Live With BK: Recent Episodes
Ben Kenyon
Ben Kenyon(Chief Hype Officer)fills us in on what the YOUnique Piece community has been cooking up!
Tobe Nwigwe has been described as an inspirational artist whose lyrical content penetrates the minds of its listeners and ignites fire within their hearts. He delivers music that is relatable to this generation and his message of “making purpose popular” is crafted to inspire all. Ben sat down with this amazing artist to discuss what it means to be disciplined and the importance of having principles in your life. Tune in!
Coach Duane Carlisle is a premier health and wellness consultant, former Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the San Francisco 49ers, John Maxwell Certified Teacher, Speaker, and Top High-Performance Coach to business executives and sports officials. As the owner of the Carlisle Performance Systems, Coach Duane and his team consisting of sports scientists, sports psychologists, and sports nutritionists work directly with high profile NFL executives to develop personalized fitness training strategies. His conversation with Ben touches on the power of perception, what it means to be a leader, and being solution minded. You don’t want to miss this powerful conversation!
Since 2002, Susan James has been training ambitious individuals to tap into their potential by encouraging them to flourish unique skills to fulfill their potential and live deliberately through the Self Discovery Life Mastery Process which she developed. During her conversation with Ben, Susan covers ways in which we can manage stress, how to tap into our vision and purpose, and how to live a purpose driven life! She also delivers four key questions that you can put into practice to live a more purpose driven life. You will want to save these four questions in your notes!
We’re closing out the year with an impactful conversation with DJ OG One! Some know him for his work as the DJ for the Portland Trail Blazers and as a music producer while others know him for his community work throughout the city of Portland. We dive into his passion for music, the power of mentorship, and his battle against cancer. You don’t want to miss it!
Art is a powerful vessel that allows one to be inspired, liberated, and healed. Debbie Baxter’s The Next Project is her response to the ever-growing pain, injustice, and wounding of our culture. The mission of the project is for people to strip down, step into the nest, and realize that we are all the same no matter the differences. Debbie shares her mission to take this project to cities around the United State that are hurting on this week’s podcast.
We sat down with Paige VanZant (UFC Fighter, Chopped contestant, and Dancing with the Stars’ runner-up 2016) and Austin Vanderford (Pro MMA Fighter) to discuss their lives as professional athletes, how they overcome challenges, and Paige’s upcoming autobiography “Rise”.
Since 2003, the Movember Foundation has empowered millions of men and women to join the global men’s health movement of prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health awareness, and suicide prevention. Through the moustaches grown, the connections created, and the conversations generated, they’ve raised $710 million and helped fund more than 1,200 breakthrough men’s health projects in 21 countries. JJ Owen, Director of Development at The Movember Foundation, speaks with Ben this week about the importance of this global cause and how we can all be part of the movement. _ Join the YOUnique Piece community in supporting the Movember Foundation in the fight to stop men from dying too young! For more information, visit movember.com - Be part of our TYP Tribe by visiting TheYOUniquePiece.com
We’re joined today by the multi-talented Russell Hornsby! He stopped by to share how he navigated his way through American theater, television, and film. Russell is known for his roles as Detective Hank Griffin on the NBC series Grimm and as Lyons in the film Fences.
Having obstacles in our lives can help us become the best versions of ourselves and Janey Brown has shown that to be the case. Janey shares the tools she’s learned in those difficult moments to teach others how to overcome through her performance mindset and wellness programs. Tune in to learn more about how you can overcome your own fears.
Dame shares a great opportunity with you the listener!
Damian Lillard is offering his new basketball shoes to ten high school students who achieve a 4.0 GPA during this semester! For a chance to you win you must email info@theyouniquepiece.com a picture or scan of your report card at the end of this fall 2017 semester and you must be following us on Instagram and Facebook.
Angel Otero, a contemporary visual artist specializing in painting, sat down with Ben to chat about his struggle and perseverance while becoming an award-winning artist. His Puerto Rican background and his relationship with family influence his unique canvas paintings. Angel is an example that if you put your mind to it you can achieve any goal you set for yourself.
