Beyond Grit with Robert Young

Jimmy Kantor | 4Joss Fund

Jimmy is a great guy with a gripping story. After the painful loss of his precious baby girl to SIDS 13 years ago, his whole life changed. Through this tragedy, he experienced a mental and physical transformation that eventually led him to start @4JossFund to raise money to provide @owletcare devices for families with newborn babies. We discussed many important things in this episode, one of the most important being the willingness to seek help when you need it. Often, we do not even know we need help, but something may just seem off. Surround yourself with people who care about you and never be afraid to speak up if you are going through a tough season. Jimmy is a personal friend and we are very glad to have him on the show.

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Instagram | @4Jossfund

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Venmo | @FourJossFund

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#podcast #podcasts #follow #subscribe #clt #nc #inspiration #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #progress #greatness #beyond #grit

Matthew Imes | President & Co-founder, Prodigy Care Services | Author | Producer | Entrepreneur

Matthew Imes is a remarkably interesting person. He is an entrepreneur, a published author, a movie producer, and so much more. His production company, DIG Entertainment, recently co-produced A Savannah Haunting, which has won multiple awards across film festival circuits. Matt is currently President and Co-founder of Prodigy Care Services based in Austin, TX. Prodigy "empowers payers to provide efficient and cost-effective health care, so that employees can live healthy and productive lives." In this episode, Matthew discusses his many business ventures throughout the years - some successful, some not so much. But like a true entrepreneur, he never gave up and found his voice in his professional space, as well as his creative space.

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Make sure to share this with a friend. Like, rate, and review. Thanks for listening!

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Instagram | @matthewimes

www.matthewimes.com

www.prodigyrx.com/

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A Savannah Haunting Trailer | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usukDedrwAI

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A Savannah Haunting IMDb | https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12574708/

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Buy Matthew's New Book | J.J.E. Jessie Jane Edwards: Judge, Juror and Executioner

www.amazon.com/J-j-Jessie-Jane-Edwards-Executioner/dp/1665544090/ref=sr_1_4?qid=1641568148&refinements=p_27%3AMatthew+Imes&s=books&sr=1-4&text=Matthew+Imes

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Buy Matthew's Book | What If 

www.amazon.com/What-If-Matthew-Imes/dp/1546203214

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#podcast #horror #horrorauthor #film #horrorfilm #horrormovies #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #failure #success #give #art #hustle #progress #greatness #rx #medical #entrepreneur #producer #beyond #grit

Luan Nguyen | Deck Bros | Founder

Luan Nguyen was born in Vietnam and moved to Omaha, Nebraska, USA as a teenager. He views growing up poor as a blessing and growing up privileged as a curse. As he explains, he could lose everything and know how to survive.

Luan explains how moving to the US at 14 years old was the roughest time of his life. He describes how being unable to communicate in English was like having a disability. He was determined to learn the language and make a life for himself. So, after a year or two of challenging work, he was speaking English fluently. He started working in the restaurant business at 16 and never slowed down. At 18, he started working at a casino and worked his way up the ladder over an 11-year span. In 2020, the pandemic shut down the casino and Luan was furloughed. He was in yet another situation of “do or die,” as he puts it, and he was forced to adapt. After completing a small building project at home, he decided to start his own construction business, having never picked up a saw prior to that project. In just one year, he has grown his company from 50k in 2020 to 1 million in revenue in 2021. Luan’s wife is equally as determined. She is an ICU nurse and loves her job. She gave birth to one of their children on a Friday and by Monday she was back in school. Luan and his wife live beyond grit, no doubt.

Luan leaves us with an important message on gratitude. He describes how limited resources in communist countries like Vietnam stifle growth and make it virtually impossible to ever climb out of poverty. Either you are born in a family of wealth and high social status, or you are not. You essentially remain in the social class within which you were born – no social movement. Luan values the freedom in America because you can start a business whenever you want. If you fail at something, you can start something else. His outlook is inspiring and many of us need to really listen to what he is saying. Perspective shapes how we view the world and how we live life.

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We want to know if you are enjoying the show. If so, like, rate, leave a review and share this with a friend.

