Finding Freedom

Host John Odermatt sits down with Will Fry, founder and CEO of American Operator, a firm that buys small businesses from retiring owners and transitions them to local operator-owners. They discuss the economic uncertainty facing small businesses amid inflation, tariffs, and an affordability crisis, and how the baby boomer retirement wave threatens to hollow out Main Street if businesses are sold to private equity instead of local operators. Will shares how American Operator's earn-in model works, drawing inspiration from Chick-fil-A's selective operator program, and explains why AI is actually a net positive for industrial and trade businesses. The conversation also covers the rising popularity of socialism among young Americans, why capitalism's defenders have failed to make their case, and how the 2026 midterms could reshape the economic landscape — including a close look at the Texas Senate race. The episode was recorded the day before Election Day, November 2nd, 2026.

Chapters

Guest Links: americanoperator.com

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John Odermatt welcomes back Alvin Lui, founder of Courage is a Habit, for a deep dive into the parental rights battles heating up one week before Election Day. They discuss 17 ballot measures across 10 states — including four on transgender athletes in school sports — and why Alvin argues that passing them is only the first down, not the touchdown. The conversation covers the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) as the root pipeline for ideological activism in all 50 states, the launch of Courage is a Habit's ASCA 50-State Violation report, and the Trump administration's enforcement actions against school districts in Virginia and Los Angeles. Alvin also explains the philosophy behind "Embrace Exclusion," makes the case that courage must be a habit rather than a contagion, and shares practical tools parents can deploy this week.

Chapters

0:00 — Intro & Welcome

1:43 — Guest Introduction: Alvin Lui, Founder of Courage is a Habit

3:53 — Politicians Are Thermometers, Not Thermostats

9:42 — Why Courage Must Be a Habit

14:16 — Predictions: What Happens After Ballot Measures Pass

19:44 — Why Conservatives Lose the Long Game (The Boxing Analogy)

29:35 — Virginia Schools Suing Over Federal Funding & the ASCA Pipeline

34:37 — The ASCA 50-State Violation Report

37:00 — LA Unified: Hiding Gender Identity from Parents

43:25 — Advice for Teachers & Whistleblowing

54:56 — Embrace Exclusion: Culture Drives Change

63:42 — Upside-Down Inclusion & the Surveillance Society

69:17 — Tools & Resources for Parents / Closing

Links

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In this solo episode of Finding Freedom, John breaks down what positive thinking really means—not vision boards and mirror affirmations, but the deliberate, disciplined practice of directing your mind toward what's possible rather than what you fear. Drawing on Carol Dweck's growth mindset research, Martin Seligman's work on learned optimism, and the neuroscience of the reticular activating system, he makes the case that positive thinking is a learnable skill backed by science, not a personality trait. He explains how the brain's built-in negativity bias—supercharged by modern media and social media—keeps most people tethered to anxiety and self-doubt, and why overriding that default requires consistent, intentional effort. Five practical steps are laid out: auditing your inputs, monitoring your self-talk (including the trick of naming your inner critic), practicing gratitude, using forward-focused language, and surrounding yourself with people who elevate your thinking. The episode closes with a reminder that two people can face the exact same circumstances and get radically different outcomes—because the difference begins not with what happens to them, but with what they tell themselves about it.

Video Chapters

0:00 — Welcome & Introduction

1:27 — What Positive Thinking Really Means

3:30 — The Balloon Analogy: Cutting the Ropes

6:15 — Pop Culture vs. Real Positive Thinking

8:23 — The Science: Growth Mindset, Optimism & Neuroscience

11:35 — The Negativity Bias: Why We're Wired This Way

13:55 — Positive Thinking Is a Skill, Not a Trait

14:19 — Five Practical Steps to Practice Positive Thinking

18:51 — Final Thoughts: Same Circumstances, Different Outcomes

20:39 — Outro & Support the Show

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The progressive left spent decades building institutional control over American academia, using it as a pipeline to reshape corporate culture, HR departments, and public policy. The fuel that kept that machine running was the nearly unlimited flow of government-subsidized student loans—now a $1.7 trillion portfolio—regardless of whether graduates could actually earn a living. The Trump administration's new Earnings Accountability Rule threatens that foundation by tying federal loan eligibility to post-graduation income, forcing programs whose graduates don't out-earn high school diploma holders to lose funding. This episode breaks down how cutting off the money could cascade beyond student debt into the entire progressive institutional infrastructure, from DEI offices to corporate hiring mandates. The takeaway: the most durable response to institutional capture is to build an income and a life that doesn't depend on gatekeepers whose power is built on your tax dollars.