Growing up in a financially struggling family, Rukaiyah Adams had to learn the value of money. Now the Chief Investment Officer at Meyer Memorial Trust, her journey has allowed her to manage billions of dollars for various entities including the Stanford and Oregon Investment Council. Rukaiyah opens up to Ben about the challenges of being a leader as a woman of color, the power of influence, and how mentorship is mutually beneficial.
BK discusses the importance of allowing yourself to be critiqued, giving yourself grace to fail, and embracing your YOUnique potential!
Micah Bournes, Creative Writer and Poet drops some serious knowledge on us in this episode about using his voice of reason in a creative way. He speaks about how he fell in love with poetry, various avenues of personal expression and why its so important to live fearlessly. He also shares some heartfelt experiences where having compassion for others allows our lives to be more fulfilling and fruitful.
BK recaps the first season by giving thanks to The YOUnique Piece listeners for tuning in, expressing appreciation for all the podcast guests and noting his gratefulness for the individuals on our TYP team.
Rhona Bennett, from the famous group En Vogue, is now a personal power life coach and strong leader of people development. In this episode, she shares with BK that one major key to success is to always be developing yourself and everyone around you. With her diverse outreach of servicing others, Rhona teaches us that challenging ourselves outside of our comfort areas will enhance our skills, talents and lifestyles but also be a catalyst for others to do the same.
BK continues reflect in more detail focusing on three keys takeaways during the first season of The YOUnique Piece podcast
In this episode, Megan Young shares her thoughts on the power of human connection and how love is the best way to communicate with others. Faced with a life threatening health situation, Megan credits her recovery to being resilient and most importantly, her expanded network of moral supporters. She also believes that having these genuine relationships can give us the confidence to conquer anything life has to offer.
BK reflects on the journey, lesson learned and takeaways during the first season of The YOUnique Piece podcast
Portland Hip-Hop Artist, Mic Capes, stops in to speak with BK about his thoughts on mentorship, the power of music and the importance of thinking from unique perspectives. He believes that we as people can all learn from each through shared experiences and wisdom. Also, he encourages others to be confident in what they are capable of while allowing faith to keep you in motion during life.
Former NFL player and now entrepreneur, Nate Chandler, stopped by to share his thoughts on how the power of reflection will keep you focused on your path achieving your goals. With lessons learned during his journey, Nate says don't let failure get in the way living with purpose and accomplish what you're destined to do. He also believes we must have a game plan and breakdown our bigger dreams into smaller achievable actions daily!
Zaineb "ZiZi" Hassan, yoga teacher and Lululemon ambassador, believes that love and compassion must drive you in your craft and to always have fun while doing it. She shares with us her determination to strive to teach, educate and empower her clients to new levels of mindfulness for personal improvement. Also, she shares her ‘never give up’ attitude that failure is not an option but instead more fuel to charge forward.
Founder of Athletes Brand, Kyle Mauch, is a strong believer that self-love can guide to more success in any endeavor. In this episode, Kyle shares his thoughts on taking a huge leap towards a goal, the power of a great mentorship and how to learn to love yourself. He also speaks about trusting the process of life along your journey while moving with a positive attitude!
Oliver Maroney, writer for Dime Magazine, speaks to us about how he uses his creative writing to shine light on the positivity in basketball that, at times, gets overlooked by the media. In this episode, he shares with us his personal development, change in mindset and decisions made along the way during his unexpected journey. Oliver believes that being persistent, having strong communication and allowing yourself to be approachable can lead to more opportunities and provide a clearer vision towards your grander aspirations
Jeremy Falk, Lululemon ambassador and yoga instructor, speaks to us about his personal practice of being vulnerable and how to be open to new experiences. In this episode, he shares lessons learned during his worldly travel and why we must always celebrate life during our journey. Also, Jeremy speaks to the power of human connection and how we can all collaborate to uplift each other to be greater beings.
Lauren Sesselmann, professional soccer player and fitness enthusiast, reminds us that believing in your capabilities will get you the opportunities you desire. In this episode, Lauren shares her toughest moments, what she does to remain confident and her passion to help lead overcome hardships to strive for personal success.
