The Spiritual Speakeasy Show

In this episode of The Spiritual Speakeasy, Brian sits down with Brian Galke, expert in facial recognition, emotional intelligence, and human connection, for a conversation that changes how you see people — literally.From reading facial features to understanding communication styles, this episode explores how subtle cues shape trust, relationships, leadership, and connection in a digital world that’s losing touch with face-to-face humanity.As Brian crafts an old fashioned behind the bar, the conversation unfolds around identity, intuition, sales, leadership, parenting, and why understanding people has never mattered more.This isn’t about manipulation. It’s about awareness, empathy, and meeting people where they are.In this episode, we explore:How facial features reflect communication stylesWhy connection beats persuasion every timeThe difference between body language and facial recognitionHow emotional intelligence impacts leadership, sales, and relationshipsWhy human connection is the skill of the future📱 Connect with Brian GalkeSpeaker websiteWebsiteInstagramYoutubeLinkedInTikTokFacebook📱 Connect with Brian⁠Facebook⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠Website⁠👉⁠ Get Brian's NewsletterThank you to Desert Candle Works for providing candles for today's episode. Support their small business⁠ here⁠

What if the difference between being stuck and moving forward is learning how to create options?In this episode of The Spiritual Speakeasy, Brian sits down with Thax Turner, Vice President at Shamrock Foods, for a grounded conversation about discipline, identity, forgiveness, and building a life when you start with very little.Thax shares his journey from a childhood marked by instability, scarcity, and free lunch lines to leadership in corporate America — not as a highlight reel, but as a study in mindset, daily rituals, and personal responsibility.This episode explores what Thax calls the “immigrant mindset” — the ability to turn hardship into fuel — and why success is less about talent and more about consistency, forgiveness, and creating options where none seem to exist.In this episode, we explore:Growing up without stability and learning resilience earlyWhy discipline creates freedom, not restrictionThe immigrant mindset and internal gritCreating options instead of waiting for themForgiving yourself as a leadership skillWhy everyone has a backstory you can’t seeDaily rituals that compound over timeThis conversation is about self-responsibility without shame — and hope without illusion.⁠Facebook⁠📱 Connect with Brian⁠Facebook⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠Website⁠👉⁠ Get Brian's NewsletterThank you to Desert Candle Works for providing candles for today's episode. Support their small business⁠ here⁠

What if clarity didn’t require complexity?In this episode of The Spiritual Speakeasy, Brian sits down with Joey Dziedzic, education coordinator for the Arizona Diamondbacks and former public school teacher, for a grounded conversation about core values, consistency, and what it actually means to be “all in.”Joey shares what it looks like to support young athletes navigating pressure, culture shock, and identity — and why a single, clearly lived value can act as a compass through uncertainty, mistakes, and growth.This episode explores leadership without ego, simplicity without shortcuts, and why most people already know what to do — they’re just not doing it.In this episode, we explore:Why one core value is often more powerful than manyWhat “all in” really looks like in daily lifeThe role of consistency in growth and performanceHow simplicity creates clarity and momentumSupporting humans inside high-pressure systemsWhy values make course-correction easier, not harderThis is a conversation about doing less — and living more honestly.📱 Connect with Brian⁠Facebook⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠Website⁠👉⁠ Get Brian's NewsletterThank you to Desert Candle Works for providing candles for today's episode. Support their small business⁠ here⁠

In this episode of The Spiritual Speakeasy, Brian welcomes Brittany Anderson - entrepreneur, strategist, and leadership consultant - for a conversation about what leadership looks like when it’s built around people instead of pressure.Brittany explains why most operating systems fail to account for human energy, emotional intelligence, and alignment — and how leaders can stop forcing growth and start building sustainable teams.This conversation explores: • why force-driven leadership burns people out • the difference between effort and force • leadership archetypes and self-awareness • people-first operating systems • why alignment creates real scalabilityAs always, the conversation unfolds over a handcrafted cocktail - because stories flow better when people feel at ease.📱 Connect with BrittanyWebsiteAlign-PSInstagramLinkedin📱 Connect with Brian⁠Facebook⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠Website⁠👉⁠ Get Brian's NewsletterThank you to Desert Candle Works for providing candles for today's episode. Support their small business⁠ here⁠

What if nothing is wrong with you — you’re just living out of alignment?In this episode of The Spiritual Speakeasy, Brian sits down with Gary, founder of The WHY Institute, to explore identity, purpose, and what happens when we spend years muting who we really are.From a life-altering medical crisis to discovering the deeper patterns behind human motivation, Gary shares how finding your Why can change everything — from your career and relationships to your energy, mental health, and sense of meaning.This conversation goes far beyond business or branding. It’s about remembering who you are and giving yourself permission to live as that person.In this episode, we explore:Why feeling anxious or depressed can be a symptom of misalignmentThe difference between Who you are and What you doWhy passion disappears when you’re in the wrong roleHow people unknowingly mute themselves to fit inThe nine core “Whys” that drive human behaviorWhy purpose creates energy — and misalignment drains itHow discovering your Why can change relationships, careers, and familiesThis episode is for anyone who feels stuck, exhausted, or quietly disconnected from themselves — and is ready to understand why.🎧 Listen slowly. Let it land.📱 Connect with GaryWebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInYoutubeBeyond Your WHY Podcast📱 Connect with Brian⁠Facebook⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠Website⁠👉⁠ Get Brian's NewsletterThank you to Desert Candle Works for providing candles for today's episode. Support their small business⁠ here⁠

