THINK BIG with Michael Zellner: Recent Episodes
Michael Zellner
I will be bringing on many people from all different walks of life and careers. Success stories, survivors, leaders, positive thinkers, influential people, overcoming adversity and much more.
Richie’s journey into the national and international spotlight began on August 25, 2020, when as a Chief Video Director for The Daily Caller, a conservative website that was founded by Tucker Carlson, he found himself in the middle of craziness and chaos that night in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Just minutes before the shooting began that night, he was interviewing Kyle Rittenhouse in front of a gas station. A little while after that, Richie’s life changed forever and he is here today to tell us about his experience that night and also his involvement in the riots after the death of George Floyd, with the Proud Boys in Seattle’s Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, a face-off between the umbrella gang and the NYPD in New York City’s protest in front of City Hall, and also in Portland when there was a clash between demonstrators and federal officers. A lot of what he will be talking to our audience today is also talked about in his new book coming out this month called RIOT DIET: One Man’s Radical Ride Through America in Chaos. Great to have you on today, Richie. Sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry
Thanks for joining me today for THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ’s Masonry.
My guest today joining me for Episode 174 for part 3 of my interview with her for the 2 nd week in a row is Dr. Sheila Nazarian.
Dr. Nazarian is here again today to talk once again about Israel and about the urgency and importance of our Presidential election next Tuesday, November 5 th , and depending on what outcome we get will shape the future of our country now more than ever before in our lifetime, and how so much of this ties together.
Dr. Nazarian is a Jewish Iranian-American plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, CA with over 850,000 followers on Instagram. She is a very vocal advocate for the state of Israel and the importance of electing Donald Trump on November 5th. As a little child, along with some of her family, she escaped out of Iran in the back of a pick up truck. She has an amazing story Dr. Nazarian is a frequent guest on Newsmax, Fox News, and News Nation. She is very well known as the host of the Netflix television series Skin Decision and also guest starred on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. In 2016, she was named Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization Woman of the Year. (Disclaimer: This is a very political podcast and expresses the views of Dr. Nazarian and myself.)
Listen to Episode 172 of my podcast THINK BIG with Michael Zellner with Marissa Lima and Michael Scruggs. My guests today joining me from the American Cancer Society is Marissa Lima, and from Agape Child & Family Services is Michael Scruggs. Marissa Dail Lima's background started in Alumni Relations at Virginia Tech. She did her graduate work at Wake Forest. She worked as Director of Development for the University of Memphis and started at the American Cancer Society in early 2023 as Senior Development Manager. She has a big responsibility there as she manages the breast cancer campaigns in the Mid-South. Marissa and her husband own a home inspection business called Integrity Home Solutions, USA. Michael Scruggs' background is in many areas, including working with Charter Schools USA for over 4 years. He actually made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for “Successfully instructing general education students and individual with learning challenges within a mainstreamed, inclusive classrooms.” He graduated from The University of Memphis with his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Government and got his Master’s in Education at Union University Thank you both for joining me today! There are obviously many types of cancer, unfortunately way too many. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry
Episode 171 with Ephraim Urevbu
Welcome to THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ’s Masonry. My guest today for Episode 171 is Ephraim Urevbu (E from Uu rev bu).
Ephraim is originally from Nigeria and has lived in Memphis now from about 35 years. He’s a founding member of the “South Main arts district.” He is the C.O.O. of (Uu rev bu) Foundation, the owner of E.U. Enterprises, and for almost 33 years, an artist with (Uu rev bu) Contemporary at 410 S. Main Street in downtown Memphis. Thanks for joining me today, Ephraim (E from).
Thank you for joining us today for THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ’s Masonry. My guest today joining me on the show for the 3 rd time is the wonderful Thaao Penghlis, who is here today to talk about his book, 'Seducing Celebrities…One Meal at a Time.'
Thaao is not only a very famous soap opera and television actor, but he is also an author, and a writer. He has been on several tv shows throughout his career. His big break when he first appeared in the very popular Soap Opera world came in 1981 on General Hospital playing Victor Cassadine during the “Luke and Laura” era. He also starred on Santa Barbara and the network television show, Mission: Impossible.
Thaao is best known for playing the dual character roles of twin brothers Tony and Andre DiMera. In 2023, Thaao released his 4 part podcast series called ‘The Lost Treasures’, which was wonderful to listen to and learn a lot about things I would have never known in my life. For a little history for some that may not know, the show Days of Our Lives exists in the fictional world of Salem. Thaao premiered on the show on November 6, 1981, and was on and off the show for 5 decades through June 2023. That is beyond amazing to be a character on a television show for that long of a period of time. He won several awards in his career, including twice for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, with his last one coming in 2020.
I’m really excited to have him back on today to talk about this very entertaining memoir-cookbook, Seducing Celebrities…One Meal at a Time. Thaao, I really appreciate you coming back on the show today to share this with my audience.
Welcome to my Podcast: THINK BIG with Michael Zellner sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ’s Masonry. Joining me today for Episode 169 is Hollywood stuntman, Ian Eyre. Ian is a screenwriter, director, producer, 2nd Unit Director, and a stunt performer/coordinator. He also owns Eyre Films, LLC a production company based here in Memphis. His career spans about 25 years since his college days at Georgia Tech. He has over 120 stunt credits and has been part of many TV and movie productions, including AMC’s The Walking Dead, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay!
Welcome to the THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ’s Masonry. Joining me today for Episode 168 is Joel Banes. Joel is the President & CEO of Memphis Capital Group headquartered here in Memphis, Tennessee. He started the company in 2006 under the names Banes Capital Management and Banes Capital Group and in January 2023, the companies rebranded under Memphis Capital and the High Income Fund has grown to over $250 million in investments. Wow! Thanks for joining me today, Joel.
hanks for joining me today for my podcast THINK BIG with Michael Zellner sponsored by Buckley’s Grill and Sleepy ZZZ’s Masonry. My guest today joining me for Episode 167 is Dr. Sheila Nazarian. Dr. Nazarian is a Jewish Iranian-American plastic surgeon and a very vocal advocate for the state of Israel. She is a frequent guest on Newsmax, Fox News, and NewsNation. She is very well known as the host of the Netflix television series Skin Decision and also guest starred on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She was named Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization Woman of the Year in 2016. Welcome to the show Dr. Nazarian.
David is an award-winning author who written some incredible political and psychological nail-bitters. His new book, Mapping the Night, is coming out in June. He is originally from Palo Alto, California and is the son of Paul D. Bethel, who was a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. David graduated from Miami Edison High School in Miami, Florida and went to Tulane University and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He was a speechwriter at the Department of Commerce to Cabinet Secretaries in both President George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush’s administrations. Thanks for joining me today, David.
I’m honored to have joining me award-winning filmmaker, founder and Executive Director of the End Jew Hatred movement, The Lawfare Project. She’s an author, and a New York City-based human rights attorney, and a frequent Fox News and Newsmax guest. Her name is Brooke Goldstein. Thanks for joining me today, Brooke.
Michelle is not only one of the top acting coaches in the world, but she is also an actor, a film and stage director and an author. She has worked with many A-List Actors privately and on set including James Franco, Penelope Cruz, Donald Sutherland, Chris Rock, Luke Wilson, Salma Hayak, Christian Slater, Gerard Butler and many, many more A list actors. She currently serves as Artistic Director and teaches ongoing classes at the Michelle Danner Acting Studio; however, she also teaches in New York, Europe and several other places all over the world.
Join us for an insightful and engaging conversation with Auburn Head Basketball Coach, Bruce Pearl. Dive into the world of basketball strategy, leadership, and personal insights as Coach Pearl shares his journey and experiences. Whether you're a sports enthusiast, a fan of Auburn basketball, or simply curious about the keys to coaching success, this podcast offers a unique opportunity to learn from one of the game's most respected figures.
In this episode, Traynor shares the story of how he positively promotes his wife's innovative real estate business, the challenges he has faced throughout his life, and the unique approach that sets his marketing and branding apart.
Don't miss this engaging conversation where David discusses:
His career path and the lessons learned along the way:
-- The significance of leadership in both personal and professional spheres
-- His dedication to public education and how it shapes future generations
-- Practical tips for wealth management and financial planning
-- His philanthropic efforts and the impact of giving back to the community
My guests today on THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast are former Memphis Grizzlies Coach and 2 time NBA Champion, Lionel Hollins, former University of Tennessee basketball player and former Dallas Mavericks and professional player, Coach Kevin Whitted, and Heal The Hood Foundation CEO and Founder, LaDell Beamon.
I sat down with the extraordinary Elizabeth Pipko, an American-Israeli Jewish activist and prominent media personality.
With frequent appearances on Fox News, I've had the privilege of discussing the critical issue of fighting antisemitism and Jew hatred with Pipko, who at just 28 years old, has authored three books and speaks six languages fluently.
In this episode, we delve into the urgent topic of rising antisemitism on college campuses and its potential spread across the United States this summer. Don't miss our engaging conversation on combating bigotry and driving positive change.
Tune in!
Explore the world of construction with Greg Green, the General Superintendent at RKA Construction.
Based in Memphis, Tennessee, RKA has been making waves in both residential and commercial projects since its inception in 2011.