Rajiv Harry stops by to speak about how he embraced taking action in order to change his life. He also shares the importance of self-assessing, removing fears, bettering your social surroundings for personal growth. Rajiv's never give up spirit has allowed him continuously evolve doing what he loves everyday: empowering others to get the results they desire.
Author Eric Barker stopped by to share how aligning our core values with our actions improve overall happiness in life. In order to be happier, he speaks about the importance of knowing yourself, choosing your right surroundings and doing what is best for you. Eric also believes that we as people will continue to evolve while exploring new opportunities and learning from diverse interactions.
Ed Davis former UNC standout and current Portland Trail Blazer stops by to share with us his mindset and positive outlook on life. One thing Ed believes is the importance of respecting others in everything we do. In addition to respect, Ed is big on paying it forward and helping others evolve. Being a product of strong mentorship, he continues to inspire and encourage the youth to dream beyond their expectations, the same way his community did for him.
George Land, Senior Vice President Content and Marketing for NBA China is an "animal" when it comes to getting gritty. He believes in order to get what you want you have to work hard and do your homework. In this episode he says that when an opportunity presents itself the preparation will allow you to capture continued success during your journey in life.
Lee Sommers, Strength and Conditioning coach to numerous swimmers such as Katie Ledecky, joins us to speak about the importance of proper training to perform at the highest level. Lee loves to position his personal clients to achieve their performance goals and with this energy towards assistance it allows the athlete to continue to evolve. His passion drives him daily and he takes pride living his purpose: empowering others to succeed.
Jelani Memory, Founder of Circle Media, joins us to share his mindset around creating a valuable product and the authentic work behind it. With a product focused on parental control, he holds his mission dear to heart - lifting up others in order for them to succeed. Also, Jelani is an advocate of quality and he believes that working in a space that allows you to produce is where everyone should strive to be.
David Vanterpool, Assistant Coach for the Portland Trail Blazers, drops by to talk about how experiencing different cultures can help shape you as a person and push you out of your comfort zone. He believes that we must all value and take advantage of our time daily in order to achieve greater things. Also he strongly believes that success comes from proper preparation, so adjustments can be made when life obstacles occur.
Jacki Carr, Goal Coach and former Lululemon People Brand Manager, believes ultimate success comes from focusing on what we want to be doing and carrying that positive mindset to action. In this episode, she shares with us about the importance of being your best authentic self. Jacki believes that remaining true to what we can offer to others will allow mutual respect and energy for personal growth.
Listen till the end and get the code for Jacki's SECRET OPPORTUNITY!
Power 93.3 Co-host Carla Marie knows what it takes to chase and capture a dream; her energy is the core of her success! In this interview she shares with us her inspired journey from east coast to west coast, how she cultivated her passion into a career and why its important to purposefully interact with others!
Halleemah Nash, Executive Director of iMentor (Chicago, shares with us her mission in life: to inspire others to be world changers. A proud product of Compton, CA, Halleemah shares her vision in leading the charge to providing impactful opportunities by way of mentorship. Also, as a first-generation college graduate, she believes in order to empower others we must be "mirrors" for them to see they are capable of higher achievement. Halleemah's pay to forward mindset drives her as she credits most of her success from mentor relationships throughout her personal and professional life.
Pat Connaughton, Portland Trail Blazers, does not limit himself as a basketball player as he believes we all can be multi-dimensional beings. In this episode, Pat shares his life and thoughts with BK, which is centered around consistency. He also speaks about what businesses and activities he is involved in to make a positive impact on the world beyond athletics.
Cornell Thomas, CEO of Cornell Thomas Consulting (CTC), is a life coach, motivational speaker, author, and a father and husband. His goal in life is to help anyone to do what they love everyday and chase their dream job. The author of “Power of Possibility” and “The Power of Me” shares with us his belief that we must combat our problems with a solution-based mindset, staying resilient, productive and positive on the path to achieving our goals.
Alexys Feaster, current NBA Director of Player Development, shares with us what it takes to get what you want, how to capture opportunities and insight on how she did it! Alexys is a hard worker with defined core values and a strong affinity for family. Her passion for people mixed with her grit are a couple of key ingredients that drive her to success. Listen to our episode with her as she provides valuable information on how she can help you with your journey!
