Welcome to Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten.  You will never believe where I met this guest....on a bus at the airport!  John Cantrell is Heavyweight Boxing Champion.  You would never know he is lethal when meeting him in person.   Nothing like "The Iron Man Cantrell" having a conversation with "Glamour with the Hammer".  I also love interviewing fighters, especially when they have a story full of grit and determination.  John was in prison, overcome addiction, and is a man of God.

Here is part of his bio from his website:

John Cantrell is a man of faith, a professional athlete, and an entrepreneur who escaped a life of drug addiction and prison by the Grace of God to serve the Lord in all that he does.  After his son almost died at birth and was diagnosed with a life-long disability, he made the decision to enroll in seminary school. He also began extensive training to continue his pro boxing career as a way to show his son that he can achieve anything he puts his mind to. With the help of his coach Damon Reed, he has maintained an undefeated record. He enjoys philanthropic work with children’s charities, children’s boxing and sports, and advocates for mental health awareness, substance abuse recovery, and prison reformation.  He is proud of Topeka, Kansas and hopes to help the city in any way that he can.  He serves as a board member on several nonprofit organizations that benefit children and underserved people.  John uses his platform in fighting to help motivate people and to spread the Gospel.  Jesus Christ, Tayler Cantrell (Wife) and Cooper Cantrell (Son) are his inspiration. 

As a recovered addict, undefeated professional boxer, and ardent follower of Jesus Christ, my journey is a testament to resilience, redemption, and unwavering faith. I’ve battled my inner demons, stepped into the ring with courage, and found solace in my spiritual path. My motivational talks blend raw authenticity with triumphant victories, inspiring audiences to conquer their own challenges. Let me share my story of transformation, hope, and unyielding belief – a narrative that transcends addiction, adversity, and fear. Together, we’ll rise, fight, and find purpose beyond the ring.

John Cantrell's website:  www.ironmancantrell.com

Brandy Von Holten's website:  www.brandyvonholten.com

Welcome to Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten!  This is my first COWGIRL CONFESSION!  WooWhee...fear creeped back into my life and I had to address it ASAP.  It took two other cowgirls to help me battle my own inner demons.  Well....and we also battled a spunky pony named Zoom Zoom, the wind, a opossum, and my feral filly named Domino.  Hold on, buttercup, I'm about to share one heck of a COWGIRL CONFESSION.

#dealingwithfear #notimeforfake #realcowgirl #rememberwhoare #brandyvonholten

Welcome to Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten.  If you are into homesteading, you will love this interview with Melissa Sisk, co-founder of the Mid MO Homestead Expo.  

The Mid MO Homestead Expo is scheduled for April 3-4, 2026  on the Missouri State Fairgrounds located in the Lowell Mohler Building, 2503 W 16th St, Sedalia, MO, 65301  10AM-5PM both Friday and Saturday.

Here's a little bio about Melissa from the expo's website:

Melissa Sisk is a member of the homesteading and homeschooling community, with a special focus on foraging and gardening. Inspired by the back-to-the-land movement her parents embraced in the 1980s, Melissa's early love for homesteading has grown into a life dedicated to self-sufficiency and environmental stewardship. Her passion for teaching others about the bounty of nature and how to cultivate it responsibly enriches the expo's offerings, inspiring attendees to explore and connect with the natural world around them.

Here's a brief explanation of the expo:

Come join us at the State Fairgrounds for a day filled with all things homesteading. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, this event is perfect for anyone interested in sustainable living, gardening, raising livestock, and more!

Explore a variety of vendors offering everything from organic seeds to handmade crafts. Attend workshops and demonstrations to learn new skills and techniques to enhance your homestead. Connect with like-minded individuals and experts in the field.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to expand your knowledge and network with others passionate about homesteading. Mark your calendars for the 2026 Mid-MO Homestead Expo!

Website:  Mid MO Homestead Expo:  https://midmohomesteadexpo.framer.website/

I will also be a speaker at the 2026 Expo.  My presentation is Friday at 4PM.  My topic is "Social Media Marketing 101".

Welcome to Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten!  This episode I answer questions and read comments from CT2V competitors, Facebook followers, and new faces to CT2V.  

What is CT2V?  Country Tough Trail Versatility.  It is an equine competition that combines trail, obstacles without speed, and a pattern.  There are no points awarded for speed, the obstacles are natural, and the ranch horsemanship pattern has some patterns without cantering.  It is my personal goal to have CT2V events hosted in every state and to be the largest versatility organization in the nation!  

I would like to personal like to invite you to check out out the Country Tough Trail Versatility website and download the free rulebook at www.ct2v.com and to hit that subscribe button so you don't miss an episode of Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten.

#horsecompetition #openshow #CT2V #trailriders

Welcome to Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten!  I met my guest by standing up to email spammers.  I was contacted by who I thought was "Mike Long".  I did a little research and found the real Mike Long.  I shot my shot and reached out to him and forwarded the spammy email of someone impersonating him and invited Mike to be on my podcast.  And here we are!

