Awaken The Awesome

It's always refreshing to walk into an interview and not really know what will come out the other end.

This was another one of those opportunities where the individual definitely lived up to the hype.

Jamal Henry is a man of many talents - whether through his dynamic football career, his obvious dedication to his family as a husband and father, or as a published author, one could agree there are a few reasons why our conversation was such a thrill.

But what mostly stood for me was the genuine intensity and wisdom that Jamal brought to our conversation. Indeed, I got to sit down with a man driven by a palpable sense of clarity and commitment to his goals that I believe we can all take notes from.

On this episode, Jamal and I have an amazing exchange as we discuss the importance self-awareness, creating boundaries, setting a clear path for one's vision and so much more.

You can connect with Jamal via Instagram & Facebook.

Be sure to grab a copy of his book available on Amazon.

Enjoy

Also available on your favorite platforms :

Apple Podcasts : https://apple.co/3bcWAWX

Spotify : https://spoti.fi/3rZOA1B

Google Podcasts : https://tinyurl.com/y57gshn4

Stitcher : https://tinyurl.com/yxrfp2s3

The story I thought I'd never get the courage to tell on this platform. 

Everything happens in due time.

With the hopes that my journey helps someone who needs to hear it.

Enjoy.

Also available on your favorite platforms :

Apple Podcasts : https://apple.co/3bcWAWX

Spotify : https://spoti.fi/3rZOA1B

Google Podcasts : https://tinyurl.com/y57gshn4

Stitcher : https://tinyurl.com/yxrfp2s3

What defines a Champion?

Medals?

Trophies?

The Scoreboard?

The endless training and practice sessions?

The high-level expectations we put on ourselves?

The ferocious dedication to our craft bred from a very early age through our family legacy?

The clear sense of direction we've sharpened over the years?

...or is it something else?

I don't have the answers. But fortunately, through a journey marked by ambition, resilience, discipline and personal struggles, my next guest, Neyssa Etienne, is firmly suited to provide a few.

Having accomplished so much as trailblazer for Women's Tennis in her native Haiti, as a local Champion, as well as abroad, all the way the Sydney Olympics, a tip of the hat is certainly due.

One could also say that old habits are hard to kill, as we were graced with Neyssa's dominating presence on the court as the only female player at the recent 2020 Edition of the Profin Open Tennis Championship that took place last November. Indeed, when you decide to come out of retirement after more than 10 years, making a statement is undeniable.

This was a special one. As life does happen, you lose sight of people and time just passes by. But when you purposely reconnect after 20yrs, you'd be surprised how truly precious time can be.

On this episode, Neyssa very candidly opens up about the critical role parents play in one's journey towards greatness, the importance of discipline, knowing your priorities, never backing down from a challenge, paving the way...and so much more.

An incredible conversation, which I do hope you'll enjoy.

You can connect with Neyssa via Instagram

Also available on your favorite platforms :

Apple Podcasts : https://apple.co/3bcWAWX

Spotify : https://spoti.fi/3rZOA1B

Google Podcasts : https://tinyurl.com/y57gshn4

Stitcher : https://tinyurl.com/yxrfp2s3

As one of the original guests of this podcast, it's always a refreshing opportunity to welcome back Emmanuelle Georges on the program.

As a Certified Life Coach, established Professional Speaker and seasoned podcaster, Emmy is one of those individuals who do not shy away from owning your personal truth and leaning into your purpose.

With a sense of service and a will to empower not only her clients, but also herself through her various programs, workshops and online content, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more inspiring spirit.

Being such a driven and focused person, she was definitely the appropriate source to tap into for a hands-on, no BS, jam-packed conversation on setting impactful, purposeful and successful goals.

On this episode, we dive into the importance of practical and efficient goal-setting, being comfortable in dealing with our uncomfortable feelings, filtering out the relationships in our lives...and so much more. 

You can connect with Emmanuelle via Instagram and be sure to subscribe to her wildly impactful Nannan Podcast.

Also available on your favourite platforms :

Apple Podcasts : https://apple.co/3bcWAWX

Spotify : https://spoti.fi/3rZOA1B

Google Podcasts : https://tinyurl.com/y57gshn4

Stitcher : https://tinyurl.com/yxrfp2s3

Solo Episode.

Nobody owes you anything.

What are you accepting to tolerate?

Enjoy

Also available on your favourite platforms :

Apple Podcasts : https://apple.co/3bcWAWX

Spotify : https://spoti.fi/3rZOA1B

Google Podcasts : https://tinyurl.com/y57gshn4

Stitcher : https://tinyurl.com/yxrfp2s3

What do avocados, distributed ledger technology and purposeful dedication have in common?

I struggled a lot in my last years of high school as well as throughout College. What resulted was that even though I am a strong advocate for Academia, for the longest time, I carried a strong sense of personal underachievement compared to individuals who maximised their academic potential, opportunities and endeavours in order to accomplish some pretty incredible things.

This is definitely something that caught my eye when I came across an interview my next guest gave on another podcast and the level of knowledge, expertise and overall sense of purpose that she was so powerfully and eloquently sharing left me floored.