In this episode, Greg shares insights into RKA's journey, their commitment to quality, and the unique challenges and successes they've experienced serving the Mid-South region.
In this episode, Master Chef Kelly English shares his remarkable journey from early culinary adventures to becoming a celebrated figure in the food industry.
Discover the passion, dedication, and creativity that drive Chef Kelly English as he discusses his experiences, challenges, and the inspirations behind his unique approach to Southern cuisine.
We discuss his culinary philosophy, the challenges and triumphs he's faced, and his innovative appoach to creating unforgettable dining experiences.
#thinkbigwithmichaelzellner
In this episode, Master Chef Kelly English shares his remarkable journey from his early culinary adventures to becoming a celebrated figure in the food industry. Discover the passion, dedication, and creativity that drive Chef English as he discusses his experiences, challenges, and the inspirations behind his unique approach to Southern cuisine. We discuss his culinary philosophy, the challenges and triumphs he's faced, and his innovative approach to creating unforgettable dining experiences.
Abigail Hawk, the talented actress behind the character 1st Grade Detective Abigail Baker on the hit television series Blue Bloods.
Abigail shares insights into her character's development, memorable moments on set, and the impact of Blue Bloods on both her career and personal life.
As we anticipate the airing of the final episode for the first half of Blue Bloods' last season, Abigail offers a glimpse behind the scenes, revealing anecdotes and reflections on her remarkable journey throughout the series.
Don't miss this engaging conversation with Abigail Hawk, only on ThinkbigwihMichaelZellner.
Lizzy Savetsky, a very outspoken American Israel activist, a spokesperson on Instagram with almost 400,000 followers, and frequent FOX News Guest, joins THINK BIG with Michael Zellner today. Lizzy and her family were in Israel on that horrific day last October 7th and were lucky to get back to America a few days later. In this podcast, she shares what she is doing to get the truth out about what happened that day and now what is happening with all the antisemitism, hate for Israel, and hate for America all over the country on college campuses and the world.
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Shelley Herman, an EMMY-nominated writer, as she shares insights into her remarkable career journey and discusses her captivating book.
Shelley shared her experiences in the television industry, from scripting compelling narratives to her Emmy recognition. Discover the creative process behind her book, exploring its themes and characters. Don't miss this engaging discussion with a talented storyteller!
Explore expert financial advice from analyst Craig Weiner on effective money management techniques.
Learn his secret method for maximizing financial success!
Let us know what's your fav line out of this podcast?
Business, Branding, and Marketing Guru, Michael Attias, on Episode 152 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner
Michael is the Founder & CEO of CaterZen, a web-based software company. He is a former franchise co-owner of 2 Corky's BBQ restaurants. Michael is originally from Memphis and now resides in a suburb of Nashville. He is also an author and a former speaker and consultant for businesses across the United States. Michael and I grew up on the same street together and he has always had a tremendous influence on and in my life and I'm very thankful and blessed for so many things he has done to help me.
Hitting $100,000,000 in sales in Cutco Cutlery...Don Freda, former Vector Marketing President & CEO joins me for Part 3 of his podcast interview Episode 151 Part 3 with Don Freda Don is an author, trainer, coach, developer of people, mentor, and currently the President & CEO of STRIVE Corporation.
He was in the Cutco business from 1971 through 1996 and in his final year as President & CEO of Vector Marketing Corporation, the company hit $100,000,000 in sales that year, his long time goal.
Don has been one of my longtime mentors and idols and his belief in me at a young age and his integrity have always had a huge effect on my life and I love the man.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsors for the podcast Buckley's Grill, co-owned by Jeff Fioranelli and Ken Dick, and Roof & Nail, co-owned by Kelly Potter. #buisnessadvice #buisness #fyp #CEO #marketing
How did the Twin Towers and Building 7 really collapse?
Episode 150 Part 3 with Richard Gage, AIA, an architect for over 30 years. Richard is the founder and former CEO of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth and if you take the time to watch his presentation, you can judge for yourself what happened because the narrative we were given isn't the whole story.
He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and he and his wife Gail continue to lead the charge toward a real investigation of what truly happened on September 11, 2001.
The organization he founded, AE911Truth, now has more than 3,500 architects and engineers who are demanding a new investigation into the destruction of all 3 World Trade Center high-rise buildings that day.
Blue Bloods Star and Tony Award Winning Actor Gregory Jbara Part 2 on Episode 149 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner
Gregory Jbara got his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the prestigious Juilliard School's drama division after attending the University of Michigan. He has been in numerous tv shows throughout his long acting career, including Friends, The West Wing, Frazier, Law and Order and many more.
Gregory won a Tony Award in 2009 for Best Featured Actor in a Musical on Broadway in the production of Billy Elliot the Musical. He recently appeared in the multi-Golden Globe Winning movie, Oppenheimer.
Gregory has starred for the last 13 years on the CBS hit drama, Blue Bloods, which starts its 14th and final season tonight. He is a super nice man and it was a pleasure to spend 3-4 hours over
Parts 1 and 2 talking to him about his life, family and career.
Award-winning Director Richard Bakewell, on Episode 148 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner Richard is the founder of Lightforce Pictures back in the early 2000s.
He has worked with major companies, including Netflix, Yahoo, Target, Doritos and many more. Richard has also worked with and interviewed big celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Gordon Ramsey, and Dolly Parton. His new feature film, Roswell Delirium, has won 35 awards and has some of the biggest stars of the 80's and several newcomers too that will be stars within the next several years.
We had such a great conversation, and I see big things for Richard and his company in the coming years. THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsors for the podcast Buckley's Grill, co-owned by Jeff Fioranelli and Ken Dick, and Roof & Nail, co-owned by Kelly Potter.
Co-CEO of Worldwide Production Agency in West Hollywood, California, Frank Balkin, on Episode 147 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner Frank has been in the television/movie industry for 28 years in Hollywood.
He worked in story development, production, post-production, and foreign sales at several entertainment industry companies before becoming an agent.
Frank has represented directors, producers, costume designers, editors, cinematographers and production designers for over 28 years. He is a former Memphian, a super nice person, and a lifelong friend of mine.
We like to thank our sponsors Roof & Nail and Buckley's Grill. For access to all other social media platforms and podcast click here: linktr.ee/thinkbigwithmichaelzellner
#podcast #hollywood #filmindustry #tv #film #agents
Episode 146 Part 2 with Thaao Penghlis Thaao has appeared for 5 decades on Days of Our Lives as Tony/Andre DiMera. He also appeared on General Hospital, Santa Barbara. He has won 2 Soap Opera Digest Awards and 3 Daytime Emmy Awards, including 2 for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series. He first appeared on television having guest appearances on popular shows such and also starred in network television show Mission; Impossible. He is an actor, author, writer and now hosts his own podcast called 'The Lost Treasures', which we talk about the four episodes in our conversation.
We like to thank our sponsors Roof and Nail and Buckley's Grill. For access to all other social media platforms and podcast click here: linktr.ee/thinkbigwithmichaelzellner
Episode 145 with Mary Braddock
Mary is the Director of Communications at Porter-Leith in Memphis, TN.
Porter-Leith is a nonprofit organization whose main focus is supporting local children and families through a range of programs and services.
They were just recognized as one of just 13of the 1,600 Head Start grantees nationally as a Program of Excellence by the National Head Start Association.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
Episode 143 Part 2 with Alan Blomquist
Alan was in the movie and entertainment industry in Hollywood for over 30 years.
He produced a lot of huge movies with A-List actors including "The Cider House Rules," "A Little Princess," "Of Mice and Men," "Chocolat," and more that we talked about in Part 1.
In Part 2, we discuss the great things he did in the 2000's including the Johnny Cash huge hit, "Walk The Line," "Book Club," "A Dog's Purpose," and how he was one of the main people who got "The Blue Collar Comedy Tour" off the ground, what he had to go through to get there, and the success it had for many years.
Episode 142 Part 1 with Thaao Penghlis
Thaao has appeared for 4 decades on Days of Our Lives as one of the top Soap Opera Villains, Tony DiMera and his twin brother, Andre.
He also appeared on General Hospital and Santa Barbara.
He has won 2 Soap Opera Digest Awards and 3 Daytime Emmy Awards, including 2 for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series.
He first appeared on television having guest appearances on popular shows such as Magnum, P.I., Who's the Boss, and several others.
Thaao was also in the 1980's series, Mission: Impossible and he did the miniseries, Memories of Midnight.
He is an actor, author, writer and now hosts his own podcast called 'The Lost Treasures'.
Alex is the owner of Elfo Grisanti's Northern Italian Cuisine in Southaven, MS.
He and his wife Kim also are the owners of Grisanti 9 DOUGH 1 Food Truck.
The Grisanti family has been in the restaurant business in the Memphis area for an amazing 116 years and Alex has been a big part of their tradition and success.
In Episode 1, he talks about the history of the Grisanti family and restaurants, falling down and having major obstacles and picking himself back up again and having tremendous success.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
Episode 140 Part 2 with Bill Courtney
CEO of Classic American Hardwoods-now over 45 million in sales worldwide yearly.
Author of the book 'Against The Grain' with the forward written by 11 time NBA Coaching Champion, Phil Jackson.
Host of "An Army Of Normal Folks Podcast," which has hit Apple's Top Ten podcasts worldwide.
