Alex Rodriguez knows what it means to reach the top. Over 22 years in Major League Baseball, he became a World Series champion and one of the most recognizable athletes of his generation.

But his story didn't end when his baseball career did. In this week's Celebrate Your Story, Alex talks about the two B's that have shaped his life — baseball and business — and how the lessons he learned as an athlete have influenced the entrepreneur and investor he is today.

We talk about building great teams, performing under pressure, investing in founders, choosing the right people, and why relationships can be one of our greatest competitive advantages. Then the conversation goes deeper.

Alex opens up about failure, mental health, therapy, and the mistakes that changed the course of his life. He shares how one of his most difficult periods forced him to become more self-aware, let go of some of his ego, and reconsider what success really means.

Today, Alex says his baseball legacy may not be the one he once imagined. But what he went through helped him become a better father, friend, and partner — and gave him a different perspective on the person he wants to be.

For years, Dr. James Ellis treated patients who were doing everything they were supposed to do, yet some still weren't getting better. The clinical psychologist noticed something important: The people who struggled most often lacked the strong social connections that others had. That realization changed the way he practiced.

In this episode of Celebrate Your Story, James and I explore why relationships are so fundamental to our physical and emotional health, why our social networks require more attention as we get older, and why men need to be more deliberate about maintaining friendships.

We also talk about one of my favorite pieces of his advice: Don't worry if you're always the one making the call or organizing dinner. A good relationship doesn't have to be perfectly reciprocal to be valuable. Sometimes being the convener is simply the role you play.

James describes relationships as the bedrock of our evolution. I'd put it more simply: We need each other. And in a world where it has become easy to live, work, shop, and entertain ourselves without interacting with others, maintaining our relationships may require more effort than ever.

Medical breakthroughs rarely happen overnight. They begin with an idea, grow through years of research, and eventually reach the patients whose lives they may change. Andrea Lopez has spent her career helping make that journey possible.

In this week's Celebrate Your Story, Andrea shares how a childhood fascination with medicine led her from Ecuador to New York, where a professor's encouragement opened the door to a career in cancer research. Today, she works at the forefront of CAR T-cell therapy, helping hospitals deliver treatments that harness a patient's immune system to fight cancer.

Our conversation explores what it takes to turn a scientific discovery into a life-changing therapy and how AI is giving researchers new tools to understand complex data. Andrea also reflects on the mentors who shaped her career and explains why she believes the best leaders recognize potential in others before those individuals recognize it themselves.

If you've ever wondered what happens between a breakthrough in the laboratory and a treatment in the hospital, you'll come away from this episode with a deeper appreciation for the people whose work is quietly reshaping the future of medicine.

To mark National Friendship Month, this week's episode of Celebrate Your Story is dedicated to the incredible reflections shared by our Celebrations Pulse community. Spanning decades, these stories show how the bonds we build are often our deepest sources of strength and joy.

The letters include stories about childhood friends who feel like family, the healing power of showing up when life gets tough, and how creative sparks like music can keep people connected over a lifetime. I also share a few thoughts on why authentic human connection will only grow more valuable as AI and remote work redefine our daily routines.

If someone special comes to mind while listening, reach out and share this episode with them. To catch every Celebrate Your Story conversation, be sure to subscribe!

Jason Eichenholz built a remarkable career as a technology entrepreneur, earning more than 85 patents and leading groundbreaking innovations. But his most important work began at home.

Inspired by his son Jonathan, Jason is creating Jonathan's Landing — an inclusive community designed to help adults with autism and other neurodiverse individuals build meaningful careers, live with greater independence, and thrive as valued members of their communities.

In this week's Celebrate Your Story, Jason shares the personal journey behind the project, explains the growing "services cliff" facing families as children with autism reach adulthood, and discusses how entrepreneurship can help solve one of society's most pressing challenges.

It's an inspiring conversation about innovation, purpose, and what becomes possible when business is used to create lasting social impact

Young men are facing unprecedented challenges—from loneliness and anxiety to social media pressure and the loss of meaningful friendships.

Licensed therapist Austin Cole joins Jim McCann for an honest conversation about what is really happening with men's mental health, why relationships matter more than ever, and how parents, friends, and mentors can help the next generation thrive.

Whether you're a parent, mentor, leader, or someone navigating life's challenges, this conversation offers practical insights and hope for building stronger relationships and a healthier future.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe for more conversations with today's leading thinkers, entrepreneurs, and changemakers.

In this special Father's Day episode, Jim McCann shares stories from listeners and Celebrations Pulse readers about the dads who shaped their lives through resilience, kindness, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication.

From single fathers overcoming extraordinary challenges to parents pursuing lifelong dreams while putting family first, each story reveals a powerful truth: being a an Amazing Dad isn't about perfection — it's about showing up, day after day. Through personal reflections and moving listener tributes, Jim explores the lessons fathers teach through their actions.

Together, these stories remind us that our greatest impact on others often comes from how we make them feel and the example we set along the way.

What happens when the one thing that defines your identity suddenly disappears?

In this week's episode of Celebrate Your Story, I speak with Jake Moscato, whose life changed in an instant when a football injury ended the identity he had spent more than two decades building.

For years, Jake knew exactly who he was: a Division I athlete. When that chapter closed, he found himself facing something many people experience after a major loss, career change, illness, or life transition: the unsettling question of who we are when the role we've always relied on is no longer there.

Jake shares his journey through severe anxiety and panic attacks, the books and mentors that helped him find his footing, and the lessons he learned about faith, purpose, and personal growth along the way. His experience shows we don't have to see the entire path to begin moving forward. Sometimes healing starts with one small step, followed by another. This episode is about resilience and the possibility of rebuilding a life that looks very different from the one you originally imagined.

What happens after you build something people love and realize your biggest work is still ahead of you?

Eliza Blank spent over a decade turning The Sill into a category-defining brand, bootstrapping for five years before taking outside capital, and learning everything from brand strategy to financial modeling on the fly.

Then, at the height of her success, she pivoted to FarmLink, a nonprofit rescuing hundreds of millions of pounds of surplus food for the 48 million Americans who need it most.

In this episode of Celebrate Your Story, Eliza tells me about what building a startup actually costs — the relationships you deprioritize, the sleep you lose, and the questions that don't show up in any business plan. She also talks about the partner who made the leap possible and the moment she realized purpose and profit don't have to live in separate worlds.

What makes an Amazing Mom? In this moving episode of Celebrate Your Story, I return to that question through the words of the Celebrations Pulse community.

I read stories about single mothers, military families, and women who carried their families through illness, loss, uncertainty, and everyday hardship with strength, faith, and love.

I also share the story that helped inspire our Amazing Moms campaign 40 years ago: a handwritten prison letter from a son who wanted to honor his mother with flowers. It reminded our young company of how deeply people need ways to express gratitude.

Together, these stories are reminders that Amazing Moms are often found in the everyday acts of love that hold families together, lift children up, and influence generations.