Originally from Haiti, Genevieve Leveille, is the principal founder and CEO of AgriLedger, a blockchain solution which has been used to support and allow Haitian fruit farmers, customers, and families to reap the benefits of fairer prices and improved food security.

An innovative entrepreneur, global speaker and technology maven, with a background in corporate and institutional banking, she has more than 25 years’ experience dealing with large corporations and banks in financial supply chain optimization. With a reputation for the delivery of disruptive technologies in large-scale projects, Genevieve is recognized as an authority in the realm of digital identity and financial transformation. Exploring the powers of distributed ledger technologies (DLT) for over three years, her work in the financial inclusion for Africa is well known.

She serves as the vice-chair for the techUK Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) Working Group, an organization that provides strategic direction for all UK activities related to blockchain and DLT and is an inaugural member of the Advisory Group for the Estonian Government’s eResidency initiative for the digital identity. She has spoken on emerging technologies at numerous high-profile conferences around the world.

I can't tell you how incredibly intimidated it felt to sit across such a guest with such an incredible pedigree.

On this episode, I go back to school - literally - as Genevieve's wealth of information and expertise shed some light on issues that hit close to home for me, specifically the ways in which we as everyday consumers have our role to play in the global food supply chain, the new technologies ensuring fair compensation for farmers and distributors, as well her incredible example of resilience and singular purpose...this was an incredible interview to start out the year.

You can connect with Genevieve via Linkedin as well as her official website

You can download the MP3 for this episode by right-clicking here and choosing "Save As"

Also available on your favourite platforms :

Apple Podcasts : https://apple.co/3bcWAWX

Spotify : https://spoti.fi/3rZOA1B

Google Podcasts : https://tinyurl.com/y57gshn4

Stitcher : https://tinyurl.com/yxrfp2s3

Every time I hit 'Publish' and an episode gets released into The Universe, I often take pause - and realize that it's still there. I'm talking about that wonderful sense of excitement, gratitude, and respect that has always characterized every one of these amazing interviews.

It's a humbling thing to realize that, behind the achievements, the celebrity, the notoriety, the expertise, if one is willing to humble yourself and listen, you have the opportunity to get to know an incredible human being.

Today's guest is no different.

I had been a big fan of my next guest for a really long time as I greatly admired this warrior's journey.

As a back-to-back CrossFit Games World Cup Champion(2012, 2013) Michael Cazayoux is no stranger to the importance of one's mindset when overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

As a Coach, being well-accustomed to the unique process of self-examination, he specializes in helping clients “get out of their own way” by identifying self-limiting beliefs and ineffective behaviors. He could certainly draw from personal experience as at the age of 17, Michael moved from a small town in Louisiana to Utah for drug rehabilitation to overcome his addiction to opiates. It was that experience that led him to fall in love with CrossFit and most importantly helping others on a personal level through coaching and mentoring.

In 2014, Michael co-founded Brute Strength, a company that specializes in developing physical training programs for athletes. Over the years, he has coached A-List NFL and MLB players as well as CrossFit Games athletes in everything from power and speed development to injury prevention, nutrition and mindset. 

He also started the Brute Strength Podcast(which was recently rebranded as The Michael Caz Podcast)  where he’s interviewed many of the biggest names in health and fitness and has reached nearly 5 million downloads.

In 2015, Michael met his wife, Adee, founder/CEO of Working Against Gravity(WAG),an online nutrition consulting program dedicated to helping athletes and everyday people transform their lives. 

Having sold Brute Strength to his business partner in 2018, Michael is now acting full-time president of WAG where he currently focuses on marketing, leadership and nutrition coaching..

On this impactful episode, Michael shares his incredible perspective on commitment, acceptance, compassion, parenting, dedication and so much more. A jam-packed episode, which I do hope you'll enjoy.

You can connect with Michael via Instagram as well the WAG official website.

I was pretty much convinced that this conversation was going to be about Fitness, Nutrition, Breath Work and healthy habits.

One thing about success that we can all surely agree on is that despite the fact that you can go at it alone, it sure helps if you can rely on someone with the knowledge and experience to guide you and make your journey a bit smoother along the way.

As my next guest will tell you, this is especially relevant in the realm of professional sports where so many of our youths too often find themselves blindsided by the allure of fame and glory without factoring in some other aspects that come into play such as character and accountability.

Coach Raymond Ndjonok Tonye has a comprehensive and unique personal as well as professional background. From being an elite Canadian student-athlete who earned a full athletic scholarship to attend the University of Northern Colorado and play NCAA Division I Football, he knows firsthand how the power of sports can influence a person's life when approached with the right plan, structure and mindset.

A captivating public speaker, student-athlete, mentor, coach and strength and condition specialist certified through the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), Coach Ray is the Founder and Managing Director of the XC10 Sports & Leadership Center, where his 20+ years of experience in a competitive sports environment as a student-athlete, coach and mentor have proven as quite essential tools in both understanding as well as catering to the goals, perspectives and reality of student-athletes and their parents alike.

On this episode, Coach Ray shares his insights on navigating the delicate balance between ego and humility, his unshakeable commitment to his students-athletes, recognizing the importance of academics just as much as athletics, accountability both on and off the field, the importance of making your bed...and so much more.