Keepin' It Candid with Kyle Hollis: Recent Episodes
Kyle Hollis
Join me on my journey to connect listeners with the passionate people of DC, Maryland, and Virginia. I will be talking to local business owners, entrepreneurs, up and coming students, and just overall great people that I've met over the years! Use this podcast as a way to grow your network and break into a field that you may be hesitant about entering.
Back at it with Brian on April 10th and during this episode we talk about getting back into religion and what it means for us at this point in our lives.
We also touch on working as a solo-preneur and how that journey is going for me.
Here is an episode from February 27th 2022. Life has been hectic with a newborn and I am playing catch up. During this episode, Brian and I talk about wedding planning, a future casino in Virginia, Thor's cataracts and the largest land mass in the world!
This week's episode features two special guests, Bobak and Lee. We've been meaning to get together tot talk sports and we had a chance to get together early on NBA All Star weekend to do a quick recap.
We talked about the Super Bowl, NBA All Star Weekend, the Winter Olympics, and Adam Sandler? It may sound random but there is a valid transition built in there!
I am no longer an employee and I officially work for myself. This week Brian and I talk about ways to manage business cash flow as an entrepreneur!
Last episode was all about NFT's and now we are talking about the magical Metaverse! Where is it going to be? How many Metaverses are there? How do we profit off of this early on??
Everyone is talking about the Metaverse and NFTs. None of it has been interesting so far but maybe we should jump on this bandwagon in case there is a way to profit during these early days.
Do you own any NFTs? Why or why not?
Welcome to the 6th edition of our New Year's Resolution episode!
Are you ready for a fresh start and some new goals? We are here to put our resolutions out there into the universe so that everyone can hold us accountable. Care to join? If so, leave us a review with your resolutions in the comment section.
Brian returns from his trip to catch up with us. We chat about those first back to office moments for Jonathan, some new shows we are watching, the weirdest things we've eaten, and transitioning back to work after a long break.
Jonathan and I are back after taking a weekend off for Thanksgiving and to celebrate my birthday. We chat about alternative work schedules, Thanksgiving plans, random movies and more!
Another 365 days is almost in the books! How do you feel about this year? Did you hit those marks that you set for yourself? How about work goals? It's about time for another round of performance evaluations.
In this episode we also talk about the difference between strategy and execution and organizational structures.
It is the middle of November and we are due for another talk about how we spend most of our waking time working and less time enjoying our lives.
Northern Virginia is working on renaming one of the roads that runs through the county, Lee Jackson Memorial Highway.
In this episode, we talk about the Virginia midterm elections, people being triggered without knowing why, and how we are slowly erasing any trace of the Confederacy.
One of the most popular questions that I get asked on LinkedIn is "How do I get into Project Management?"
In this episode, we break down a few of the ways you can make the transition into becoming a PM and how taking on some more responsibility can mean gaining the experience you are lacking.
If you realized that a story was exaggerated, would that change how you felt about a person and/or event?
We watched the newest Chappelle special, The Closer, on Netflix and wanted to give it a quick rundown! Heads up, it isn't worth the time in my opinion.
Do you think the way work experience is measured in job descriptions is flawed? In this episode, we discuss job descriptions, requirements, and past performance.
Are there certain things you are more willing to pay for as you begin to make more money? For example, this could be food delivery services, luxury vehicles, private movie theater rentals, or something like valet parking.
Have you noticed yourself paying a premium for a service if it makes your life a little easier?
It's hard for us all to get together during the summer months but we finally rallied the troops this episode! I'm back with both Brian and Jonathan and we talk about our preference of hotels vs. Airbnb while traveling.
Let's say that you're allowed to work from home indefinitely and your company is getting rid of its office space. Should your pay be adjusted to reflect where you are working from now or should you be paid the same as before? Has this happened to you or has this been a topic of conversation at your place of employment?
Sometimes it is hard to get these ruminating thoughts out of my head. I wonder if it is like this for everyone...
There was a time in my life when I was a tournament organizer for the fighting game community in the DMV area. Jonathan and I sit down to talk about the experiences learned from that time during my early 20s.
This week we are looking back on the past and discussing any regrets that have been lingering in the back of our minds.