Recently featured as a guest on the podcast, "The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe."
In Part 2 of our THINK BIG podcast interview, Bill shares so many amazing stories about life, success, facing obstacles and overcoming them and shares with the audience about his amazing podcast that he just started this past summer and why it's kicking butt!
Co-Creator of the House of Blues, Michael Grozier, on Episode 139 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner
He is the Founder & CEO of Trueline Brands.
Michael was the Executive Vice-President of Clubs and Theaters division for Live Nation and in charge of over 80 locations throughout the United States and doubled their same store sales from $14 million to $28 million in just 3 short years.
In this episode, we talk about his exciting past running and starting up Hard Rock Cafes, House of Blues, and Trueline Brands, his exciting new venture in Greenville, SC.
Episode 138 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast with former Memphis Police Association President and former mayoral candidate himself, Michael Williams.
Mike and I will be talking about the mayoral and city council election this Thursday and we will mainly talk about the #1 issues on most Memphians right now in our city, crime and violent crime and how he believes and actually knows how and why we have gotten to the point where we are,which is beyond scary for most people that live here. Thank you!
Joe Theismann is a former NFL Quarterback for the Washington Redskins.
He is now a professional and corporate speaker all over the United States, a sports commentator, an author and owner of Theismann's Restaurant and Bar in Alexandria, VA.
He played football for the legendary Ara Parseghian at Notre Dame, where he set 23 school records in just 3 seasons.
Joe is a two-time Pro Bowler and led Washington to 2 straight Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XVII over the Miami Dolphins in 1982.
Memphis Mayoral Candidate Paul Young and I talk CRIME in Memphis and what he would do about it.
Paul is the President/CEO of Downtown Memphis Commission.
He is the former Director of City of Memphis Housing & Development.
Paul is endorsed by 3 very known Memphians, which include former Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, former head of The Orpheum Theater, Pat Halloran and Entrepreneur and the man mainly responsible for revitalizing Beale Street, John Elkington.
Memphis Mayoral Candidate Floyd Bonner, Jr. and I talk CRIME in Memphis and what he would do about it.
He has been Sheriff of Shelby County since 2018.
Floyd has been with the Shelby County Sheriff's Department since 1980.
He was named "Sheriff of the Year" in 2023 by the Tennessee Sheriff's Association.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
Episode 134 with Craig Wiener Part 2 of 3
Craig is a financial analyst in Memphis, TN.
He has over 100 clients throughout the country and handles millions and millions of dollars and has been very successful for over 30 years.
Craig graduated from Ridgeway High School in 1979 and was invited to some of the top basketball camps in the country.
He had the opportunity to play against some of the future best in the NBA including Isiah Thomas, Dominique Wilkins, James Worthy, and more.
In Part 2 of 3 of our podcast series, Craig shares with us some amazing moments from those times.
Bill is the owner and CEO of Classic American Hardwoods, a company with offices in Memphis, China and Vietnam, with annual sales over $45 million a year.
He is a motivational speaker and was featured in the 2011 Academy Award-Winning documentary, Undefeated, in 2011.
Bill is the author of the book, "Against The Grain," published in 2014 with the forward written by 11 time NBA Championship coach, Phil Jackson.
One of the most exciting things he has going right now is a Top Ten Apple Podcast Worldwide called "An Army Of Normal Folks Podcast."
Loren King, known as Loren the Activist, joins me for Episode 132 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner in Part 1 of 3 in a series.
She is also an international speaker, a registered dental hygienist, a mentor and a coach.
Loren talks in detail about something many people either don't want to think about or are not even aware of, the $150 Global Child and Human Trafficking industry. This is a subject everyone should be aware of because it's happening all around us on a daily basis.
A-List Acting Coach, actor and film and stage director, Michelle Danner
She has worked with many well known actors, including Gerard Butler, Penelope Cruz, Chris Rock, James Franco, Donald Sutherland and many more.
Michelle is the Artistic Director and teaches at the Michelle Danner Acting Studio in the Los Angeles area and she also teaches all over the world.
She is the Founding Director of Edgemar Center for the Arts and helped raise $1.3 million which helped in the construction of the art gallery at the Center and 2 theatres there too.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
Richard and his wife Molly are the owners of Amplified Meal Prep, Memphis Kitchen Co-op and Marketplace and Mimi's Meals.
Their first business, Amplified Meal Prep, opened in 2017 and since that time they have continued to grow and now have a huge location in Cordova at 7940 and 7946 Fischer Steel Road.
They have over 50 vendors that sell their food products out of the marketplace and are doing something very special, which is making it possible for many people who can't afford to own a retail location get their products out to the public.
Dedicated to first-class customer service with REMAX Expert, Matt Wallace
Episode 129 with Matt Wallace
Matt and his wife Samantha are Affiliate Brokers for REMAX Experts-The Heart to Home Group.
They also are co-owner's of Sam's Construction, a residential construction company in Memphis and the Mid-South.
Matt is a former high school and college football player. He and his wife Samantha and their two boys, Ollie and Andy are living a wonderful life in Memphis.
Episode 128 with Chris Thomas
Chris is a lifelong and very well known Memphian having served his city well for many years.
He was Probate Court Clerk from 1994-2010 and then was elected to the Shelby County Commission from 2010-2014.
Chris is currently the Director of Family Services at Brent Taylor-Paul B. McCarver Funeral Directors in Memphis.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
Episode 127 with Gregory Jbara
In Part 1 of my podcast interview with Greg, we talk a little bit about him growing up right outside of Detroit and how he started early on in plays and musicals.
We also discuss him going to the University of Michigan and then getting accepted and transferring to the prestigious Julliard School's drama division.
Greg and I discuss his first "official" theatre role in New York City in 1986-1987. All his hard work in the late 80's and early 90's eventually led him to Broadway with many roles including Damn Yankees, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and then eventually what would be one of his big break out roles taking over the role of BILLY FLYNN in Chicago in 1997.
We obviously have lots to talk about in Part 2, including his Tony Award and role in Blue Bloods too.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor for the podcast, Platinum Jewelers, located at 9387 Poplar Ave. in Germantown, TN.
E126 with Eric Hasseltine
Eric is the radio voice/play-by-play announcer of the Memphis Grizzlies.
He just completed his 19th season in that role with the team.
Eric hosted a highly successful sports talk show on 92.9 ESPN Radio Memphis from 2011-2019.
In this episode, Eric and I talk about the Grizzlies success over the last two seasons despite the fact of Ja Morant missing 28% of their games, the amazing and quick success of Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson, Jr.'s NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and much more.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers, located at 9387 Poplar Ave. in Germantown, TN.
Geoff is the Lead Sports Columnist for The Daily Memphian.
He is the author of the 2016 book, "After the Jump."
Geoff is the host of The Geoff Calkins Show on 92.9 ESPN Radio Memphis every Monday through Friday from 9am-11am.
He is a 5-time winner of the AP Sports Editors Best Sports Columnist in America.
Please welcome San Francisco Bay area architect Richard Gage, AIA, member of the American Institute of Architects and founder & former CEO of Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth.
He, along with his courageous wife and assistant Gail, continues to lead the charge toward a real investigation into the destruction of all 3 World Trade Center skyscrapers on 9/11 at RichardGage911.org.
The organization he founded, AE911Truth, now numbers more than 3,500 architects and engineers demanding a new investigation into the destruction of all three Trade Center high-rise buildings on 9/11.
If you have the opportunity, please watch the full episode on our YouTube channel or Facebook page to see his full presentation with detailed evidence.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
ALL THINGS POLICING: MEMPHIS AND BEYOND
BOTH SMALL CRIMES AND BIG CRIMES HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF CONTROL...
On this Special Episode of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner is Part 3 of ALL THINGS POLICING AND CRIME. I once again sit down with 2 men who have over 40 years experience in law enforcement in 2 major cities across America.
Deon Joseph has worked the Skid Row area of Los Angeles as an officer for over 20 years and Mike Williams is a former Memphis Police Officer and former President of the Memphis Police Association.
This is something you don't want to miss as they go into deep conversation of why a lot of this is happening and what are some of the things we can do to prevent it from getting worse. EVERY SINGLE DAY we are getting more and more sick and tired of what people consider small crimes and definitely the horrible violent crimes!
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
Matthew is the Executive Director of the Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy.
He is also President of the International Association of Interpersonal Hypnotherapists, CEO of Anahat Education Group and a Founding Member of The Online Monastery.
Matthew is the author of 5 books, including 'Interpersonal Hypnotherapy: Honoring the Sacred in Transformational Relationships'.
Alan was an Executive Producer and Director in the entertainment and movie industry for over 30 years.
He has worked on and been the Executive Producer for many films you know, including "Walk The Line," "Book Club," "A Dog's Purpose," "Of Mice and Men," "The Cider House Rules," and so many more.
Kaitlyn Grant on Episode 119 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner
Kaitlyn is the Vice President of Valuation & Advisory Services for CBRE Group, Inc.
CBRE is the world's largest real estate services and investment firm.
They have been in business for over 100 years and have over 450 offices worldwide.
She was named 2021 Rookie of the Year for CBRE's VAS and is a motivated go-getter.
Episode 118 with Don Freda
Don is the former CEO/President of Vector Marketing Corporation, the direct sales force of Cutco Cutlery.
