Derive Insights

What does it mean to keep living fully when life doesn't go according to plan?

In this episode of Derive Insights, I sit down with Jonathan Brandt, host of the Go At Living podcast and founder of Brandt Performance Health Coaching, for a powerful conversation about health, resilience, recovery, and taking ownership of our well-being.

After his own experience with cancer treatment and the difficult side effects that followed, Jonathan pursued certifications in health and wellness, holistic nutrition, and personal training—not only to better understand his own recovery, but to help others navigate theirs.

Together, we explore the mindset behind Go At Living, the importance of taking an active role in your health, and how small, realistic choices can help us build healthier and more meaningful lives. Jonathan also shares how he and his late wife, Christy, built a community around health, fitness, wellness, recovery, and the belief that we can keep moving forward even when life doesn't unfold the way we expected.

Whether you're navigating a health challenge, recovering from a difficult season, or simply looking for ways to take better care of yourself, this conversation is a reminder that your circumstances don't have to stop you from living fully.

If Jonathan's message resonated with you and you'd like to learn more about his work, connect with him below:

🌐 Personal Website: https://gooutliving.com/
💼 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586318439270#

Thank you for listening to Derive Insights. We hope this conversation has inspired you to take greater ownership of your well-being, make realistic choices that support your health, and keep moving forward one day at a time.

Sometimes the most unexpected moments in life call us to step outside the life we've built and serve others.

In this episode of Derive Insights, I sit down with Solange Schwalbe, an Emmy Award-winning motion picture sound editor whose remarkable Hollywood career spans more than three decades and over 175 film credits.

Following the September 11 attacks, Solange traveled to New York, volunteered with the Salvation Army, and eventually spent four months working as a safety monitor inside the Ground Zero recovery site. In her memoir, I'm Not Supposed to Know This, she shares a firsthand account of the recovery effort and the people who showed extraordinary courage during an unimaginable time.

Together, we explore what led Solange from Hollywood to Ground Zero, what she witnessed during the recovery effort, and what those experiences taught her about service, humanity, courage, and resilience.

This is more than a story about Ground Zero. It's a story about showing up when people need you most—and discovering what you're capable of when you choose to serve.

If Solange's story resonated with you and you'd like to learn more about her work, connect with her below:

🌐 Personal Website: https://imnotsupposedtoknowthis.com/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imnotsupposedtoknowthis/

Thank you for listening to Derive Insights. We hope this conversation has reminded you of the power of service, the strength of the human spirit, and the difference one person can make simply by choosing to show up.

What does it take to find your way back to yourself after life changes you in ways you never expected?

In this episode of Derive Insights, I sit down with Angel Willard, author of Fighting to Come Home, for a deeply personal conversation about trauma, survival, motherhood, accountability, healing, and the courage to begin again.

Angel opens up about the experiences that shaped her journey, including loss, chronic pain, incarceration, motherhood, and the difficult work of rebuilding her life. We explore what it means to take responsibility for your past without allowing it to define your future, break generational cycles, find your voice, and rebuild a sense of self after devastating experiences.

This is more than a story about surviving. It's a conversation about coming home to yourself—and finding the courage to become who you're meant to be.

If Angel's message resonated with you and you'd like to learn more about her work, connect with her below:

🌐 Personal Website: https://community.podmatch.com/members/40914091
💼 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1FoBwsbnzN/

Thank you for listening to Derive Insights. We hope this conversation has inspired you to believe that no matter what you've been through, you can still take responsibility, break old cycles, and begin again.

What happens when you stop following the conventional path and start designing a life around exploration?

In this episode of Derive Insights, I sit down with Bill Mullen, an author, explorer, sailor, podcast host, and founder of Thailand Adventure Network, also known to many travelers as Bangkok Bill.

After leaving a successful corporate career behind, Bill built a new life in Thailand, exploring the country by land and sea while discovering places, people, and stories beyond the typical tourist trail. Through his journey, we explore adventure, reinvention, travel, overcoming limiting beliefs, and the courage to make bold decisions in pursuit of a life that actually feels like living.

Bill also shares insights from his podcast Thailand Adventure Secrets and his book Getting Lost in the Magic of Thailand, offering a deeper look at the experiences that shaped his unconventional journey.

If Bill's story resonated with you and you'd like to learn more about his work, connect with him below:

🌐 Personal Website: https://www.thailandadventuresecrets.com/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wmullen/

Thank you for listening to Derive Insights. We hope this conversation has inspired you to question the path you're on, embrace exploration, and remember that it's never too late to design a life that feels truly yours.

What does it mean to recognize God's presence and experience His glory in your everyday life?

In this episode of Derive Insights, I sit down with Marcia McFarland, an award-winning author of Perfect Glory: Spiritual Insight for the 21st Century, for a meaningful conversation about faith, spiritual encounters, and developing a deeper relationship with God.

Marcia shares her testimony of encounters with the divine, biblical insights for daily life, and practical guidance for those seeking to experience God's presence more deeply. Together, we explore faith, purpose, spiritual growth, and what it means to carry God's wisdom into our everyday lives.

Whether you're deepening your faith, seeking spiritual clarity, or simply curious about experiencing God in a more personal way, this conversation offers an invitation to pause, reflect, and look for the divine in your own journey.

If Marcia's message resonated with you and you'd like to learn more about her work, connect with her below:

🌐 Personal Website: https://authormarciamcfarland.com/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcia-west-695728a7/

Thank you for listening to Derive Insights. We hope this conversation has encouraged you to reflect on your faith, deepen your walk with God, and remain open to the ways He may be working in your life.

Some stories are funny. Some are strange. Some are difficult to explain but they stay with us.