Wonder why people don't shave their mustaches for the entire month of November? The Movember Foundation raises awareness around the fact that too many men are dying young and their mission to take action to combat this health crisis! In this podcast episode Mark Hedstrom, SVP of Program Commercialization of The Movember Foundation educates us on this global issue, why it should be talked about and how collaboration can help our fathers, uncles, partners, brothers and friends lead healthier and longer lives!
'Life Is Worth Competing For' is a phrase that Jake Thompson, CEO of Compete Every Day, believes we must all embrace and live by! Jake stops by to chat with BK about his mission to apply a competitors mindset in all areas in your life. He also speaks about building a legacy and how the power of getting outside your comfort zone will allow you to grow and experience amazing things.
Best Selling Author and Key Note Speaker Jon Gordon has helped numerous people through his work but it all started with changing himself. In our chat with him, Jon tells us his story about how having positive self-talk and powerful energy will allow you get you closer to success and better others along the way. He believes that our big vision and daily actions must align on the path to achieve our ultimate goals!
Co-Founder of Quest Nutrition and Co-Founder/CEO of Impact Theory, Tom Bilyeu believes that success is yours but it takes relentless hard work to get there! In this interview Tom dives deep about how extraordinary results require extraordinary effort, how some of his favorite books have influenced his journey and how having a growth mindset are all major keys to success.
US Olympic Swimmer, Jacob Pebley, stops by to chat with BK about how visualization leads to success, facing your goals and what is most significant to him in life. With a go-getter attitude, Jacob shares with us the importance of tackling life head on with everything you have no matter what the circumstances are!
Mother, wife and lifestyle entrepreneur, Kelsey Humphreys believes we must embrace rejection as one step closer to the yes you're looking for! Kelsey advises us not to abandon our dreams but instead focus on "course correction" during our purposeful journey in life. Her mission is to empower all of us to reach our full potential by encouragement, best-in-class examples and pinpoint instruction from others.
Los Angeles Lakers Forward Luol Deng is proud to be from South Sudan and has embraced his African roots wholeheartedly. Luol shares with us his worldly experiences, the importance of family and how he has dedicated his life to servicing others. He believes that with hard work and a positive attitude we as people can continue to evolve and bounce back in the face of adversity on our journey to success. Luol also shares that when we move with a defined purpose we can all accomplish amazing things in our lives!
Terry Stotts, Head Coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, stopped in to chat with BK about his early life, mentorship and his coaching philosophy. Falling in love with basketball at an early age, Stotts has always admired coaching. During his professional journey, he shares with us what he learned from some all-time great NBA coaches while blazing his own trail.
Author and speaker Becki Saltzman stopped in to speak with BK about the power of being curious! Becki believes that we must elevate curiosity ahead of criticism, judgement, fear and complacency. She also shares how being interested new experiences outside of your comfort zone will allow us to evolve during our adventurous journey in life!
Lululemon Ambassador Kristin Fritz shares how mediation and mindfulness helped her get through a difficult time. She teaches us how these daily practices and techniques can be beneficial to increase your own overall well being.
One word to describe Dana Blair is RESILIENT! Her grit and fiery passion to win in all aspects of her life has driven her to amazing experiences professionally and personally! With life being her ultimate teacher, she believes that we must protect our dreams, continue to bounce back and strive towards our purpose throughout life. She stops by to chat with BK to share her story, some advice and also challenges us to write down our goals in order to leap towards them.
Allen Crabbe stopped in to chat with BK on how looking in the mirror can push you past perceived limits. With high self-expectations during his journey, he was humbled during a long period of personal disappointment. He combatted that with putting extra effort into his craft and patience. He believes that having faith, being persistent and having a strong support system holds us accountable to achieve a high level of success - a formula that he continues to use to stay focused and consistent!
Al-Farouq Aminu shares with BK how family is the key driver to how he moves daily. He speaks on how his Nigerian heritage extends beyond blood relations and servicing his community is very important to his legacy.
He also shares that overcoming fear is a key step in moving forward while writing your story. He believes we must remain grateful in moments of success and patient during struggle as that will allow us to enjoy all experiences during life.