In Part 2, Don talks about the early years of the company and how very, very close things came to the point where Cutco didn't make it out of the early 80's and never would have become the giant it is today.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
Jessica is a real estate agent with Re/Max Experts.
She is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Clubs and is consistently a top agent in Memphis and the Mid-South each year.
In the 2 year period between 2021-2022, she sold over $88 million personally and in 2021 she finished #72 in America for individual transactions out of over 1,600,000 agents.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
Joan Red guitarist Mike Lovelace, Jr. on Episode 120 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner
Mike comes on the show to talk about the "Memphis Family Reunion Event," an evening with Joan Red, this Wednesday night at Lafayette's Music Room in Overton Square.
This is the first time the members or Joan Red will be together on stage since 2011.
In their heyday, Joan Red opened up for Three Days Grace, Avenged Sevenfold, Staind, and several other big name bands.
They will be joined on stage by many vocalists and musicians this Wednesday including Zach Myers from Shinedown and Scott Bartlett and Jared Weeks from Saving Abel.
This is an All Ages show and doors open up at Lafayette's at 7pm.
The evening is brought to you by 2001 Developments.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
KC is a singer, songwriter from Memphis and now resides in Nashville.
She has released 5 studio albums in her career, including her latest album this past year, 'Thunder'.
KC started singing at just 3 years old when she would climb up on her mother's coffee table and sing Billy Ray Cyrus' hit song, 'Achy Breaky Heart'.
This past summer, I had a chance to visit with Former Head Basketball Coach at UT Chattanooga, VCU and LSU, Will Wade.
We talked all things basketball and he shared great insights.
This week, Will was hired to be the next basketball coach at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana and is so happy to be back in the game
Instagram's Unapologetically Memphis' Marques Cook
In just 3 short years, Marques has become a mainstream on Instagram and is about to pass 100K followers soon.
He puts out great content everyday on his page to let everyone of his followers know the good, the bad and sometimes the ugly of what's happening in our city.
One of the great things he does is also put very funny and motivational things on his page too. Many of his followers count on him every single day to let them know what is going on in our city.
Will was a member of the Memphis State Tiger team that went to 3 straight Sweet 16's in the 1980's.
He was the 6th pick of the Phoenix Suns in the NBA draft in 1986 and a member of the 1990 Detroit Pistons NBA Championship team.
Skid Row community of downtown LA officer Deon Joseph and former Memphis Police Association President Michael Williams join me to talk about crime in Memphis and throughout the United States.
In Part 2 of our series, Mike and Deon talk about the horrible and senseless killing of Tyre Nichols here in Memphis and how once the media realized one narrative wasn't going to work, they went with another one.
They also discuss how people like Al Sharpton, who gave the eulogy at Tyre's funeral, are doing nothing but making things worse in communities all across the nation.
Craig handles multi-million dollars of money for about 100 clients across the globe.
He is a former point guard and basketball player for the University of Tennessee.
Craig's late father, Ed Wiener, was a 2 time All-American at Tennessee in the 1950's.
Justin is the Clinic Director at Resilient Medical Services.
He is the Chiropractic Physician for both men and women sports at the University of Memphis.
Justin is a retired U.S. Army soldier with the 3rd Special Forces Group stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Blue Bloods recurring actress Stephanie Andujar on Episode 110 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner
Stephanie is an actress, writer, director, producer, singer, dancer and songwriter. She appeared in Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, major motion pictures Precious and Marjorie Prime along with Tim Robbins, Geena Davis, Jon Hamm and Lois Smith and had a recurring role on the CBS longtime hit series, Blue Bloods and Orange Is The New Black.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
Professional Dog Trainer and Influencer Taijon Duverger on Episode 108 of THINK BIG with Michael Zellner
Taijon has quickly become one of the most popular dog trainers and influencers on social media today with many of his reels reaching millions of views.
In this episode, he goes into the importance of the kind of food your dog is eating for their health and longevity and also has an Italian Mastiff named King as his extra special guest too.
In Part 1 of our series, we discuss the police situation and crime in Memphis and across the country at the current moment and why so many criminals are able to get away with the horrible things they are doing.
I am joined by former Memphis Police Association President Michael Williams and current LAPD Sargeant Tom Datro.
Episode 106 with Alan Crone
Alan is the Founder and CEO of The Crone Law Firm in Memphis and St. Louis.
He's the former Special Council to Memphis Mayor, Jim Strickland.
Alan is the author of the new book 'The LAW at WORK', which is being released on Tuesday, February 21st.
He is a very successful attorney who cares about his clients, a Deacon in his church and a strong family man.
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
Episode 107 with Matthew Brownstein Part 1
Matthew is the Executive Director of The Institute of Interpersonal Hypnotherapy.
He is also President of the International Association of Interpersonal Hypnotherapists, CEO of Anahat Education Group and a Founding Member of The Online Monastery.
Matthew is the author of 5 books, including 'Interpersonal Hypnotherapy: Honoring the Sacred in Transformational Relationships'.
www.InstituteofHypnotherapy.com www.OnlineMonastery.com
THINK BIG with Michael Zellner would like to thank our sponsor, Platinum Jewelers.
Special Episode 104 with Beau Lotz, longtime personal trainer for Lorenzen Wright.
Beau shares some great stories about Lorenzen and his life as he has his #55 Memphis Tiger Jersey retired Saturday, February 4th at the FedEx Forum in Memphis.
Episode 104 with Kathleen McClellan Part 1
Kathleen is an actress, director, tv host and executive producer.
She was Miss Teen Illinois USA in 1988.
Kathleen was the host of the #1 show For Better or For Worse on TLC in the early 2000's.
In Part 1, she tells us how she got started in modeling and acting and shares with the audience what the experience was like being on many major television hit shows.
Episode 103 with Elise Harper
Elise is a singer/songwriter from Memphis and now is sharing her music all over Nashville.
She has performed on the Netflix series "Sing On" and was both The Voice and American Idol too.
In 2020, her song "That Jeep" was considered for a Grammy and just released her latest song, "Good In Bed."
Elise shares with the audience her special relationships with some of her true longtime friends and she also tells us about the extremely close and special bond she shared with her father Bob too.
Episode 102 with Don Freda Part 1
Don is the former President and CEO of Vector Marketing which is the direct selling subsidiary company and the domestic sales arm of Cutco Cutlery.
He took the company from $750,000 the first year to the $100,000,000 mark when he retired about 15 years later.
Don is currently the President and CEO of STRIVE Corporation and is one of the best consultants, trainers and developers of people.
In Part 1, he tells the audience how he got started selling Cutco and the major differences in the way it was sold at that time compared to today and Don also talks about his rapid advancement in the business too.
Episode 101 with Ilyse Craft Part 1
Ilyse is a "SuperCoach On-Line Business Training for UpperLimit Coaches who are Elite, Grounded and in a Class of their own.
She dropped out of the corporate world a few years ago and her full-time "job" is now helping other coaches and people to become successful.
In Part 1 of her podcast interview, Ilyse shares with the audience the importance of removing the noise and obstacles and how just by doing those two things each person can become the biggest factor in their own success.
Episode 100 with John Elkington Part 2
In part 2 of my interview with real estate guru John Elkington, we get into the major developments John has done outside of Memphis.
John shares with the audience about his special relationship with former Shelby County Mayor Bill Morris and tells us all about that phone call he received from Memphis Tiger Basketball coach Penny Hardaway 3 years ago that eventually led to the opening of "Penny's Nitty Gritty" in downtown Memphis.
At the end of interview John tells us all about his wonderful family, including his wife of 24 years Valerie, his sons Beau, Griffin and Fletcher and shares with us a little bit about his grandchildren too.
Episode 99 with David Carr, Jr.
David is a songwriter, producer and an amazing saxophonist.
He has been playing music now for over 50 years and started touring at the age of just 14.
David's saxophone abilities and sound have been compared to such icons as David Sanborn.
He was inducted into the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame in 2021.
At the end of the podcast, David shows the audience just how good he is as he performed live from his studio.
Episode 98 with Taijon Duverger-Part 1.
Taijon is a renowned dog trainer and owner of Kaizen Canine.
The 5 Star testimonials that he has gotten from very satisfied clients are phenomenal and I share several of them in this podcast.
He has gone viral on Tik Tok and other social media sights several times, with one of his Tik Tok videos now at almost 16 million views.
In Part 1 of 2, Taijon shares a lot of great insight into our dog world and tells us when our dogs should start being trained and also answers the question is there such a thing as a dog being too old to be trained too.
Any dog or animal lover is going to really enjoy hearing the things he shares with the audience today.
Episode 97 with John Elkington, Part 1 of 2.
John is President of Elkington Real Estate.
He led the way in the redevelopment of Beale Street in the 1980's.
John's former firm Elkington and Keltner was one of the top builders in the nation for 10 years.
In Part 1, John talks about some of the special personal friendships he has made over the years, including with Avron Fogelman and Pat Halloran and the effect they've had on his life.
He also shares with the audience how he was able to get B.B. King's to Beale Street, and his friendships with Rufus Thomas and Tommy Peters too.
Episode 96 with Kathi Wright.
Kathi is the Director of Don't Drive Drowsy Foundation.
