This is an introduction to a Rough Gospel podcast that will replace the current one.

Convict 9653.
That was the number stitched onto Eugene V. Debs’ prison uniform when the iron doors of the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary shut behind him. At sixty-three years old, frail and silenced under the Espionage Act, most men would have faded into history. Debs didn’t.

From his cell, he mounted a final, audacious act: running for President of the United States in 1920. With no campaign trail, no speeches, and no freedom—just words smuggled from behind bars—he inspired nearly a million Americans to vote for him.

In this episode of Equity Alcove, we follow Debs from the rail yards of Terre Haute, through the Pullman Strike, to his campaigns and imprisonment, exploring why his story still matters today.

Because sometimes conviction endures longer than victory.

In this episode of Equity Alcove, host Ronald takes us back to 1720, unraveling the story of the financial frenzy of the South Sea Bubble that gripped London with promises of untold wealth. Discover how the allure of quick riches led nobles, merchants, and even the poor into a speculative mania, and learn the timeless lessons of growth, risk, and the real cost of hype. Join us as we explore the anatomy of a crash and the echoes of history that still resonate today. Tune in for insights that go beyond the numbers and into the heart of what makes markets tick.

In this episode of Equity Alcove, Ronald Willis delves into the often-overlooked world of economic data revisions. While headline numbers like GDP and unemployment rates grab attention, it's the revisions that can flip the narrative entirely. Ronald explores how these adjustments impact markets, policy, and personal decisions, revealing the hidden truths behind the numbers. Tune in to learn why the first report is just the beginning and how understanding the full picture can protect your investments and business decisions. Join us as we uncover the real story behind the statistics.

In this episode of Equity Alcove, host Ronald Willis delves into the surprising parallels between pirates and early capitalism. Stripping away the Hollywood myths, Ronald explores how pirates operated as floating startups, complete with their own codes of conduct, profit-sharing systems, and democratic leadership. Discover how these outlaws, often seen as mere criminals, were actually testing big ideas about risk, reward, and governance. Join us as we navigate the high seas of history to uncover what these renegades can teach us about modern economic systems.

He wasn’t a president or a billionaire. He was a judge in Louisiana who ran a parish like it was his own private empire. This episode isn’t just about Leander Perez. It’s about how quiet power works. How systems get built without fanfare. And how the kind of control that lasts doesn’t yell—it whispers. We’ll walk through land deals, oil money, levee boards, voter rolls, and a court case that finally cracked the silence. This isn’t just history for history’s sake. It’s a way to understand how local power takes root—and why that still matters. If you’ve ever wondered how control survives without the spotlight, this one’s worth a listen.

Forget the gurus. This episode is about real deals, real mistakes, and building something that actually holds up. Ronald shares how he got started with student rentals, what went wrong, what went right, and why boring investments often beat the flashy ones.

You’ll hear about how he convinced a bank before he had a track record. What happened when a mortgage broker ghosted in the middle of a deal. The one sentence from his wife that reframed a $20,000 loss. And why your buy box needs to fit you—not someone else's spreadsheet.

If you're tired of noise, hype, and performance, this one’s for you.

What if the people doing the real work quietly walked away, and nobody noticed?

This episode takes a look at how the world treats builders today. Not the loud ones. The real ones. The people who fix, invest, create, and keep things running without fanfare.

We talk about what Atlas Shrugged got right, what it missed, and why some folks are unplugging from all the noise—not to hide, but to get back to building something that matters. No politics. No shouting. Just a quiet pushback against a system that talks too much and values too little.

We’re drowning in information, but a lot of it’s just noise. In this episode, we dig into how false certainty spreads, why flashy experts get the mic, and what it’s costing us when we stop thinking for ourselves. No shouting. No panic. Just a clear look at the filters we use, the ones we should rebuild, and why stillness might be your most underrated asset.

In this episode of Spot the Faker, Ronald Willis pulls back the curtain on those so-called life-changing online courses that promise the world but deliver little more than buzzwords and recycled ideas. If you’ve ever felt burned by flashy programs full of mindset pep talks but missing real tools, this one is for you. We dig into how these empty curriculums sell urgency instead of substance and pressure instead of proof. You’ll learn how to spot the difference before you waste your time and money. Tune in and get ready to see behind the marketing smoke and mirrors.