 2019 to the present. He's coached football at Santa Rosa High School, Montgomery HS and with SRJC.  I moved up to Sonoma County back in 1993 to attend Sonoma State University. I was a Cossack. I went on to earn a BA, multiple credentials and a MA in Education Leadership.  Married since 1995, he he and his wife have three grown up daughters and two grandchildren. If you have a kid who wants a shot at playing collegiate football, please visit: SRJC football program https://ets.rocks/3SwEOSv

Judy M. Baker helps authors take the friction out of book marketing and make real money from their books. 2024 is fueled by her renewed commitment to coaching, writing, and creativity. She is planning to publish three books this year. The first is The Book to MoneyMaker RoadMap which is in final edits. Judy is President of Redwood Writers and past president of the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association. When she isn’t writing, teaching, or volunteering, you can find her at the gym or creating healthy recipes. Find out more at: https:// bookmarketingmentor.com Social Media links:  Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Judy-M.-Baker/author/B08JM6M3PS?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true https://www.facebook.com/JudyBaker.BookMarketingMentor/ https://www.facebook.com/judybaker54/ https://www.instagram.com/bookmarketingmentor/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/judybaker/ https://www.youtube.com/user/brandvines Author Spotlight Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4GL_lhkkuTOmuQNnTxOVcp9EWn4xan1h https://www.pinterest.com/bookmarketingmentor0210/   If you want to learn more about writing, publishing and marketing. also visit: https://www.redwoodwriters.org/  

In this episode I chat with NYT Bestselling Author Steve Almond on Imposter Syndrome and Writing for Your Life He will also be a featured presenter at the Redwood Branch of The California Writers Club on July 20, 2024. CWC Members and non members can register here https://www.redwoodwriters.org/, to see Steve in-person or listen to a recording of his talk a week after the event.   Steve Almond, author of Truth Is the Arrow, Mercy Is the Bow, will discuss the emotional struggles that we bring to our writing, everything from the anxiety of exposure to the crippling doubts that drive us into writer’s block—without judgment or platitudes. No question is off limits: Can I tell the truth about my abusive parent? Is it wrong to be jealous of a famous friend? What if I’m just not good enough? At the center of our discussion is radical question: Is it possible to view moments, and even eras, of creative doubt as necessary and even essential to our artistic growth? How can we move from anxiety and self-loathing to a posture of forgiveness and curiosity. Register for this event here: How to Conquer Writer’s Block, Ego Need, Envy and the Other Evil Voices Inside You   About The Featured Speaker at Redwood Writers: Steve Almond is the author of twelve books of fiction and non-fiction, including the New York Times Bestsellers Candyfreak and Against Football. His first novel, Which Brings Me to You, was made into a movie that is streaming on Amazon and Hulu. His second novel, All the Secrets of the World is being developed for television by 20th Century Fox. His new book, Truth Is the Arrow, Mercy Is the Bow is a book about the craft of writing, the meaning of stories, and the emotional and psychological struggles we face in telling our stories. Find him at stevealmondjoy.org.

  Delicia Niami is an acclaimed memoirist and LGBTQ+ advocate, whose raw and edgy storytelling has touched the hearts of readers worldwide. Residing in Santa Cruz and an alumna of UCSC, Delicia draws inspiration from her own journey of resilience and empowerment. Through her memoirs, she fearlessly addresses topics such as sexual abuse, trauma recovery, and the importance of self-compassion. Delicia's work not only sheds light on difficult experiences but also empowers others to find their voices and embrace their own resilience. Her passion for advocacy shines through in her writing, making her a powerful voice for change and healing in today's world. Links: https://www.delicianiami.com https://www.instagram.com/delicianiami_author/ https://www.facebook.com/ResilientAFMemoir https://www.facebook.com/kissingasphalt https://www.instagram.com/resilientaf_memoir/   RESILIENTAF MEMOIR SERIES In Delicia Niami's trilogy of memoirs, Resilient AF, readers are invited on an exhilarating journey through the pages of "Kissing Asphalt," "Not My Circus," and "The Queen of Silver Linings."   Find first of her three memoirs, Kissing Asphalt on Amazon and wherever books are sold. Learn more here: www.kissingasphalt.com   A personal note to you:   The chance meeting of Delicia at the 2024 SF Writers Conference was no fluke. I believe everything in life happens for a reason and that people come into our lives for a unique purpose: to guide us, show us, or awaken something inside us long hidden or denied; or to be a light for us to find our way out of the darkness or to offer us a new perspective and outlook on life.   When that happens, I feel it is our responsibility to pause, assess, and ascertain what that purpose is.   Sometimes we know immediately, as I did with Delicia.    It is my hope that this raw, real, and honest podcast interview helps at least a few people find a pathway to peace.   If you or someone you know suffer from addiction, abuse, or domestic violence please get help. There are tons of reputable and safe organizations to choose from.   If you love stories of resilience and want to read another raw, real, and hope-filled memoir on overcoming fear, anger, resentment and alcoholism/substance abuse, consider reading my memoir, Beyond Recovery: A Journey of Grace, Love, and Forgiveness. It, too, is available on Amazon or wherever books are sold. If you like this show or others, please talk about it, share it, and most of all take a moment to love yourself.  