Her 17 year old nephew was killed by a Drowsy Driver at the age of 17 back in 2002.
Kathi goes all throughout the state of Tennessee to get her message out to students and teenagers.
She was the recipient of the 'Making A Difference Award' by the TN Highway Safety Office and the TN Department of Homeland Security in 2018.
Episode 95 with Geoff Calkins- Part 1
Geoff is the lead sports columnist for The Daily Memphian.
He is the author of the book "After the Jump."
He also hosts The Geoff Calkins Show from 9-11am every Monday-Friday on 92.9 ESPN Radio Memphis.
Geoff talks a little bit about the legendary George Lapides and he tells us about his relationship with former University of Memphis and current Kentucky head basketball coach, John Calipari.
We also hear about what it's been like working with Gary Parrish and Brad Carson on ESPN Radio.
Episode 94 with Amanda Page Cornett
Amanda is a singer, songwriter and actress.
Her band, Almost Angels, released their album "Front Porch Rebel" in 2018.
Amanda talks about her life and career in music, which she say is a unique mix of southern rock n soul.
On a personal note, after listening to her music for the first time, she is really good and has a new fan.
Episode 93 with Denise Panza.
Denise is a Senior Mortgage Banker at Total Mortgage Services and has been in the mortgage business for over 27 years.
She is licensed to do mortgages in 14 states, including Tennessee.
Denise has many amazing testimonials from clients and we hear some of them today, including one that calls her "The Mortgage Guru."
She is a marketing genius and tells us about the one big thing she is known for that sets her apart from many others in her field when it comes to branding herself.
Denise is very family oriented and shares with the audience the special relationship she has with her father and her two children, Phil and Gigi.
Episode 92 with Elizabeth LeBlanc. Liz is the master technician and owner of SunBlast Custom Airbrush Spray Tanning.
SunBlast was the first mobile spray tanning company in the Mid-South.
Liz tells the audience about her addressing the school board right before the age of 5 years old (a very funny story), about her incredible volunteer work with Warriors Centers for Women and Men and about her challenges with alcohol several years ago.
We hear about her mother Dr. Linda Dixon, an anesthesiologist and inventor. We also her about her life with her husband Robby and their 5 children together, Cannon, Julian, Jade, Kelsey and Caden.
Episode 91 with Keith Evans. Keith is a former ATP Professional tennis player. He is the owner of KE Tennis Academy and the tournament director for the ATP Challenger tournament coming to the new Leftwich Tennis Center in August 2023.
He was Tennis Magazine's 1988 College Player of the Year and one of the best college players in the country while playing at Ole Miss.
We talk about some special times and matches in his pro career including his big match at the US National Indoor Tennis Championship playing #4 in the world, Thomas Enquist. He also played Andre Agassi in a tournament once too.
Keith talks about his friendships with Mark Goodfellow and Barry Pelts, and he also tells about his lifelong friendship with Phillip Cagle.
He tells the audience about his wonderful parents, Eleanor and Don, and the very close and special relationship he had with his dad. He also tells us about his 3 boys, Jacob, Noah and Jackson.
Episode 90 with Charlotte Bevers.
Charlotte is a Sex and Relationship coach.
She helps individuals and couples navigate partnerships and co-create more connection, intimacy, great sex, communication and depth.
Charlotte shares with the audience things she feels are important to achieve those things and has a lot of testimonials from men and couples she has helped and made their lives much more enjoyable.
Episode 89 with Kim Hill.
Kim has over 25 years in business as a real estate investor in Memphis. She is also a licensed General Contractor.
She is the author of the book "No Cash No Credit Real Estate."
Kim was named one of the Top 10 Female Entrepreneurs of 2020 in the United States by New York Weekly.
She is a self-made, very determined person who owes her success to all her hard work and is currently working on a $22 million project in Whitehaven.
Episode 88 with Don Turner. Don is the CEO for Neosinus Health and NeoPath Wellness.
He received the CEO Monthly Magazine's 2021 Global CEO Award in Healthcare for Best Drug Development Platform.
Anyone who is suffering from Depression, PTSD, Anxiety, Diabetic Neuropathy, Chronic Pain and other Mental Health and Neurological Disorders should tune in to hear the exciting news in the near future these 2 companies will be unveiling that will change the way pharmaceuticals and medicine work.
(Had a few technical glitches last week when this was released so it was deleted and I am releasing it again.)
Episode 84 with Chip Eddleman. Chip is the lead singer of the band duo Mudflap King, as well as a solo artist and talented songwriter. He is also a member of Fire Station #17 of the Memphis Fire Department.
Chip and I have a great time talking about my pool parties we had between 2005-2009 and fun times out together at Fox and Hound Cordova, Stonewall parties and Red Rooster in downtown Memphis during those years too.
He shares with the audience about his almost lifelong friendship with Thomas "Bubba" Bryan and the special bond they have together. Chip's a huge family man and tells us about his wedding day back in 2013, his deep love for his wife Alexis and their two boys, Levi and Laken.
On a personal note, I had such a great time talking to Chip about those "party years" and I'm so proud of who he has become today.
Episode 87 with Trey Draper. Trey is currently one of the offseason trainers for Memphis Grizzlies point guard, Ja Morant. He is a former basketball player at The University of Memphis.
Trey was an assistant varsity coach at Mitchell High School in Memphis under Andre Turner in 2016 when they won the Class A State Championship and he was also an assistant basketball coach at the prestigious IMG Academy from 2018-2021
We have a great conversation about basketball, life and how one high school coaching job that he didn't get hired for was one of the best things that ever happened to him.
He also talks about his family and their long time ties to Memphis basketball, including his grandfather Leonard Sr. who was best friends with former Tiger great Larry Finch.
Trey shares with the audience about the great influence his parents, Wanda and Leonard Jr. have had on his life and also tells us about his sister Erika, who is making a big name for herself in television news broadcasting in Miami.
Episode 84 with Chip Eddleman. Chip is the lead singer of the band duo Mudflap King, as well as a solo artist and a very talented songwriter. He is also a member of Fire Station #17 of the Memphis Fire Department.
Chip and I have a great time talking about my pool parties we had between 2005-2009 and fun times out together at Fox and Hound Cordova, Stonewall parties and Red Rooster in downtown Memphis during those years too.
He shares with the audience about his almost lifelong friendship with Thomas "Bubba" Bryan and the special bond they have together. Chip is a huge family man and tells us about his wedding day back in 2013, his deep love for his wife Alexis and their two boys, Levi and Laken.
Episode 86 with Amy Speropoulos. Amy is an Emmy Award winning journalist with over 27 years in television. She talks about how her career got started back in college in Tuscaloosa and eventually led her to Memphis. Amy is the Director of Communications and Community Engagement for New Hope Christian Academy.
She tells us about her special friendships with long time television personalities Valerie Calhoun, Mearl Purvis and Kontji Anthony and she also shares with us a very special piece of advice former WREG-News Channel 3 anchor Jerry Tate gave her early on in her career that she always followed while on the air.
Amy also shares with the audience her life with her husband of almost 20 years, Scott, and she tells us about their 3 beautiful girls, Hailey, Ashlyn and Scottie.
Episode 85 with Chavis Daniels. Chavis is the Defensive Coordinator for his alma mater, Manassas High School. He starred in the 2011 documentary 'Undefeated', which won the Oscar in 2011 for the Best Documentary Feature. Sean "Diddy" Combs joined the film in early 2012 as an executive producer on the remake. He recently founded 'WeNotMeTv' on YouTube and it is booming. Chavis has had such a positive influence on many young kids' lives and is making a big difference in this world. He shares with the audience about the special relationship he has with Coach Bill Courtney, a man whose belief in Chavis made all the difference in reshaping his life.
Episode 83 with Laura DiBenedetto. Laura started her first company while she was in college at the age of 19. She is a #1 Bestselling author of the book "The Six Habits-Practical Tools For Bringing Your Dreams To Life." She is also a personal coach and talks about how she doesn't accept excuses from anyone, especially herself, and that she leads with her heart. Laura has been very successful at almost everything she does and she retired from her company a few years ago at the age of 37, but she still continues to coach people one on one today.
Episode 81 with Jamion Christian. Jamion is the former head basketball coach at Mount St. Mary's, Siena and George Washington University. He's the host of the "Last Call with Jamion Christian" podcast. Jamion was an assistant along with Will Wade under Shaka Smart at VCU in 2011-2012. We talk about his life and coaching career and how he got hired at his first D1 school as a head coach at just the age of 29. He tells us about his parents, Joyce and John, and the great influence they've had on his life. He also shares about his amazing life with his wife Allie and his son Jacoy too.
Episode 82 with Mckrell Baier. Mckrell's the co-owner of the Southern Blues Equestrian Center in Collierville, TN. She is the Program Director of the nonprofit BridgeUp, GiddyUp that works with students from Havenview Middle School in Whitehaven and has helped to positively change the course of their lives. She talks about her husband and partner Christian and their two boys, Karl and Johannes. She says, "regular people do amazing things every day," and she is the epitome of that.
Episode 80 with Will Wade and Greg Graber. Will is the former head basketball coach at LSU and Greg is a mental performance coach. Will joins the podcast today to talk about the 2022-23 college basketball season, some of the top players, and who he expects to be the top teams in the country and make it to the Final Four in Houston. Greg joins us to talk about how he feels the effect that mental awareness has on college basketball today and how important mindfulness and meditation have been to many players, including some of the best in the game . With the exception of me mispronouncing a few basketball players' names, this was a pretty fun interview with these two men who are very close friends.
