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What if the life many men are chasing—success, intimacy, freedom—actually sits on the other side of healing?

 In this episode of At the Podium, Patrick Huey sits down with Zarak Fatah, a transformational coach and former serial entrepreneur, for a candid conversation about masculinity, trauma, faith, and the work of healing. 

Zarak reflects on growing up as the son of Pakistani immigrants in Canada, the impact of bullying and shame on his identity, and how those early wounds fueled both ambition and avoidance—ultimately leading him to open one of Toronto’s most iconic restaurants, Blowfish. 

Together, Patrick and Zarak explore why so many men and boys are struggling today with who they are in the world, the role of fatherhood and male role models, the cost of numbing behaviors (alcohol, drugs, pornography), and what real manhood looks like beyond performance and achievement. This is a conversation about responsibility, integrity, and choosing healing over avoidance.

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What happens when travel becomes more than destinations on a map, and instead becomes a reflection of our shared humanity?

In this episode of At the Podium, Patrick Huey sits down with Cole Sjoholm to explore solo travel, self-discovery, and what it means to find belonging in a deeply interconnected world.

After more than twenty years in banking and finance, Cole made an extraordinary decision in 2023, to travel solo to all seven continents in a single calendar year. What followed was not a bucket-list journey, but a deeper exploration of identity, perspective, and shared humanity. Learning along his journey that the most meaningful travel experiences are not about destinations, but about who we become along the way. A journey that he detailed in his book, Filling My Bucket - A Year of Solo Travel Across Seven Continents.

Throughout the conversation, Cole reflects on moments of growth, the unseen support of those cheering him on, and how choosing grace and perspective in unfamiliar situations reshaped how he views success and fulfillment. He speaks candidly about learning that he was enough, about expanding what he once thought was possible, and about recognizing that life’s defining moments are not endings, but beginnings.

This episode of At the Podium is a reflection on solo travel, courage, gratitude, and the quiet work of becoming yourself in a world far larger, and more connected, than we often realize.

*The beautiful photography featured in this episode was shot by Cole.

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In this landmark 100th episode of At the Podium, Patrick Huey sits down with Tembi Locke , New York Times bestselling author, actor, and producer, for a deeply personal conversation about love, loss, legacy, and what it takes to begin again.

Following the success of her acclaimed memoir and Netflix series From Scratch, Tembi returns with her new memoir Someday, Now—an intimate, audio-first work that explores midlife, remarriage, motherhood, and the quiet ache of letting a child step into her own future. Returning once more to Sicily, this time with her new husband and her daughter, Tembi reflects on grief that has changed shape, the courage required to integrate past and present, and the possibility of renewal after profound loss.

Together, Patrick and Tembi discuss the nature of time, the emotional terrain of the empty nest, blended family dynamics, and what it means to live fully inside change. It’s a conversation about presence over prediction, and about the legacies we build not only through what we leave behind, but through what we carry forward.

This episode is a reflection on becoming—and a reminder that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is stay with the questions.

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Michael Q. Pugliese is the third-generation CEO of Circadia, a global skincare company built on science, education, and integrity. But before he is a leader, a formulator, or an educator, Michael is the father of two daughters—and much of the work he does today is shaped by the question of what he is building not just for an industry, but for them.

In this conversation, Michael reflects on what it means to carry an esteemed family legacy while still having to earn your place inside it. He speaks candidly about learning the business from the ground up, taking risks without guarantees, and making sacrifices that don’t always come with recognition—time away from family, the pressure of growth, and the emotional discipline required to lead responsibly.

We explore how fatherhood has sharpened his sense of stewardship, how mentorship and education became central to Circadia’s mission, and why legacy is less about what you pass down than the values you model along the way. For Michael, building something enduring means creating a company his children can be proud of—one rooted in integrity, care for people, and long-term thinking.

This episode is a reflection on leadership, responsibility, and the quiet choices that shape both a business and a life.

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Actor, director, writer, and producer Tijuana Ricks joins At the Podium for a deeply reflective conversation about origin, representation, and what it means to take up space in a life that truly belongs to you.

Known for her work across more than 100 episodes of television—including the Marvel Netflix universe (Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist), multiple seasons of Billions, and Tiny Beautiful Things—Tijuana reflects on how being raised in a big, loud, Black, Creole matriarchy in Gramercy, Louisiana shaped her voice, presence, and sense of agency.

In this episode, Tijuana poses one of the most honest questions anyone navigating high-pressure careers, elite training programs, or long-held dreams can ask:

Are you actually happy?

She challenges the idea that persistence alone is virtuous, and speaks candidly about what happens when we continue doing what we think we should be doing simply because we’ve invested so much time and identity into it—even when it no longer feeds us. This conversation explores how representation matters not only on screen, but behind the camera, and how claiming authorship over your life can change the way you move through the world.

This is not a conversation about quitting.
It’s about listening.
About joy, sustainability, and self-authorship.

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In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, NFL tackle Calvin Anderson reflects on the year his life completely fell apart — and the unexpected forces that ultimately saved him.