  Brian Fies is a writer and cartoonist who has published four graphic novels including A Fire Story, which is about losing his home in the devastating California wildfires of 2017. He has been nominated for many honors and won a few of them, including the comic industry’s Eisner, Harvey, Lulu and Inkpot awards, the German Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis, and a TV Emmy Award. Brian’s varied careers include stints as a newspaper reporter, freelance journalist, environmental chemist, and science writer. He lives in Sonoma County with his wife Karen, and is working on his fifth graphic novel. find him @ brianfies.blogspot.com  or on Meta @ https://www.facebook.com/brian.fies    

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ATHLETICS TRANSFORMING KIDS LIVES THROUGH THE POWER OF SPORTS Join me and the founder and CEO of NAofA, Aaron Locks as we discuss tips for parents, coaches and kids to build confidence in young athletes. For the past four decades, Aaron has been actively working in sports. Aaron is a father, author of The Coach’s Best Friend series of books, trainer, coach, speaker, and entrepreneur. His background includes working with various professional organizations: The Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants, Oakland A’s, Sportsworld, and legendary coaches John Wooden, Pat Riley, George Karl, Don Nelson, Greg Popovich, and Dusty Baker. Generous with his time and determined to lift others up, Aaron was kind enough to offer several key contributions to my recent book, Ten Seconds of Boldness, The Essential Guide to Solving Problems and Building Self-Confidence.   You can find all of NOofA's current camps and franchise opportunities here: https://nationalacademyofathletics.com/ Learn more about the team of coaches and staff here: https://nationalacademyofathletics.com/the-naofa-team/ Find me at www.shawnlangwell.com  

Sean Mattson: Practical Genius & Self-Taught Digital Marketing Expert I've known Sean Mattson nearly all my life. As young hippy kids from West Marin, we were both raised in a different environment. One built on community, cooperation, and resiliency. An evironment that fostered parallel careers for us in food service and eventually corpoate america--Sean in technology and marketing, me in publishing, sales and marketing. Essentially both of us landed careers in the people business. I 've always admired Sean's brain, even at a young age. He thought at a level far above me and most of my peers. For the past decades Sean has been at the forefront of digital marketing in the Silicon Valley. He is fascinated by the intersection of technology and human behavior.  His deep understanding of the field has allowed him to help businesses harness the power of technology to transform their operations and connect with their customers in new and innovative ways. Outside of work, he does "human things" with my family and friends including traveling, cooking, gardening, playing music and martial arts. Join us as we talk about motivation and life and not a whole lot about technology.  There is a chill down-to-earth quality of our conversation that may be inspiring for those ambitious, smart kids/young adults who don't want to pursue a traditional path of college.  Like Steve Jobs, Sean bucked the college trend and figured out a way to carve a niche that has enabled him and his family to thrive.  you can find Sean at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanmattson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seanmattson    

"I'm Gonna Start a Hot Sauce Company."    "With in two months it went from idea to market!" Hear first-hand what it takes to go from musician to hot sauce manufacturer in two months with only $1,500 in the bank. Inspiration for people of color or anyone else with dreams of owning their own business. We discuss branding, marketing, distribution, and so much more. If you want to be your own boss like Biambu, it may be as easy as asking someone you respect and trust, who is where you want to be. In June of 2021, Biambu did just that. His close friend and the founder of Creekside Pizza, Pat Townsley, asked him one simple question, "What is it that you want to do?" "Be my own Boss," Biambu replied. "Then that's what you should do." Now, Black Bee Hot Sauce is on the shelves in 45 stores and is in the process of scaling nationwide! This is what we talk about on Dare to be Great, Dare to Be You. Follow me on this show and look me up here: www.shawnlangwell.com , or search on Google for workshops and events by Shawn Langwell to help you move from where you are to where you want to be.      

Life Lessons from Moma Joan: Five key takeaways for teens, adults, and single moms Joan O'Connor is my mom. She is also a mom to many of my friends, my brothers' friends and played a critical role in shaping who I am today. Join us for an intimate, honest and fun conversation about what it was like for her to raise three boys on her own after my dad left. How she loved me until I learned to love myself while i was battling addiction, and how she managed to survive losing my youngest brother Seth in a car accident in 1999, and a debilitating fall in 2019.   My mom is a survivor out of necessity and refused to take welfare except for a very brief moment. She talks about community, connection, kindness and resilience and finding her mate after writing out 21 things she wanted. Most importantly, mama Joan leaves us with hope and a few choice words of wisdom to find our path that leads to Joy. Every kid(young or old) should be so lucky to share moments like the ones we talk about in this episode of Dare to Be Great, Dare to Be You. PS: To read more of the story of how she saved my life, read my memoir Beyond Recovery. Follow me at https://shawnlangwell.com/   Enjoy!