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Luan’s Linked In:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/luan-nguyen-a96057160

Instagram:

@Luandiyspace

 

Luis Rivera - Human Capital Management Consultant, Hammer Thrower

Luis Rivera is an awesome guy with an amazing story. He and his family moved to the United States when he was 12 years old, and Spanish was his first language. It was not an ideal situation for Luis, as he was forced to move in with his father in New York. It was a drastic change from the life he loved in Puerto Rico, and he faced many trials and tribulations along the way. He soon realized he was bigger and stronger than other kids his age, so he decided to start playing sports. Luis put himself through college and dominated in his area of track and field. In 2017, he moved to Ohio to train for the Olympic trials. Luis has now built a successful life and career for himself, and he now coaches younger athletes and helps pave the way for future generations. Luis is solid and he embodies what it means to life a life Beyond Grit.

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Follow Luis on Instagram: @luis4real

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#podcast #podcasts #follow #subscribe #inspiration #struggle #survival #spanish #immigrant #leader #your #story #love #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change ##olympics #athlete #hustle #greatness #beyond #grit

Mary Lentz Everett, Founder and CEO of Backstage Recovery

Mary Lentz Everett is a recovery rock star, and she is only getting started. Mary is CEO and Founder of Backstage Recovery and is working on multiple projects across the nation, and beyond. Backstage Recovery LLC provides a unique and principle-based approach to recovery for entertainment artists, professional athletes and coaches, management teams, production and road crews, and entertainment venues to create a safe environment for anyone in need of recovery support. Mary knows the horrors associated with Substance Use Disorder, as she experienced her own battle with addiction, which almost took her life. Mary explains how a spiritual awakening she experienced while on life support has profoundly changed her life. She has an inspiring story, and this is a very impactful and interesting conversation. We appreciate Mary’s contribution to the recovery community, and we feel she is making a significant impact in our culture. Do not forget to like, rate, and review the episode and make sure to share with a friend.

 

New episodes every Wednesday at 7:00 am.

 

#podcast #podcasts #follow #subscribe #clt #nc #inspiration #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #progress #greatness #beyond #grit

Kristina Graham - Rize Salon and Infrared

In the Summer of 2011, Kristina Graham's life was changed in a profound way. She was an active young mother and sustained a minor hernia, which eventually sent her into what she THOUGHT would be a routine surgery. It turned out, she had a complication with the defective mesh used to repair the muscle. For over 10 years, she battled. She was no longer able to exercise, was in constant pain; she endured thirteen surgeries, and each time she worked with a new medical team, no one could seem to get to the root of her problems. This painful battle led her down a path of exploring alternative medicines, and she was eventually able to find some relief. Kristina claims her experiences with infrared saunas changed her life and she has now incorporated these saunas into her salons. They have a growing business, and she is here to tell her story. We hope you enjoy the episode.

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Please share this episode with your friends and do not forget to rate and review on your favorite listening app.

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@rizesalonandinfrared

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#podcast #podcasts #follow #subscribe #clt #nc #inspiration #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #progress #greatness #beyond #grit

Joanne Verkuilen - Circle and Bloom, Middle M Creative

Joanne has an amazing story of survival. After experiencing the death of her father at 12 years old, which caused her mother to spiral into her own illness, most kids would have lost their way. Her grades dipped briefly, but her older sisters stepped in as mentors and she never let her grades slip again. Once she graduated high school at the top of her class, she continued on to college and kept up the demanding work to keep good grades. After graduation, she moved to NYC to work at an investment banking firm on Wall Street. Joanne is a straight-up boss, and she took the time to share her story. Listen to learn more about her story and find out what she is doing now.

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@jverkuilen

@circle_and_bloom

 

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Episodes every Wednesday at 7:00 am.

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#podcast #podcasts #follow #subscribe #clt #nc #inspiration #struggle #survival #leadership #author #your #story #love #compassion #hope #home #family #life #lifestory #courage #change #give #art #athlete #hustle #progress #greatness #beyond #grit

Ed Williams - Director of Student Engagement, Eyes Up for Life

This is a great conversation about fear, gratitude, encouragement and the transitions of life. Ed Williams grew up in poverty, raised by a single father and barely graduated high school. Now, he works with students to help them prepare for the transitions of life. As I am sure you imagine, there were lots of twists and turns along the way. Ed started his life on the beaches of Florida and life took him out west, where he lived in Colorado for a few years with his wife. Ed has worked as a teacher for middle schoolers, and eventually decided to head to beautiful WaxHAW, NC to be closer with family. Over the past few years, Ed began to serve within the local youth group at his church. He was eventually approached about working for the ministry and he became the Student Pastor. He continues to grow in that calling, and has a special gift for working with young people. In this episode, we also get to hear about Ed and his family’s decision to make an 8-week trip across the country, allowing his daughters to choose the places they would like to see along the way. This traveling family converted a van into a mini-camper and hit the road from NC, to FL, then all the way out to the West Coast, with lots of interesting stops along the way. If you love the outdoors and feel-good messages of victory over adversity, you will love this conversation! Ed is doing some amazing things with our youth, and we are glad he stopped by to share his story with our listeners. We hope you enjoy this episode and make sure to share it with a friend or fellow traveler.