Phoenix Suns Head Coach, Earl Watson, teaches us the importance of embracing love and letting it be driver through our lives. He believes that 'love' unifies all of us which is the message he instilled in the youth and professionals he works with daily.
In addition to love, he believes that we as people must focus on continuous momentum as he lives by the phrase: "Be 1% Better Than Yesterday". He also shares how he was able to overcome a family tragedy using these ingredients from his teachings, his acquired knowledge and positive attitude by choose love over hate. Earl encourages everyone to fill their lives with love no matter what the circumstances may be.
Mariam Bahawdory, first generation Afghan-American, shares with BK her business aspirations and her strong love and connection to her Muslim heritage. Her innovation mindset coupled with curiosity drives her to take risks as she believes we must all take advantage of all opportunities presented in life. As she moves day-by-day on her journey through life, her fuel has positioned her to be share her success and knowledge by giving back to her family, culture and community that she loves so dearly.
Keith Weaver, an Executive Vice President at Sony Pictures Entertainment, shares how his strong marriage, the importance of family and having a grateful mindset allows him to stay focused on productivity in all areas of life.
Also, Keith shares his belief that having an open heart with a giving spirit can allow you to learn about yourself and others. He teaches us that remaining humble while appreciating the present are major keys to success!
Social media extraordinaire, Kari Young, stopped in to chat with BK about her life experiences as a single parent, details about her profession and her thoughts about what 'style' truly means.
Her 24/7 occupation as a social media manager, photographer and food stylist has given her international exposure with world renown brands, but Kari's most important job is being the best mother to her son, creating memories and being present in key moments in life.
Kari also shares with us that being 'you' and "owning your journey" will bring more authentic connections and fulfillment as you navigate through life being the best version of yourself!
Kara Lynn Joyce, 4-time Olympic Silver medalist ('04, '08, '12 Games) for Team USA swimming, educates us on the power of proper preparation, her focusing techniques and step-by-step mental mapping which have been key ingredients to her success.
Throughout her professional swimming career, Kara's strong mindset, love for teaming and dedication to her craft has allowed her to win on all levels. She speaks about the “peaks and valleys in life” and these shared sports stories reveal transferable principles that can applied in all area in the game of life.
Now a coach, Kara is passionately sharing her world-class experiences to empower everyone to achieve greatness in the sport she loves so dearly. She is also an active leader and role model encouraging young girls/women to have more confidence, evolve and achieve outstanding results!
We were able to chat with OKC Thunder Assistant Coach, Royal Ivey, who is known for his heart, hard work and playful manner.
This former BIG XII Texas Longhorns standout speaks about starting out as a dancer from Hollis, Queens to his long NBA journey as a player and now coach. All great accomplishments and being a proud new father has gone to the top of his list!
Royal calls himself a dreamer who is passionate about people and believes we all must invest in our youth and their dreams.
Damian Lillard (aka Dame DOLLA) stopped by to speak to us about his new album, his thoughts of self-expression through music and much more. A true leader, Dame's confidence and success has stemmed from a strong foundation centered on family, friends, mentors, community and education.
He provides valuable information on what leadership means to him and how he has evolved from his personal life stories. He also encourages others to not be fearful of taking the best direction for personal growth and show love to everyone regardless of your circumstances in order to feel more fulfilled.
Hershey Hawkins stopped in to chat with us about what he lives by daily - staying consistent and never let someone else out work you. A former NBA All-Star and '96 NBA Finalist has appreciated being around the game of basketball, the experiences and most importantly, he loves all the people he's connected with along the way!
Now in a mentorship role as the Director of Player Programs for the Portland Trail Blazers, Hersey is living a life dedicated to servicing others. He and his wife believe that you should have a positive attitude, smile and laugh everyday which in turn will bring more joy and fulfillment to your life!
C.J. McCollum came to chat with The YOUnique Piece community by sharing valuable information on his thoughts and life experiences on and off the court.
He speaks about building his legacy, the importance of developing valuable relationships, his time at Lehigh University and how these things continuously him fuel during his journey in life.