After 30-something years on this planet, what do we wish would have played out differently?
Welcome back, folks! Is there a hobby that you don't mind spending a pretty penny on? For me it is electronics for sure. Brian and Jonathan have some different hobbies/passions that they share with us this week. What are some of yours?
Is anyone ready to return to the office? Has your employer started talks about the plan for this fall or next year?
With the cases once again on the rise due in part to the Delta variant and people being unvaccinated, it makes us second guess ourselves when it comes to leaving our work from home setups.
This episode was recorded on Father's Day. Jonathan and I talk about how I got a chance to meet VP Harris which led to a picture of her and Leah going viral on LinkedIn. We talk about the comments, messages, and everything else that comes with a post going viral unexpectedly. There were some good lessons learned that came out of this wild two weeks.
We came across a pretty cool IG post that Aaron shared on his story and we decided to discuss that as our topic for this episode.
"When you've finally achieved meaningful success after years of hard work and sacrifice, you'll look back on a lot of respectable, well-intentioned people who warned you not to rock the boat, or take a risk, or change the part of your life they were comfortable with; and you'll realize how sad things might be if you'd listened."
-gfda.co
Oh, and I met VP Harris!
This episode is actually our first hybrid episode since the pandemic! Brian joined me in the studio and Jonathan joined remotely. This was actually a pretty fun episode where we talked about famous/popular people who have been "canceled" in the last couple of years.
Are there any people that we left off that are must haves on your list?
The guys took a few weeks off to get some things done and recalibrate for the rest of the year. Our transitions were a little rough this episode as we got back into the swing of things but we delivered nonetheless!
What does this question mean to you? I don't think this question is as simple as a Yes or No response. There is a lot to talk about and the topic is way to important to brush over. Tune in to see what our thoughts are and if we can end the episode by answering Yes or No.
Brian, Jonathan, and I discuss mentorship and we talk about our personal experiences with it.
Mentorship can be formal or informal so it's nice to see how it helped us grow into who we are today.
On April 11th we decided to come together and review one of DMX's classic movies, Belly. By decide I mean I convinced Brian and Jonathan that this was the obvious choice!
Enjoy the movie review!
I always knew Pokemon would back yet another comeback but I didn't think it would be as intense as it is in 2021. I'm guessing the pandemic has played a part in this just like with everything else going on but maybe we were always due for a late 2020/early 2021 resurgence of the 'Mons.
We also talk about other collectibles like Pogs, Disney cups, and Beanie Babies. What were some of the hot ticket items from your childhood?
This week it is Jonathan and I recapping the horrific events that transpired in Atlanta, which resulted in the death of 8 people.
It's hard to ignore that violence against Asian Americans is in the rise when 6 of the 8 victims are Asian. As we talk through the actual event and the subsequent conversations that transpired the rest of the week, we also thought it would be worthwhile to talk about any tension (whether perceived or real) between the Black and Asian communities.
This week we identify the must-haves when making a big decision like purchasing a home. What are the things you need to have in order to make this huge financial commitment?
- location
- price
- schools
- garage
Are any of those on your list?
We continue talking about our list of topics from the last episode while placing a greater focus on introversion and how it is undervalued in the workplace.
Are you more introverted or extroverted? Does it differ for you when in a professional setting as opposed to your personal life?
This week we talk about the violence against Asian Americans and the model minority myth. We soon discover there is a lot to unpack on this topic and we go off onto a tangent a few times to dissect this topic.
After an almost two year hiatus, we are back with another self reflection episode! This week we are featuring Brian and his journey from college and the path he took to make it in the finance and treasury world. Buckle up ladies and gents!
The world went stock crazy for a week or two. Who were the biggest winners and losers and how are you feeling about the Robinhood app now?
Take a dive with us down the rabbit hole and invest in some good ol' dogecoin.
Imagine driving off to a nice, secluded spot under the stars and camping right in your very own Tesla! Elon has solved the problem for all people who can no longer afford a place to live! Live in your Tesla and upgrade your hobo experience.
Momma we made it to episode 90 and this week we are talking about the best decade that planet Earth has seen...the 1990s.