Episode 79 with T.J. Cates. T.J. is the Executive Producer, CEO and Host of Nashville Entertainment Weekly. He's an actor, director, writer and an author. His company T.J. Cates Productions recently released the film 'The Haunted Farmhouse'. T.J. is extremely close to his parents who will be celebrating their 62nd Anniversary this Saturday, November 12th. He shares with the audience a little bit about them and also tells us about his exciting life with his wife and partner Jill, his kids Zachary and Annalisa, and their dog Daisy.
Episode 69 with Scott Medlin. For all my police officer or former police officer friends out there, this is a must watch! Scott was a police officer for almost 15 years. His main purpose now is to help police officers stay alive and thriving. Scott's a police speaker who talks to officers at both police academies and first responder conferences both in person and over zoom. He's also an author who has written 4 books including '101 Useful Tips For Rookie Police Officers; Be Safe, Be Healthy, Perform Great'.
thescottmedlin.com
Episode 74 with Jennifer Burris. Jennifer is the former owner and CEO of The Ivory Closet Women's Clothing Boutique in midtown Memphis. She was also a songwriter/vocalist with Crown Vox. We have a great conversation about "empathy" and she tells us how important she believes it is for parents to talk with their kids. Jennifer also shares with us her battle with depression and how creativity and humor are her life rafts. She tells us about the wonderful life she shares with her husband Michael, and their children Finn and Avah.
Episode 73 with John Morris. John is the Executive Director of Brand at Club Colors located in the Greater Chicago Area. Club Colors is a full comprehensive Branding and Marketing solutions firm. Their brand promise is "Right Solution, Right Place, Right Time." He also is the host of the podcast "In The Club" by Club Colors. John has a ton of passion and enthusiasm not only for what he does to help people everyday, but for life in general.
Episode 77 with Josh Pastner. Josh is the current Head Basketball Coach at Georgia Tech and the former Head Coach at the University of Memphis. He played basketball at the University of Arizona and was a player on the 1997 Arizona Wildcats NCAA Basketball National Championship team.
Episode 76 with Gary Parrish. Gary is an award-winning national college basketball columnist for CBSSports.com. He joins me for the 2nd time today to preview how he thinks the Memphis Tigers will fare this year and to give some predictions for the upcoming 2022-23 college basketball season. He hosts the #1 rated afternoon drive radio show, "The Gary Parrish Show", every Monday through Friday from 4-6pm on 92.9 ESPN Radio in Memphis.
Episode 68 with Amanda Baker. Amanda lives in London, England, United Kingdom, but she does business all over the world. She is the Founder & Brand Storytelling Director for 5 Stories, which is a storytelling consultancy that helps brands connect more with the people they exist for. She says "entrepreneurship is a very vulnerable place." Amanda just recently got married this past August.
Let's Make a Better Memphis-Episode 4 with Cameron Kinley.
Joining me again tonight were my co-hosts Michael Williams and Sherrie Hopper. Our Special Guest on the podcast was Cameron Kinley. Cam graduated from Lausanne and played football at Navy. He continues to be a Naval Officer and also tours around the country inspiring children.
We talked about several important issues to reduce violent crime in Memphis, including discussing the $700 million the city wants to use for Liberty Park and the FedEx Forum, but none of that money will go to make Memphis a better and safer place to live.
Episode 71 with Justin (J.R.) Moore. J.R. is an American singer/songwriter from Memphis. His debut solo EP "Rocket" was released in 2018. He is also the lead singer and guitarist for the band Ingram Hill, and a singer and guitarist for Allen, Mack, Myers, and Moore. We go through his music career that started while he was in college at Memphis in the late 90's all the way through today with his several music projects. J.R. shares the story about opening up for Hanson for the first time in 2004 and how music came full circle for him as it happened again in 2022. He also shares a couple of great stories about his special friendships with Phil Bogard and Zach Myers. Lastly, he tells us about the wonderful family he has with his wife Anna, and their kids Carter and Lucy.
Episode 66 with Alexandra Trevisan. Alexandra is a behavior and wellness coach and a digital brand and business coach. She is the owner of Alexandra Trevisan Inc. Alexandra helps people to "Fuel Their F*ck Yeah" in business and life and has been seen in Forbes and The Huffington Post.
Episode 78 with Georgia Cooper with Special Guest Host Steve Conley. Georgia is the Director of Museum Operations for the Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum in downtown Memphis. It was built in the early 1870's. She tells us great stories this Halloween about the spirits that occupy the house and the different ways they have let people know they are still living there over 100 years later.
Episode 75 with Toni Williams. Toni is the Director of Operations at The Kent in downtown Memphis. She shares with the audience some great information and some history about the newest event venue in Memphis. She is a long time breast cancer survivor and shares her story and the importance of how her early detection saved her life. Toni also talks about her two wonderful children, Dane and Haley, and of course her three beautiful grandkids that Nana loves to spoil.
Episode 70 with Savio Clemente. Savio is a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness coach and founder of The Human Resolve. He's a #1 Best-Selling Author of the book I SURVIVED CANCER AND HERE'S HOW I DID IT-35 Cancer Survivors Share Their Journey. He is also a Stage 3 cancer survivor. Savio is also a podcaster and a syndicated columnist who has interviewed Venus Williams, Ice-T, and Debra Messing. His personal philosophy is GET. BUSY. LIVING.
Episode 72 with Romeo Khazen, Wilbur Hensley, and DeAngelo Williams. Romeo and Wilbur join me again today and they bring along with them their very good friend, DeAngelo Williams. They are here to talk about 'Battle of the Bras' this Friday night at Horseshoe Casino in Tunica to raise money for cancer research. The 3 of them have a lot of fun 'arguing' with each other over who will win the 'Bra contest' Friday night and it's extremely funny because they all talk shiat pretty well. Wilbur has won the last 3 in a row and thinks he has #4 in the bag. On a much more serious note, in this episode DeAngelo shares the very personal story about why he started The DeAngelo Williams Foundation to help prevent breast cancer. If you can't make the event and want to make a donation, please go to deangelowilliams34.org and in the top righthand corner you will see the word DONATE in pink. Every single dollar helps and is appreciated. Thank you!
Episode 67 with Tina Rodgers. Tina is a Senior Public Relations Specialist at FedEx Express. She has a lot of responsibility in her position and excels at her job. Tina's also involved in charity work with The Junior League of Memphis and Habitat for Humanity. She got the news in 2020 that she had breast cancer. After several surgeries and radiation treatments, 2 1/2 years later she is cancer free. Tina's a fighter, a survivor, has a ton of determination, and can almost always be seen with a smile on her face. She shares her story today.
Episode 63 with Rodd Bland. Rodd is the founding member of Rodd Bland and Members Only Band. He also plays with several other bands in Memphis too. He has been a mainstay on Beale Street in downtown Memphis for 25 years. Rodd shares some really great stories about both music and relationships. He tells the audience about his special connection with Wilbur Hensley and Kelly Potter. We also hear about how a large portion of his life so far were spent playing with and being around his Godfather, B.B. King, and his father, Bobby "Blue" Bland, who was one of the greatest blues vocalists in history.
Episode 65 with Patricia Hubbard. Patricia is a nutritional and mental conditioning consultant. She is the owner of HUBBS Consulting. One of the areas she specializes in is working with 'high performers' in business and athletics. Patricia dives very deep into how important it is not to hold off and put aside our nutritional needs because we feel we're too busy to do it. She explains how it's a necessity to do and I learned so many new things I had never heard before. Patricia also talks about how she is against 'diets' and gives a great explanation why that is. I learned so many things that I need to do and not to do anymore during our conversation.
Episode 58 with Josey Scott. Josey is the former lead singer for the band Saliva. Saliva had several major hits in the early 2000's, including the songs "Your Disease", "Click Click Boom", "Always", "Rest in Pieces", and "Ladies and Gentlemen". It all started with the band BlackBone, and we went all the way through the years until we got to his current tour starting this weekend in Memphis this Saturday night at Growlers, Josey Scott Outlaw, with opening acts EMT and Todd Poole's Roxy Blue.
Josey shared some really good stories about how he ended up getting married at Graceland, how Saliva 'beat out' Billy Idol to tour with Kiss and Aerosmith in 2003 thanks mostly to Gene Simmons' son Nick, how he got the part on the TNT television series 'Wanted', his special relationship with one of Elvis' bodyguards, Red West, and by the way he talked about Todd Poole and Chris Dabaldo, there was a special friendship with both of them. He also tells us the incredible story how he met his wife Kendra and the life they share together along with their beautiful children.
I talk a lot in this episode about 'the power of a moment' and Josey had several of these moments that he shares with the audience. Every single one of them changed the course of his life, all for the better. This is an extremely long podcast, a little over 3 1/2 hours long, that we know will have to be watched or listened to over the course of several days. We were going to break it up into a few, but with his tour starting this weekend, we had to do it all at once. It was well worth it and was so much fun hearing all about his music and personal life too. I really think you will enjoy it. Thank you!