After returning from a trip to Nigeria, Calvin contracted a life-threatening case of malaria, followed by a rare heart contusion that pulled him off the field and into a season of fear, uncertainty, and emotional unraveling. It was supposed to be the year he stepped into his prime. Instead, it became the year everything broke.

In this episode of At the Podium, Calvin opens up about:
• Surviving malaria and the terrifying moments that nearly cost him his life
• The heart injury that forced him to stop, sit still, and finally address his mental health
• How leaning into faith and embracing vulnerability became lifelines
• The profound love he shares with his wife, Sheree—and the role she played in saving his life
• Why breaking down became the beginning of rebuilding
• What resilience looks like when no one is watching
• The legacy he hopes to leave far beyond football

This is not just a story about the NFL.
It is a story about being human, about surrender, about love, about belief —
and about finding the courage to keep going when everything inside you is telling you to quit.

If you’ve ever lived through a year that broke you, this episode may be the conversation you didn’t know you needed.

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Justin Wren is a big man—and not just in physical stature. When you meet him in person, he takes up space. With his professional athlete’s frame and long blond hair, you can’t miss him. He has presence.

In his book Fight for the Forgotten, Justin writes unflinchingly about the intense bullying that shaped his childhood—a pain that sparked the fire that carried him into the world of professional MMA, where he found money, recognition, and a sense of belonging. But along his climb to becoming a champion, he fell into addiction, spiraled into despair, and attempted suicide.

It is here—at his lowest point—that Justin’s story becomes a living example of how our trials can become our testimony. Somehow, in the haze of that turmoil, a vision—a single Bible verse from Isaiah—became the thread that pulled him toward Africa, toward purpose, and toward the people he felt called to serve: the forgotten ones. People living in modern-day slavery. People forced to drink water for survival that, as Justin says, we would hesitate to give our dogs.

What happened next became a symbiotic story of restoration. Justin, who never had a champion fighting for him as a child, has become a dragon slayer for communities who need protection, dignity, and a friend in their midst. And as he brings them life-sustaining clean water, they give him something just as powerful: acceptance, belonging, and a reshaped sense of family.

In many ways, they are fighting for each other.

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Willie Mae Sharpe is a woman who has lived a big life — a life that has taken her to some of the most prestigious stages within the gospel and Christian broadcast worlds. Her improbable journey began in the shotgun house of her grandmother, the woman she was named after. There, as a young girl, Willie Mae learned the quiet power of service — watching her grandmother offer food and shelter to people in need, people in transition, people trying to get their lives together. That spirit of care became the foundation for her own life’s work and the heart behind her ministry and business, Wiley House Bed & Breakfast in Humble, Texas.

Today, she brings her immense gifts of praise and worship as a soloist to Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, Texas — a church that has been at the center of the political, social, and spiritual life of Houston’s Black community for over 60 years. For many, Willie Mae’s voice has become the soundtrack of Wheeler’s evangelizing spirit.

In our conversation, she talks openly about how “God held on to her when it looked like she would never get it together.” How He pulled her back from the edge of suicide and through years of struggle before she finally found her way to what she calls “walking it out for real” in her relationship with Him.

“Even after I received the Holy Ghost, I didn’t have it all together. I didn’t have it all right. It was years of walking this thing out before I actually got it.”

Willie Mae’s story is one of survival, surrender, and the active power of grace — of what can happen when you fall in love with God, His Word, and His presence.

Below are links to some of Willie Mae’s incredible singing.

“Only God Can Do It” - Medley, “Goodness of God” – written by Cece Winans,“Because of the Blood”

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Eric Litman — the founder of Aescape — has the mind of an explorer. In the world of spa and wellness, he and his team are charting new territories, challenging long-held beliefs about what a massage looks like, feels like, and how it’s delivered. With Aescape’s robotic massage solution, Eric is pursuing something truly extraordinary: the authentic human experience of care, connection, and self-agency — achieved through technology and AI.

He’s not on this journey alone. He’s surrounded himself with extraordinary collaborators — from seasoned massage therapists to former NFL quarterback Tom Brady, who now serves as Aescape’s Chief Innovation Officer. Together, they share one bold goal: to empower humans to do better at being human.

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Derrick Young Jr. is a modern-day wellness warrior, advocate and pioneer committed to living a life of unrestrained excellence and impact. He emodies the principles of courage, citizenship and action that Theodore Roosevelt speaks about in his "Man in the Arena" statement. As the Founder and Executive Director of Leadership Brainery, Derrick and his team are creating pathways to Master’s and Doctoral programs for underrepresented communities – making what once seemed impossible, possible for thousands of college graduates. And with his newest venture, Forever Young Spa — an urban luxury wellness destination in Boston — he’s redefining whom the wellness industry speaks to and whom it serves. 

In our conversation today we discuss how his own health struggles, his faith in God and his optimism fuel Derek’s ongoing fight for a better tomorrow. And how he has not allowed the chaos and noise of the present moment, to steal his joy. 

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