In this episode of Derive Insights, I sit down with Robert Bowers, a storyteller, outdoorsman, and self-published author who spent 42 years working with ODOT before turning his lifelong love of stories into a creative life.

Rob shares stories and experiences shaped by a lifetime of work, hunting, fishing, retirement, and encounters with the unusual. We explore the real, the strange, the funny, and the unexplained—and what happens when you pay attention to the moments that might otherwise become forgotten.

This conversation is a reminder that our lives are filled with stories worth telling, and sometimes the experiences we can't fully explain are the ones we remember the longest.

If Rob's message resonated with you and you'd like to learn more about his work, connect with him below:

🌐 Personal Website: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Robert-O-Bowers/author/B0BTCBBJWR?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1785180777&sr=1-1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=8fb18f2d-d27c-4441-8a44-9bd1c5199394
💼 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rob63bowers/

Thank you for listening to Derive Insights. We hope this conversation has inspired you to pay closer attention to the stories, experiences, and unexpected moments that make life memorable.

What if we trained our brains with the same intention we use to train our bodies?

In this episode of Derive Insights, I sit down with Arnold Beekes, an explorer and generalist whose work spans technology, leadership, psychology, personal development, innovation, and coaching.

We explore brain fitness, neuroplasticity, conditioning, and what it means to become a brain athlete, someone who intentionally trains the way they think, feel, and respond. Arnold shares his perspective on how developing better brains can lead to better innovation, stronger leadership, and ultimately better living.

This conversation is an invitation to become more intentional about the most powerful tool we carry every day: our brain.

If Arnold's message resonated with you and you'd like to learn more about his work, connect with him below:

🌐 Personal Website: https://leodulay.com/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ldulay/

Thank you for listening to Derive Insights. We hope this conversation has inspired you to think differently about your brain, your potential, and the person you're becoming.

What happens when the identity you've built for years suddenly disappears?

In this episode of Derive Insights, I sit down with Leo Dulay, a transformational coach, hypnotherapist, NLP professional, and author of You Have Not Your Past, to explore identity, change, and the stories we carry from our past.

After 23 years at AT&T, losing his career forced Leo to confront who he was beyond the job, routine, and identity he had built for decades. That experience became a turning point and led him to help others release outdated emotional patterns, rewrite their internal stories, and intentionally create who they want to become.

This conversation is a reminder that we are not permanently defined by who we've been. Sometimes, losing an old identity creates the space to discover a new one.

If Leo's message resonated with you and you'd like to learn more about his work, connect with him below:

🌐 Personal Website: https://leodulay.com/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ldulay/

Thank you for listening to Derive Insights. We hope this conversation has inspired you to reflect on your own identity, embrace change, and remember that you are allowed to become someone new.

What if the limitations you see today are not the end of your story, but the beginning of discovering what you're truly capable of?

In this episode of Derive Insights, I sit down with Maxwell Ivey, also known as The Blind Blogger, to explore resilience, reinvention, possibility, and the power of refusing to let circumstances define your future.

Maxwell shares his journey from growing up in a family carnival business to navigating major life changes, building an online business, and creating new opportunities through writing, speaking, podcasting, and accessibility advocacy. We explore what happens when life forces you to start again, how to build when you don't have all the answers, and why the stories we tell ourselves can sometimes become greater limitations than our circumstances.

Whether you're facing a major transition, questioning your abilities, or trying to build something new, this conversation is a reminder that you can still create a meaningful path forward—even when it doesn't look the way you originally imagined.

If Maxwell's message resonated with you and you'd like to learn more about his work, connect with him below:

🌐 Personal Website: https://www.theaccessibilityadvantage.com/home
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwellivey/

Thank you for listening to Derive Insights. We hope this conversation has inspired you to look beyond your limitations, keep learning, and continue becoming. To dive deeper into Maxwell Ivey's work and continue your journey, visit the links above and connect with him directly.

What happens when you realize that your income is tied directly to your time, your body, and your ability to keep performing?

In this episode of Derive Insights, Etu Daniel sits down with Josh Washington, a former professional dancer with the JabbaWockeeZ who spent nearly a decade touring the world before transitioning into sales, marketing, entrepreneurship, and capital raising.

Josh's journey is a powerful story of reinvention. After years of performing professionally, he began questioning what would happen if his income depended less on his physical ability and the number of hours he could work. That realization pushed him to think differently about identity, self-concept, wealth, ownership, and the kind of life he wanted to build.

Today, through his work in capital raising, Josh helps people raise capital and acquire assets while challenging the beliefs that can prevent them from asking for more and pursuing greater possibilities. His clients have collectively raised approximately $400 million in debt and equity.

In this conversation, we explore what it means to redefine yourself when the identity that once worked for you no longer fits the future you're trying to create. Josh shares lessons from his transition from the stage to entrepreneurship and explains why changing your self-concept can be just as important as changing your strategy.

We also explore the difference between earning money through your time and building assets that can continue creating value beyond your direct involvement.

This conversation is for anyone who has ever wondered whether there is more possible for their life, career, income, or identity—and for those ready to stop allowing old beliefs to define what they can ask for or become.

Because sometimes the next level of your life doesn't begin with learning something new.

It begins with seeing yourself differently.

Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaswashington619/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaswashington619/

Josh, thank you for joining Derive Insights and for sharing your journey from professional dance to entrepreneurship, capital raising, and helping others think differently about their identity and possibilities.

Your story reminds us that the skills and experiences that shape one chapter of our lives don't have to define every chapter that follows.

Thank you for challenging us to examine the beliefs we hold about ourselves, our income, and what we're capable of building and for showing how intentional reinvention can open the door to a completely different future.

As we learn, grow, and keep becoming, one conversation at a time.