Episode 64 with Eric Hasseltine. Longtime radio voice of the Memphis Grizzlies, Eric Hasseltine, joins me to recap this past season and to talk about what to expect for the 2022-23 season. He shares some great insights into the players and coaches that you will love to hear. Tonight at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, the Grizzlies open up their season on national television against the New York Knicks.
Episode 62 with Ashley Greer. Ashley is an NPC bikini competitor, a fashion and fitness model and a social media influencer at LTK. She graduated from the University of Memphis where she received a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Organizational Leadership. She talks about how she got started in the fitness world and working with fashion model Coco Rocha. Greer, as she is known, also talks a little bit about the two men that raised her, Andy and Dee, her brother Austin, her mom Jamie, and her dog Chunk.
Episode 61 with Kellye Cash. Kellye is a former Miss Tennessee and Miss America 1987. She shares several great stories, including how the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at Memphis State was pretty instrumental in changing her entire life. Kellye has released six albums in her career and has performed with Vince Gill, Billy Joel, Lee Greenwood and her Great Uncle, Johnny Cash. She tells us the funny story how she met her husband Todd and how her father Roy was a Top Gun instructor out at Fighter Town USA. She also shares some stories about her wonderful children that she's so proud of, Brady, Cassidy and Tatum.
Episode 60 with Pamela John. Pamela is the owner of Pamela John Fitness and a professional IFBB Bikini athlete and master's Bikini coach. She is also a make-up artist and model with Colors Model and Talent. She talks about what happened to her at the age of 32 and what she had to do to get her life back. We also hear a little bit about her parents, who just celebrated their 61st Anniversary, and her family including her husband Bobby, her daughters Emma, Claire and Grace, and her grandchildren, Liam and Luna.
Episode 59 with Brock Glenn and Max Gilbert. Brock and Max are seniors at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis. Brock will be playing football at Ohio State University next fall and Max will be playing at The University of Tennessee. They have developed a special bond over the last 4 years while playing football together and it goes well beyond the field of play too. We have a great conversation about their supportive families and how much it's shaped their lives. We also talk about a pivotal time in both of their lives with Max's journey to a life of football for the first time during 8th grade and Brock moving out of his comfort zone and changing schools right after 8th grade. These outstanding young men have very bright futures ahead of them.
Episode 57 with Alexandra Nolan. Alexandra is a self-made entrepreneur, a women empowerment speaker, the founder of City Chic Living Blog, and an author. Alexandra had a great job at a national major company and after 6 years, she resigned and bet on herself and her abilities. She is now recognized as one of Yahoo's 9 influencers to inspire. Alexandra shares some very personal things and talks about her 3 boys, Jack, James, and Ransom and her husband Greg and the fun and laughed filled life they have together.
Episode 56 with Kelly Parrish. Kelly is the owner of Aiden + Ollie, a children's boutique that opened in Southaven, MS in 2017. Kelly and I talk about how the idea for her store came about and you'll hear some great testimonies from several of her customers on how special the staff and the store is to them. She shares the story of 2016 that her and her husband, Gary, went through and how they were able to persevere and get through things. Kelly also shares with the audience some personal stories about her children and her life with Gary.
Episode 55 with Angel Kirk. Angel is a public speaker, a business and leadership consultant and the owner of Angel Kirk Consulting. She has been involved in several different businesses in her life, including running a mult-million dollar Allstate Insurance agency. She is also a former Mrs. Alaska and a model who's been in the beauty industry for over 20 years.
Episode 54 with Shannan McWaters. Shannan is the co-founder and co-owner of The Firm, a real estate company that does business throughout Memphis and the Mid-South. She has been in real estate for over 13 years now and is one of the top agents in production in the Memphis area. Shannan has created some of the most impressive and entertaining marketing videos that I have ever seen in any industry. Her children Maisen, Tate, Billy and Mr. Pickles are her world and she shares a little bit about them here today too.
Episode 53 with Josh Robinson. Josh is an online health and fitness coach and owner of Josh Strong. He has been in the business now for over 10 years. He is also a former Memphis Police Officer. Josh and I talk about suicide and what led us to the point of almost going through with it and how we got to the other side and past it. He is a big believer that "things don't happen to us, they happen for us" and he is in such a great place in his life now and worked hard to get there.
Episode 51 with Ron Olson, Karen Perrin, and Steve Conley. They hosted the Ron, Steve, and Karen morning show on FM100 Memphis from 1994-2006. We had such a laugh-filled conversation about their 12 years together and talked about a lot of the different pranks they played on their radio audience over the years. They were also part of and took the lead on some of the most wonderful and generous things our community has ever done. Even though this wasn't live on the radio, it's the first time the 3 of them had all been together since their show ended in 2006 on any audio or video platform.
Episode 52 with Michael Cook and Stevie Morgan. Michael Cook is a professional middleweight boxer with a record of 21-0 with 13 knockouts in his career. Stevie Morgan made her pro debut in Memphis back in June and is 2-0 with 2 knockouts. Both fighters will be part of the big event in Memphis on Saturday, October 1st at the Agricenter International Ampitheater that has 12 fights on the boxing card. Michael will be fighting for his first middleweight championship belt in the main event.
Episode 50 with Towanna Murphy. Towanna is the CEO and Founder of WDEM Radio 98.5FM in Memphis. She has been the host of The Towanna Murphy Show for over 10 years. On Saturday, October 1st, she launches her new television show from 10-11am every Saturday on CW-30 Memphis. We have a great conversation about her background in the medical field, how she found out she was cousin's with Penny Hardaway, and about her video that went viral in 2018 that ended up being aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live too.
Let's Make a Better Memphis- Episode #2 with Pastor Larry Hunter
I am once again joined by my co-hosts Michael Williams and Sherrie Hopper today and we have on our special guest, Pastor Larry Hunter. Pastor Larry is the founder of Touched by An Angel Ministry in Memphis. This man is such an amazing and giving individuals who has helped out and touched the lives of so many people. He goes into the neighborhoods and areas most people won't go into and feeds them and spends time talking to people who are homeless, hungry and need help. He is also very loving and giving to kids and shows them that there is another way to live and get out of a bad lifestyle and situation. Just put his name into a Google search and see all the wonderful things he has done for Memphians.
He has a GoFundMe page if you would like to donate to his cause. Whether it's $1, $5 or more, every single dollar helps. Go to his GoFundMe page, Touched By An Angel Needs A Miracle (Stolen Toys). Thank you.
Episode 49 with Otis Jackson. Otis is the former point guard at Memphis State. He is the 17th ranked all-time leading scorer in the history of the Memphis program. He was named to the All-Metro Conference team all 4 years at Memphis State. He is a franchisee and the owner of The Peach Cobbler Factory, opening up on October 15th in Collierville. We talk Tiger basketball history including conversations about Dana Kirk, Larry Finch, Jack Eaton and his time at Bolton High School when he was Mr. Everything and won a state title under legendary Coach Joe Branch his senior year.
Episode 48 with Heather Hakes. Heather is a mindset coach, an author, a speaker, and a podcaster. She is a personal trainer- for your MIND! She is the author of the book, "Take the Leap", and has been featured in numerous publications.
Episode 47 with Brad Carson. Brad has been with 92.9 ESPN Radio Memphis for about 18 years. He is the Brand & Operations Manager and the former producer of The Gary Parrish Show. Under Brad's leadership, WMFS 92.9 ESPN Radio Memphis is the #1 rated Nielsen Sports Station with people from ages 25-55. Brad tells us about his wife Stacy and how they met, their son Jake and their dog Peach.
Episode 46 with Emily LaForce. Emily is a sous chef de cuisine at River Oaks Restaurant in Memphis. She works with Master Chef, Jose Gutierrez. Emily is also an incredibly talented artist. You can find her murals at different restaurants and businesses in the Mid-South. She shares stories about how she got started painting in 4th grade and how she got involved with cooking too. She also talks about her wonderful wife, Ashley, and the life they live together.
Episode 45 with Cameron Kinley. Cameron graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2021, where he played football and was captain of the team his senior year. He was also the President of the Class of 2021. He is currently a United States Naval Officer located in Washington state. Cam is also a public speaker and has strong leadership skills. He talks about how his parents made sacrifices for him and his siblings and tells us about things he learned from them at a young age that helped make him who he is today.
Episode 44 with Zach Myers. Zach is the guitarist for the band Shinedown, who he has been a member of for over 18 years. He is a multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and musician. Zach shares some great stories about his early life getting started in music taking guitar lessons at the age of 13, all the way through to the amazing life he has now playing with Shinedown 25 years later. The band just released their latest album, Planet Zero, in July. Shinedown has released 29 singles in their existance, with 19 of them reaching #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Chart, more than any other band in history. Zach has a very loving and wonderful family including his wife Bethany and their two sons, Oliver and Avery, whom he tells us a little bit more about them too.
Episode 43 with Natalie Boyatt. Natalie is the CEO and founder of Bevee, which makes high end consumer goods that make doing "life" easier. We talk about her early life and about the day where he vision became a reality with Bevee. She is a very determined and hard working individual who has persevered, despite obstacles. We also talked about "angels" and her amazing little daughter, Sophie.
Episode 42 with Michael Graber. Michael is the founder and managing partner of Epic Pivot, which is an insights, innovation, and stategy studio in Memphis. He has advised over 300 companies throughout the United States. He's also an author and a musician.