Mike outclasses me no matter how you cut it!  I call him a word ninja.  His first book he co-authored titled "The Molecule of More" has sold over 1M copies and been translated into 25 languages.  His second book is in my MUST READS as well, "Taming the Molecule of More".  I literally felt like Ellie Mae Clampett was interviewing the coolest most well-spoken man in the world.  I bet Mike corrects Grammarly.  

Here's part of his intro on his website:

Actor and author Ben Stein calls him “a poet.” Michael Long is an accomplished writer, speechwriter, educator, and award-winning screenwriter and playwright. He is the co- or ghost-writer behind two non-fiction bestsellers, and has been published three times in Vital Speeches of the Day, twice for speeches he delivered. As director of writing for the graduate program in public relations at Georgetown University, he created the writing curriculum and teaches graduate courses in PR writing, speechwriting, and business and persuasive writing. He has led reading programs for children of migrant farm workers, taught remedial mathematics to adults, and delivered guest lectures on humor at American University and the Graduate School of Political Management at The George Washington University.

As a speaker and corporate educator, he has taught writing and speechwriting to audiences around the U.S. and in London, Lisbon, Panama, Saskatchewan, and The Hague. Most recently he was appointed resident writing coach for the Professional Speechwriters Association, which publishes “Prose for Pros,” his long-running weekly column on writing.

Mr. Long’s career as a writer began while he was a graduate student in physics at Vanderbilt University when he started performing comedy, eventually becoming a house emcee for one of the oldest comedy clubs in America. His first job as a writer off-stage was sole speechwriter to one of America’s highest-profile senators.

Here's the link to The Molecule of More:  https://amzn.to/4rtgmkJ

Here's the link to his website: https://mikelongonline.com/ 

Welcome to Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten!  This was such a cool interview because DVM Travis Beasley with Beasley Equine Clinic in Eldorado, Illinois, interviewed me the day before at his facility, and then I remotely interviewed him the next day.  I am TEAM TRAVIS for life now!  

Beasley Equine Clinic is an equine veterinary clinic that is the REAL DEAL.  Clean, specialized, and UP-TO-DATE with technology!  

Travis is a second-generation vet.  Heck, even his brother is a vet.  What a gift to the equine that he sees.  I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I enjoyed getting to know this world-class veterinarian, a truly down-to-earth gentleman who cares about horses.  His focus is on owner education.  Find out about his tips, advice, his own health, organization, and his super useful emergency kits that are about to be available online.  You can find his podcast on YouTube of his interview with me and lots of even cooler guests.  Look up Beasley Equine Podcast.

#beasleyequinepodcast #equinevet 

Welcome to Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten!  Let me introduce Heather Mincer with Yes Honey!  Yes, Honey, is a healthy soda pop sweetened with honey rather than sugar or high fructose corn syrup!!  She's originally from upstate New York, but now lives in Missouri.  Heather's pop is in 200 stores nationwide and has partnered with Azure.  There are caffeinated and non-caffeinated versions with B-vitamins, ashwagandha, and l-cysteine.  

Heather is cool as a fan and gave us a discount code for my followers!  If you go to yeshoneybrand.com and use the code [Smartchix15] to get 15% off of any order over $50!  That code is good until November 30th , 2025.  And to check out my all-inclusive homesteading event and my t-shirt visit brandyvonholten.com

Welcome to Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten.  Let me introduce Mark Henry from Midwest Windmill Company.  I met Mark at the 2025 Missouri State Fair.  His company caught my attention, because I want to install a working windmill on our century-old ranch.  

Have you ever met someone and just clicked?  This podcast is upbeat and high-energy!  He can restore old or damaged windmills or install a new one.  And I bet if you have one on your property that you needed to relocate for some ching-ching, I bet Mark would be able to hook you up.  

Please subscribe, like, and follow Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten and our social media pages!   I have no doubt Mark Henry would appreciate the same.  They service multiple states.

www.brandyvonholten.com

www.midwestwindmillcompany.com

Welcome back to Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten.  Today's guest is Cheryl Dangerfield.  We met on Facebook.  Cheryl had liked and commented on one of my Facebook posts.  I clicked on her profile for her Facebook page called "Pushing Past the Quit" and here we are today.  It turns out that Cheryl and I do not live too far apart and share a goal of wanting to make an impact.  In this podcast, we discuss keeping promises to yourself, not talking down to yourself, and minimizing.  Cheryl also talked about a term that made me stop and think.  I am sure a lot of you will be able to connect with our stories.

Thank you for your time.  We would both love for you to hit the subscribe or follow button.

Welcome to the podcast "Country Tough with Brandy Von Holten"!  Today's guest is James King with King's Excavation & Land Management, LLC out of Foristell, MO, near St. Louis.  I have never met James in person.  I stopped scrolling one day when I allowed myself to blow off time with Facebook Reels.  King's Excavation went to the aid of strangers after Hurricane Helene.  That one video touched me, which started the mad hunt to do a podcast interview with them.  Good people need to be celebrated and supported.

My heart goes out to the people whose lives were devastated by Hurricane Helene.  Thank you to King's Excavation for stepping up and trying to help.  

As customers, you have the power to dictate who you hire and support.   If you need what they do, give them a call.

[email protected]  636-357-9457

www.kingsevcavationstl.com