What if the thing you’re avoiding is the thing that frees you?In this episode of The Spiritual Speakeasy, Brian sits down with Akshay Nanavati — Marine veteran, explorer, author, and seeker — for a raw conversation about solitude, suffering, and what it means to truly master yourself.Akshay shares his journey from addiction and PTSD to extreme solitude — including darkness retreats, polar expeditions, and voluntary suffering — not as acts of punishment, but as a way to build an honest relationship with himself.This episode isn’t about doing hard things for ego or validation. It’s about learning the right kind of hard — the kind that leads to integration, presence, and peace.In this episode, we explore:Survivor’s guilt and life after warAddiction as an escape from the selfWhy solitude is one of the most powerful teachersDarkness retreats and sitting with discomfortVoluntary suffering vs. self-destructionThe difference between force and alignmentWhy “the only way out is through” is a lived truthThis is a conversation for anyone who feels restless, numb, or disconnected — and is ready to stop running.📱 Connect with Brian⁠Facebook⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠Website⁠👉⁠ Get Brian's NewsletterThank you to Desert Candle Works for providing candles for today's episode. Support their small business⁠ here⁠

In this deeply moving episode of The Spiritual Speakeasy, Brian sits down with Vanessa Medina to talk about healing after trauma, the quiet strength required to rebuild a life, and why trusting your village can be the difference between survival and transformation.Vanessa shares her story with honesty, clarity, and wisdom—exploring what it means to show up for your future self even when the present moment feels unbearable. Together, they discuss grief, healing, nervous system regulation, and the permission to experience joy again after pain.This conversation isn’t about fixing or rushing the healing process.It’s about honoring it.In this episode, we explore:Why strength doesn’t always look like certaintyThe importance of trusting your village during trauma and transitionHow daily intentions and small wins can create stabilityWhy healing is not linear—and that’s okayWhat it means to show up for the version of yourself you’re becomingPour a drink, take a breath, and join us at the table.📱 Connect with Brian⁠Facebook⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠Website⁠👉⁠ Get Brian's Newsletter⁠Thank you to Desert Candle Works for providing candles for today's episode. Support their small business here

In this episode of The Spiritual Speakeasy, Brian sits down with Brian Bogert for a deep, nuanced conversation about intent, impact, emotional safety, self-protection, and the invisible patterns that shape how we show up in the world.As a custom mocktail is crafted at the bar, the conversation unfolds into territory most people avoid—how past pain creates armor, how performance becomes a defense mechanism, and why being “misunderstood” is often less about intention and more about behavior, energy, and nervous system responses.Brian Bogert shares personal stories from childhood trauma, identity, masculinity, and leadership, offering a grounded perspective on what it really takes to move from knowledge to wisdom, from protection to presence, and from isolation to connection.This episode is not about fixing yourself.It’s about understanding what you’re protecting—and what it’s costing you.In this episode, we explore:The difference between intent and impactWhy self-protection often creates disconnectionHow nervous system patterns shape communicationPerformance as a survival strategyEmotional safety as the foundation for intimacy and leadershipWhy nuance matters more than platitudesLetting go of armor without losing strength📱 Connect with BrianWebsite📱 Connect with Brian⁠Facebook⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠Website⁠👉⁠ Get Brian's Newsletter⁠Thank you to Desert Candle Works for providing candles for today's episode. Support their small business here.

In this first episode of The Spiritual Speakeasy, Brian sits down with Jeff Grogan for a raw, honest conversation about cancer, mindset, identity, and what it means to keep building -even in the hardest seasons of life.While undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for a second cancer diagnosis, Jeff chose not to let his circumstances define him. Instead, he built a profitable business, deepened his purpose, and re-wrote the story he was living inside.As Brian crafts a custom cocktail inspired by Jeff’s journey, the two explore fear, faith, identity, and the power of the stories we tell ourselves—especially when life hands us something we didn’t ask for.This episode is about resilience without spiritual bypassing, hope without denial, and choosing to live fully while you’re still here.In this episode, we explore:What it means to choose meaning in the face of uncertaintyWhy mindset shapes biology, behavior, and identityHow fear can be seductive—and how to step out of itThe difference between pain and sufferingWhy hard things can become teachers instead of stop signsThe five life lessons Jeff learned while facing cancer and building anyway✨ Want to take the lessons with you?We put together a simple one-page reflection with the five lessons Jeff shares in this episode.Download it here if you’d like a quiet reminder of what stayed with you.📱 Connect with JeffFacebook📱 Connect with BrianFacebookInstagramYouTubeWebsite👉 Get Brian's Newsletter

Welcome to The Spiritual Speakeasy Show - where the stories we share become the medicine we didn’t know we needed.Launching January 6, this show brings you into raw, soul-deep conversations about resilience, awakening, healing, intuition, identity, and the moments that change us forever.No gurus. No gatekeeping. Just real people telling the truth about what broke them… and what rebuilt them.If you're craving depth without dogma, wisdom without ego, and connection that feels human — you’re in the right place.🌟 BE THE FIRST TO KNOW WHEN WE LAUNCH Get early access + updates delivered right to your inbox: 👉 https://thebuddhabartender.myflodesk.com/x1ijv346pp✨ WHAT TO EXPECT IN SEASON ONE: • Conversations that move from heartbreak to breakthrough • Stories of survival, reinvention, and self-discovery • Spirituality that’s grounded, accessible, and real • Emotional truth-telling that lingers long after the episode ends • Practical insights for navigating your own healing journeyHit Subscribe and pull up a seat at the bar.Your spirit is welcome here.