Take a trip with us down memory lane to revisit some classic cartoons, hangout spots, foods, clothes, and gadgets.
What was your favorite part of the 90s? If you weren't alive yet then we feel sorry for you.
This has been one of the most ridiculous week's in recent times. Trump supporters decided it would be a good idea to turn from a peaceful protest on the National Mall into a disastrous riot. They stormed the U.S. Capitol while congress was in session and was met with little to no resistance....smh.
Welcome to 2021 and we are back with the annual resolution episode. We've been doing this since 2017 and we are here to give you our plans for this year.
Were any of your plans held up by the pandemic last year? Well fear not! 2021 is ours for the taking.
As we began wrapping up 2020, we took a look back on the episodes from the past year and ranked them by popularity. We were able to gather some insights onto what the listeners are interested in and we are planning to tailor the 2021 episodes to fit this mold.
According to Indeed.com A leadership philosophy refers to an individual's beliefs, principles and sentiments that they use to lead a company or organization. During this episode, we discuss the guiding principles that we use on a daily basis in hopes of becoming a good leader. What can people expect of you as a leader?
The vaccine is almost here! Who is going to be the first one to turn into a zombie? Some weeks I'm in and the next week I'm 100% out.
I also discovered more of these idiotic challenges and I must be really old because I think these kids are going too far.
How was your Thanksgiving this year? We bought a family meal from Whole Foods and it was less than stellar. Then I read an article about people saying their Whole Foods turkey smelled rotten. Yep, that is a true story.
It has been a tough year but nonetheless we find thanks in the things we usually take for granted. Join us for this pre-Thanksgiving episode where we share the bright side of 2020.
Playstation 5 has swept the country and no one cares about the X-box series X. They are sold out everywhere and none of us here care but it is still fun to follow. Were any of you lucky enough to snag one for the holiday season?
What a week! Waiting on the 2020 election results and feedback from an AWS interview at the same time.
Jonathan and I talked about President-elect Biden's victory and all of the strange conversations and media takes from that Tuesday night to Saturday when we finally found out who would be the next President.
Next, we talk about the Amazon AWS interview experience. The process for the larger tech companies is quite different than what you experience at other companies, so I wanted to share my thoughts and provide a little insight.
Kyle and Brian tag team this episode while Jonathan is out this week. We are fresh off a Halloween bonfire event and ready to talk about what we can expect from the year 2021. The resolutions will come later but right now we want to know what normal life will look like once the ball drops on New Year's Eve.
Buying a house is super stressful due to so many factors. In this episode we talk about our home buying process and how it worked out for us. We also talk about credit card debt and other fun stuff that you find yourself in during your 20's.
Take a listen to this episode if you want to figure out how to get your life together.
I'm in the process of interviewing for a new job and it is a longer process than most. Interviews aren't usually something I get spun up about but interviewing with a big tech company is a big deal. Working at one of these companies is life changing for not just myself but also for my family and close network. A lot more opportunities open up once you are able to get your foot in the door at one of these companies. In this episode we talk about Amazon.
P.S. Not sure how part of our closing thoughts got cut off this week but just a heads up to anyone listening through to the very end.
We aren't quite done with election season just yet so buckle your seatbelts as we take you on a wild ride through tax regulations!
Are you a Virginia resident who has already voted in the upcoming 2020 election? Are you waiting until closer to election day to vote? Either way, we are here to share our thoughts on VA amendment #2 and which way we may vote. What are your thoughts on this Virginia constitutional amendment?
November 3rd will be here before we know it and we want to make sure you understand what is on the ballot in the good ol' state of Virginia!
We all have an idea of who we are going to vote for when it comes to the President, but what about some of those questions that we quickly look over and mark yes or no? Listen to this episode to figure out exactly what is going on with this proposed constitutional amendment. In my opinion, you should never blindly vote for a change to the constitution.
There has been so much going on recently as we get closer to the Presidential election. This episode was recorded on October 27th and we discuss the recent passing of RBG and how the Republican party is trying to push a new supreme court nominee through before the November's election. What are your thoughts?