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• Tune in every Wednesday at 7:00 am, wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. •

Instagram:

@skinnyedwilliams @sfsclt @charlottelatinlaunch

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/in/ed-williams-933970124

Seany Markey - Field Engineer, Outdoor Enthusiast

Sean Markey has spent his life following a path that many in this country consider the ideal American way. Graduate high school, go to college, find a decent job, and enjoy life. He did exactly that. He found his way into a field that allowed him the luxury of being outdoors, since that is where he loves to be. In February of 2020, he took a dream job as a Field Engineer in a city that he loved, Austin, TX. He was getting settled in his new digs in February 2020, right as the pandemic was about to change the world. When the pandemic hit and people were placed in isolation, it alarmed Seany how little was being discussed about mental health. People’s mental health would surely be impacted by the conditions we faced due to lockdowns, losing jobs, and being in situations that may be unhealthy for exceedingly long periods of time. This impacted him on a personal level, because he has lost several close friends to suicide, so he decided to do something about it.

Additionally, he was searching for answers within himself. He knew he needed to break away from society for a bit, so he decided to hike the Appalachian Trail (AT). Many people attempt the journey of over 2,000 miles, but not all are able to finish. Doing something like hiking the AT requires an insane amount of GRIT to be able to push through when you are constantly faced with challenges, discomforts, and just wanting to pack it up and get back to comfy life. Seany had little backpacking experience before he decided to go on this journey, but he knew his soul needed it. He used this opportunity to raise money for Suicide Prevention. He started a blog and an Instagram account and got on his way. He completed the journey in just over 5 months, and he stopped in on his way back to Austin for a quick chat. We hope you enjoy this as much as we did. We look forward to seeing the adventures in Seany’s future. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please seek help. Your life matters and you have a purpose. The world is full of deceptions that make us feel as though we are not “good enough” or do not belong, or that we will never find our way. But that is not true. There are lots of resources for mental health and we want you to know that you are valuable.

 

Blog Website - www.smontheat.com

Instagram -  @sm.onthe.at

Donate - https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/sm-on-the-at1/sean-markey

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - https://afsp.org/

Clifton Muckenfuss, Building Raving Fans

Clifton Muckenfuss has an interesting story of bouncing back from adversity. Like many of us today, Clifton never felt like he was the type of guy to stay in one place for very long. Directly after high school, he headed to Clemson and was out of the house for the first time in his life. Things got a little rough for the young college student and he found himself in a bit of trouble. Suffice it to say, it was not looking good. Throughout this episode, Clifton takes us on the adventure that has been his life. He has lived in multiple states, pursued multiple career paths, and has always been open to the opportunities in front of him. Clifton went from parking cars to the mortgage business and was essentially forced to transition again during the 2007 mortgage crisis. He responded to that crisis by launching a cleaning company, which he grew to roughly $500k. He later started a construction company with a couple of friends, and with minimal construction experience, they grew that business with over 60% repeat referral business by offering a quality customer experience.

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For much of his life, Clifton claims he was chasing many of the wrong things. All of that changed the moment he met the love of his life, who is now his wife. They started to develop a life together, began a family, and focused on building their faith, which is when life truly began to flourish. His unique experiences, combined with his love for coaching and helping others, have led him to his latest endeavor - coaching and consulting. He launched Building Raving Fans to teach others how to run their businesses and how to avoid mistakes he has made throughout in his career. He is also joining WinRate Consulting as part of their coaching team. The road is never clearly paved, there are always bumps along the way. But having self-awareness, the ability to adapt, and being willing to do whatever work is in front of you will make all the difference. Clifton Muckenfuss lives a life Beyond Grit, and we hope you enjoy this episode. #like #rate, #review, and #share with a friend.

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@boatsandbourbon

www.buildingravingfans.com

 

Podcast Instagram:

Podcast: @beyond_grit_podcast

Host: @robert_young_realtor

#beyondgritwithRobertYoung