"Are you truly concerned about the quality of life of the citizens of Memphis and Shelby County?"
That might sound harsh, but I don't think so. Of course, everyone is upset, hurt, angry and scared, but what are we/you/all of us going to do about it this time? If it's like all the other times things similar to this have happened, nothing will change. Our leaders will say all the right things for a little while, but then as usual, time goes on and it's not that people forget, but they just move past it and on with their lives. That is, of course, until it happens again, and then again.
We also would like this to reach as many people as possible and are asking any of our friends who are comfortable to please share this. We believe that if enough of us are "truly concerned" and sick and tired of this happening in our city, we can come together and do something positive about it. Thank you.
Mike Williams, Sherrie Hopper and Michael Zellner joined by Special Guest today, Amy Speropoulos
Episode 41 with Kelly Wolf. Kelly is an actress who is former Memphian and now lives in Studio City, California. She has been in numerous television shows including Law and Order: Criminal Intent, ER, Parenthood and Grey's Anatomy. She has also been in several major motion pictures in her career. Her big breakout role was starring in Stephen King's movie, Graveyard Shift, in 1990.
Episode 40 with Todd Poole. Todd is the lead singer of the band Roxy Blue, which was formed in 1989. They released their first album on Geffen Records in 1992 entitled, "Want Some." He was also the drummer for the band Saliva from 1996-1999.
Episode 39 with Nick Pagliari. Nick is a singer/songwriter from Memphis. He currently lives in Texas with his wife Carmen, and his three children Nikiah, Arlo and Sonny, where he is a certified nurse anesthetist. Nick recently released his fourth album on July 22nd entitled "Hard Lessons." Nick and I have a great conversation about his life in music that started with a jukebox in his parent's home when he was a child.
Episode 38 with Harrison Forbes. Harrison is well known throughout the United States for being a celebrity pet industry spokesperson. He has appeared on numerous national tv shows including Regis and Kelly, Larry King Live, The Today Show and many more. He is the author of the best-selling book "Dog Talk." He is the owner of HForbes Consulting and an Industry Partner wtih Maxim Partners. Harrison shares some great stories including the few hours he spent with Mike Tyson talking pigeons and his long time friendship with the late actor James Gandolfini.
Episode 37 with Valerie Calhoun. Valerie has been with WHBQ-TV/FOX 13 Memphis since December of 1995 and is the co-host of FOX 13's 'Good Morning Memphis'. She is in the Tennessee Journalism Hall of Fame and has won many Emmy Awards for investigative and feature reporting.
Episode 36 with Matt Gossett. Matt is a makeup artist in Memphis. His work has been featured in local publications such as Southern Bride, RSVP, At Home Memphis and Mid-South and Justine. He is a self taught artist who has worked with several celebrities in his career.
Episode 35 with Mark Goodfellow. Mark is a local TV/Commercial personality, and entrepreneur and an athlete. He is the owner of 'It's All Good Auto Sales' in Memphis and can be seen sitting courtside at the Memphis Grizzlies and Memphis Tigers basketball games.
Episode 34 with Marisol Quiroz. Marisol is a speaker, a top sales leader and a wellness enthusiast. She is also a recruiter in the Blockchain business.
Episode 33 with Cyrena Wages. Cyrena is a singer-songwriter from Millington, Tennessee. She is the event coordinator for 4Memphis Music, the charitable-event division of 4Memphis Magazine. Cyrena got her Bachelor's in Music Performance and Music Business from Belmont University in Nashville.
Chris is the former guitarist for several bands including Modern Immaturity Blackbone, Egypt Central and is best known for his time as a guitarist for the band Saliva. (There are a couple of spots late in the audio where it cuts out briefly because of a lost signal. It does come back on.)
Scotty is the former lead singer of the band 'Saving Abel'. He is currently on tour throughout the nation with his solo project entitled 'Scotty Austin'.
Wilbur is the co-owner of Blues City Cafe, Blues City General Store, Beale Street Sweets, Handy Bar and Club 152, all on Beale Street in downtown Memphis.
Kelly is the co-owner of the Mid-South company Roof and Nail and the former manager of Club 152 for 10 years working with Wilbur and running a great staff at the club.
Romeo is the Director of Player Development at Horseshoe Casino and also the Regional Director of Player Development. He will be joining me at least once a month to be a special guest host on the podcast and I'm excited to have him join me.
Braden is the Chief Executive Officer of Hypersocial, based out of Columbus, Ohio. Hypersocial brings businesses and their ideal customers together through social media for a return on investment that has their clients coming back to them each month with higher revenues and better close rates.
Episode 26 with Ben Ferguson. Ben is the host in Memphis on 600 WREC-AM of The Ben Ferguson Show every Monday-Friday from 7-9AM and from 5-6PM. He is the host of The Ben Ferguson Podcast and he also has a Nationally Syndicated Show every Sunday night from 6-9PM central on over 100 stations nationwide.
Episode 25 with Jon Roser. Jon is the producer of The Chris Vernon Show with Grind City Media of the Memphis Grizzlies. He is a postgame analyst for the Grizzlies Radio Network and color commentator for the Memphis Hustle, the G League affiliate of The Memphis Grizzlies
Episode 24 with Kenyon Glover. Kenyon is an award-winning author with 3 current books out on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. He is an actor who has appeared in over 70 films and was also on the television soap opera The Young and the Restless. He is also a philanthropist, model, motivational speaker and athlete who played professional basketball both overseas and with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks.
KC is an American country singer, songwriter and model. She has released 5 studio albums in her career, including her latest album 'Thunder', which was released on April 22, 2022 on Southern Skye Records.
Marcus is a Worldwide Account Manager with FedEx Cross Border. He has been working for FedEx for 7 years now and has been moving up very rapidly within the company. He is the 'Race Director' for the FedEx Family House 5K Run/Walk on September 17, 2022 at Shelby Farms in Memphis.
Lonisa is the owner of The Sift Bakery in Germantown, Tennessee. She specializes in making the best macaron you've ever tasted. A macaron is a French cookie with a delicate meringue shell with a cream filling. She has built her business through heart, determination and hard work!
Dane is an independent insurance advisor with Shoemaker Insurance Solutions. He is also the host of the highly successful and informative podcast on 'All Things Real Estate' called Key Exchanges in the 901.
Dave is the long time radio play-by-play broadcaster for The Memphis Tigers' Football and Basketball teams. He is also the host of 'Wolo and Friends' every Monday-Friday from 10-11am on Sports56 WHBQ AM and 96.1 FM.
Jeff is the co-owner of Buckley's Grill. Buckley's has been in business for over 28 years and is one of the most successful and popular restaurants in the Memphis area.
Episode 17 with Lori Knight. Lori is in the mental health and wellness business. They have their own brand called 'Fueled' that has all natural clean solutions that help people with both their mental and physical health.
Amy is a singer and songwriter who actually began singing in radio and television commercials for one of the largest jingle companies in the United States, William B. Tanner. She is the daughter of Jimi Jamison, the late lead singer of the band 'Survivor'.
Tom is the managing editor of Ring Magazine, "the bible of boxing." We talk all things boxing, including Heavyweight Champion of the World Tyson Fury, Super Middleweight Champion Canelo Alvarez and who Tom thinks would have won a fight between Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson in their primes.
John is the owner of Ruby Red Media. He is known to many Memphians as 'Twitch' on 93X hosting an afternoon show in the mid 2000's.
Romeo is the Regional Development of Player Personal at Caesar's Entertainment. He oversees Player Development, Asian Marketing and National Casino Marketing Departments.
Becca is the owner and founder of Soulful Living. She is a transformational and success coach and the author of the book Light Your Soul On Fire: Living an abundant life.
Jeff was shot 8 times in a murder for hire plot back in 2003 in the chest, neck and head and has an amazing story of survival to share.
Dr. Wootton is a chiropractor and owns The Wootton Clinic in Cordova, Tennessee. He has been practicing for almost 40 years and has worked on many well known people including Bette Midler, Robert Plant and The Eagles.
Greg is a mental performance coach and educational leader. He teaches mindfulness-based mental skills to schools, sports teams, and many different organizations around the world.
Pete is the Memphis Grizzlies television play-by-play broadcaster on Bally Sports Southeast. He also calls games on TNT and NBATV.
Will is the former head basketball coach at UT Chattanooga from 2013-2015. He was the head coach at Virginia Commonwealth University from 2015-2017 and the head coach at LSU from 2017-2022.
Lil Wyte is an American Rap Artist who is a member of the rap label 'Hypnotize Minds', which was founded by Juicy J and DJ Paul of Three Six Mafia. He is also the owner of the independent label 'Wyte Music'.
Eric has a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Mental Health Service Provider and a Clinical Hypnotherapist.
Gary Parrish is a national basketball columnist for CBSSports.com. He is a host, studio analyst and sideline reporter for the CBS Sports Network. He is also the host of the highest-rated afternoon drive show in Memphis on 92.9 ESPN Radio from 4-6pm.
Andre Turner is the former point guard at Memphis State and also played in the NBA and overseas professionally for over 22 years.
Michael Cook is undefeated and currently ranked #75 in the World out of 2000 Middleweight Boxers.