Every month or so I start feeling uninspired by the work I'm doing and get into a funk. Once you get to a certain point in your career you will begin to realize that salary and schedule may no longer be the most influential parts of your job search. Doing meaningful and rewarding work has moved up on my list. And just to clarify...I am referring to work that is meaningful and rewarding to myself, not the client.
Jonathan and I are back this week with a special guest, Corey Fonville! For this episode, we wanted to focus on music and there is no better guest to have than Corey. Corey is an established and highly regarded jazz musician. He is the drummer in the band Butcher Brown and they are based out of Richmond, VA.
Be sure to visit www.ButcherBrown.com to order a copy of their newest album, King Butch.
We're back with another special guest this week to talk about what hard work and dedication can get you as long as you keep working towards your dream job and career. This week we are joined by Josiah Turner and we learn about what he went through to end up working at The Undefeated here in the Washington D.C. area.
Sandy joins the crew for a nice little recap of the DNC. We discuss some key takeaways and talk about the current political climate as we are getting closer to election time.
How are you planning to vote? We let you know our approach and also reminding you to get registered!
Show me the money!!!! Episode 70 is all about fighting for every dollar in that paycheck. What is the most effective way to ask for more money? Do you need to leave and go to another company? Do you get certified? Do you get another degree? How about all three of those things? Tune in and get some solid advice from folks who have been there and done that.
It's August 8th and we're back with some FRESH topics for you this week. Listen in and let us know what you would like us to talk about in future episodes!
- Good Cop, Bad Cop. How to build a cohesive family unit.
- Navigating the unspoken social rules and norms of parenting.
- Effective Time Management
- Starting any new family traditions
Shortly after getting married, we were surprised to find out that we were expecting our first child! This episode is all about our journey as new parents. We wanted to document this special moment no matter how exhausted we may be.
Some weeks we just start off with some good dialogue. We planned on discussing campaign strategy for the 2023 Fairfax County election but we want down a rabbit hole discussing jobs in the service industry, captalism, and economic systems in our country. At the very end we hop back on track to touch on how to start campaigning for office.
It's the first day of August and we're back this week to have some good, unfiltered dad talk!
Topics this week include:
- If you were an athlete, would you participate this season given the current pandemic?
- When to allow your kids to take part in social media.
- What have you changed about yourself since having a kid?
- Best parenting advice you've received thus far.
I don't think anyone imagines going through pregnancy during a pandemic. Welcome to our new normal! Listen in on our conversation as we discuss how to handle pregnancy in what feels like isolation. How do you manage this joyous moment during such a dreary time in our lives? I talk with three mothers about their experiences and what you can expect if you are looking to start a family during this time.
The band is back together after a short summer break!
The day is July 26 and Jonathan and Brian join me to discuss what's been going on the past few weeks before we "deep dive" into game night.
Here are a few board game recommends that Jonathan provided during our talk:
- Marvels Legendary
- Smash Up
- Betrayal at House on the Hill
- Cash and Guns
- Seven Wonders
- Love Letter
- Millenium Blades
- Dominion
This episode includes explicit language.
It's been a while since the latest episode has dropped and a lot has happened over the last couple of weeks including the birth of my daughter!
During this episode, I catch up with Aaron and RJ to talk about fatherhood and our experiences so far as black men navigating the parent life.
The day is June 28th and I'm fired up to talk about local government! This week Brian, Jonathan and I focus on Fairfax County since we are in the Northern VA area.
We give an overview of the following areas of gov: School Board, Board of Supervisors, VA Senate, VA House of Delegates, Commonwealth's Attorney, and Fairfax County Sheriff.
Link to view your reps for your neighborhood: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/myneighborhood/
Link to view Fairfax County FY20 budget: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/budget/sites/budget/files/assets/documents/fy2020/adopted/overview/12_multi_year_budget.pdf
The day is June 21st and I'm back with Jonathan and Brian again this week. We want to see change in this country when it comes to police brutality and racial injustice. While the momentum is still going and the nation's attention is still focused on POC being treated unjustly, we wanted to lay out some steps that we can take to make a difference.
We may not get everything right at first but that is not going to stop us from trying our best to make this country a better place for all people.
This episode was actually recorded on June 7th and Jonathan, Brian, and myself are sifting through everything that has been going on and trying to better understand how we got here.
We also touch on the ridiculous amount of information that we are all trying to process in such a short time. No one can get everything right and when are people taking the time to self reflect and mentally recharge?
The day is May 31st 2020 and we begin the conversation by talking about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and soon find ourselves in a deep discussion surrounding identity and how hard it is to find yourself from childhood to adulthood.
It is Memorial Day Weekend and we sit down with a special guest, RifleX. We discuss his new book "No Such Thing as Halfway" and his journey to become an author. Riflex is a writer, artist, and fellow podcast host in the DMV area.
Tune in to hear our discussion about love, relationships, and family values. Enjoy!
This episode was recorded on 5.17.2020
This week we are back with two special guests! The founders of Down to Staff, Laura and Courtney, join is via video conference and we get to learn how these two young, successful women took a leap of faith and started their own business in 2018.
Brian, Jonathan, and I spend some time getting to know Laura and Courtney and learn what it truly takes to build your own staffing firm from the ground up.
COVID-19 has us in the house more than ever and it may be taking an unexpected toll on some of us. Not having to commute back and forth from work gave us all the impression of getting a little more done each work day but it turns out that some of us are working longer hours than originally planned.
This week Brian and Jonathan join me once again to talk about their adjustment to the new norm and we address how to cope with it.
This episode was recorded on Sunday, March 29 2020.
Brian and Jonathan join me to talk about how we are managing this new era that we are living in. Our companies have started adapting and all you hear nowadays is how clutch Zoom has become.
The date is March 15th and we are still at the beginning of this pandemic and we still don't know what is to come in the near future. Schools and businesses are trying to adapt on the fly and it is apparent that we are not prepared for this at all.
Jonathan hits us with a shocker in his job search update and you'll never guess what that shocker may be.
This episode was recorded two weeks ago on March 8 2020.
It's funny when you look back on your predictions and you're completely wrong. Just listen to this episode and you'll understand lol.
We recorded this episode on March 1st and we begin by talking about solicitors knocking on our door. Do you think there is ever an appropriate time to solicit?
Also, find out what is the oddest way to make friends based as we recall stories from our past.
We round out the discussion by talking about folks who do and do not have an inner monologue. Personally, my inner monologue is narrated by Morgan Freeman.
This episode was really fun. I was alone in the studio today but I tried something new. What if I were to randomly call my friends on a Sunday morning and ask them what makes a great friend? What kind of responses would I get?
Well listen to this episode because I have an hour worth of phone conversations with different people asking them to tell me what makes a great friend. They weren't prepped at all and were completely caught off guard. Thanks for being good sports!
We've made it to the 50th episode and Jonathan and I are here to wish you a happy President's Day Weekend! Join us for a small dose of conspiracy theories and put on your tin hat as we jump down the rabbit hole.
We had a surprise guest join us this week! The one and only Sandy Bass was in town for the weekend and he joined Brian and myself for the pod.
We discussed some very different topics during this session but when the content is flowing you just gotta role with it!
Please tune in to learn more about Sandy's role with The Human Rights Campaign and how they are preparing for the upcoming election.
We also discuss how we express our emotions and what may get in the way of us opening up with others.
It feels like it was just a few months ago when Jonathan, Brian, and I sat down to talk about our 2019 resolutions. And here we are back a full year later to look back on another year and make some forward progress into this new decade.
This week's episode is a continuation of episode 46. We wrap up the remaining democratic and republican presidential nominees and who we would compare them to in the Dragon Ball Z series.
This week we look at every Presidential Candidate and compare them to Dragon Ball Z characters. Can you guess which character we chose for your favorite candidate??
The band is back together and it is now January 2020! We connect a little about watching different movies off of each other's recommended list but that barely happened. Next, we pivot to current events where no one has an opinion worth listening to. We did come away learning we know very little about the democratic presidential candidates, which leads into our next episode...
I don't know about you but 2019 went by pretty quickly for me! I had my foot on the gas the entire year and things only sped up as the year progressed.
In this last episode of the year/decade Sandy joins Jonathan and I and we do a quick reflection on the progress we made from 2010 to the end of 2019.
I really can't believe that we are about to wrap up another decade in a few days! A lot has happened in ten years and we all have grown a lot but today's episode focuses on our favorite movies that came out in the last ten years.
Once you hear Jonathan, Brian, and myself go over our movie lists, you will notice that we each have a theme that seems to speak to us. Leave us a comment letting us know your top ten movies of the decade!
Who doesn't love a little controversy around the holidays? I know I sure do!
Peloton released a commercial that received a lot of backlash. Was it warranted or were people overreacting? Listen to this week's episode to hear our thoughts!
Does dying scare you? What does it mean to be alive and what happens when we cease to exist? Jonathan and I break it down as best as we can this week.
We got a full house for this week's episode! Brian and Shannon join Jonathan and myself and we talk about how to power through those tough times in our life. This episode is dedicated to mental fortitude and what it takes to overcome those seemingly impossible moments. Since it is the weekend before Thanksgiving, we also discuss what we are thankful for at the end of the episode.
This week I go into full blown Karen mode and demand to speak to Fairfax County's Department of Taxation's manager. Justice shall be served and this ticket shall be paid!
Jonathan and I also catch up on our new life changes and talk about a movie called Parasite.
Be sure to subscribe or I'll speak to your manager as well.
New job, no job, slow job. We decided to flip our lives completely upside down and leave our old jobs and now we are uncomfortable. Tune in this week to see how the hell we plan on dealing with these major life changes.
Are you an early bird or a night owl? Does that play any part into success or is productivity no longer defined by "standard business hours"? Kyle and Jonathan talk through how to approach both lifestyles.
Episode 35 brings us to Andrea and I's wedding day. In this episode, my cousins and I are getting prepared in the morning and we reflect on our childhood and how good it is to be together again. This episode features my cousins Josiah and Corey. Sandy was getting ready while we recorded but he will be featured on the next episode.
In episode 34 I am joined by Brian, Shannon, and Jonathan. We start on a random topic and end up discussing tipping, which turns out to be far more interesting. When should you tip for different services? There are times when it feels like you are in a grey area and do not know what is appropriate. We try to figure that out in this episode. Enjoy and be sure to rate the show with 5 stars lol.
This week we present you with a conversation on how to improve communication at work, with friends, and with significant others. This is actually a very involved topic, as we soon learn, and only touch on it from a broad perspective. Let us know your thoughts and don't forget to subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app!
This discussion is all about us trying to find peace. This can be finding a sense of peace within ourselves or balancing our hectic lives while still making time to unwind. Sometimes it takes, days, months, years to find peace. Stepping outside of your usual routine can help you find the peace you've been chasing for all this time.
This week we started discussing the way in which we interact with our friends. Do we take the time to celebrate our love for one another? Why wait for a special event when we can celebrate on any day!
And we're back after two weeks off! Come find out what the crew has been up to while the podcast was on hiatus.
We also discuss popular television shows that influenced us during our most formative years. What show taught you valuable lessons duting your childhood?
One jam packed Sunday will not stop Jonathan and I from bringing you your weekly dose of content. This week is all about time management! We talk about how to make the most of your time even when you are facing less than ideal circumstances.
This week's episode is dedicated to our listeners who don't know how to make friends. It's as easy as 1,2,3! Join us for some sound advice that will change your life for the better....we hope.
Let's take it back a couple decades to a wonderful place we like to call the 90's. We are minding our own business and living our best childhood lives when on pops a commercial for the hottest new toy to hit the market in weeks...
This week we think back on the different target audiences for toys back in the day. Why is this item specifically for boys and why is that item specifically for girls? Shannon joins the conversation this week to add a woman's perspective on growing up in the best decade known to humankind.
Also, we touch on gift giving. What is appropriate and are you a good or bad gift giver? Leave us your thoughts on what types of gifts you tend to give for birthdays, weddings, or other special holidays.
After a week off, the crew sits down on Father's Day to discuss the importance of having a father figure growing up. We are joined by two special guests this week and they help us break this topic down by adding a woman's perspective to the conversation.
We also discuss if there are any qualities women look for in their partner that are similar to what they see in their father.