Video Chapters

00:00 — Introduction: The Threat to Progressive Institutional Control

01:14 — Welcome to Finding Freedom & Show Updates

02:57 — How Institutions Maintain Control: Money & Credentials

04:52 — The Earnings Accountability Rule Explained

06:41 — Which Programs Are Getting Hit Hardest

09:10 — What American Academia Actually Became

12:59 — The Campus-to-Corporate Pipeline & the Rise of DEI

15:52 — Broader Actions Against Institutional Capture

17:36 — What Happens When the Money Stops

19:16 — Key Takeaways: Build Your Own Table

22:00 — Closing Thoughts & Final Question

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In this episode of Finding Freedom, host John Odermatt sits down with Dr. Sage Wolfe — a doctor of natural medicine, former professional gymnast, and certified Wolf Non-Surgical Master Trainer — to challenge the assumption that surgery and pharmaceuticals should be the first resort for chronic pain and joint issues. Dr. Sage explains how the body has an innate capacity to heal when given the right conditions, from rehydrating "bone on bone" cartilage to addressing the root causes of inflammation through gut health, proper mineralization, and parasympathetic nervous system activation. The conversation dives deep into the gut-brain connection, how emotional trauma gets stored in physical tissue, and why the standard medical approach of cutting out joints and organs often creates more problems than it solves. Dr. Sage also shares practical daily tips — from salting your water to the order in which you eat your food — plus resources for anyone ready to take their health into their own hands. Whether you're dealing with chronic pain, limited mobility, or just want to age without limitations, this episode makes the case that your body isn't broken — it's trying to tell you something.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro & Welcome to Finding Freedom

2:22 - Dr. Sage's Philosophy: Be Your Own Doctor

4:54 - From Pro Gymnast to Natural Medicine

6:14 - The Body's Innate Healing & Leaky Gut

8:20 - Can You Rehydrate "Bone on Bone" Cartilage?

10:12 - Traditional Medicine vs. Natural Healing

11:38 - Thermology Testing & Seasonal Joint Pain

13:50 - The Gut-Pelvis Connection: Why Your Hips Hurt

16:53 - The Gut-Brain Connection & Body Longevity

19:09 - "Issues in the Tissues, Secrets in the Joints"

22:42 - The Dark Side of Joint Replacements & Cobalt Toxicity

24:31 - Nutraceuticals vs. Cheap Supplements

26:42 - Baby Steps to Health: Getting Started

30:03 - Emotional Trauma Stored in Your Tissues

33:20 - Practical Daily Health Tips

37:18 - How to Work with Dr. Sage & Free Resources

38:24 - Outro & Support the Show

Links:

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Daniel Jiwani moved to Saudi Arabia to work for PricewaterhouseCoopers, but eight months later he was abducted by Saudi authorities, taken to a black site, and falsely accused of terrorism based on a coworker's joke found on his phone. After three weeks in a black site and over a month in a maximum security prison alongside Al-Qaeda and ISIS members, the FBI and State Department secured his release—only for him to endure six more days in a nightmarish deportation facility where he contracted COVID and slept on a concrete floor. He returned home to find his assets frozen, his career destroyed, and his employer potentially complicit in covering up his disappearance. Rather than succumb to despair, Daniel rebuilt his life using the same wealth principles he'd spent years researching—positive thinking, relentless action, and learning to handle pressure. In this episode, he shares his full story and the key lessons from his new book, The 52 Laws of Wealth, on what real financial resilience looks like when theory meets the worst possible reality.

Chapters

0:00 Cold Open: Accused of Terrorism & Detained at a Black Site

1:10 Welcome to Finding Freedom

2:53 Abducted in Saudi Arabia

5:49 Inside the Black Site

6:37 Did PwC Help Cover Up His Disappearance?

10:08 Inside a Maximum Security Prison with Al-Qaeda & ISIS

12:47 Release & the Deportation Facility Nightmare

15:40 Returning Home: Homeland Security Debrief

18:06 Coming Home Jobless and Broke

19:28 The Power of Positive Thinking

23:27 From Dreaming to Doing: Taking Action

25:04 Handling Setbacks & Pressure

27:32 Financial Independence & the 52 Laws of Wealth

35:34 The #1 Lesson & Where to Find Daniel

Get Daniel's book The 52 Laws of Wealth on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4jgwAgb 

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Ross Ulbricht, founder of Silk Road, spent over 11 years behind federal prison walls — sentenced to die as a first-time, non-violent offender. Pardoned by President Trump on his second day in office, Ross took the stage at the 2026 RNC midterm convention to deliver a speech that cuts to the heart of what government power can do when turned against its own people. In this episode, John Odermatt breaks down Ross's speech — the parallels between Ross's imprisonment and the government overreach ordinary Americans experienced during the Biden years and COVID lockdowns, the false choice between liberty and security, and the growing list of pro-liberty actions from Trump's second term. Whether you're a skeptical libertarian or a committed supporter, this is a conversation about the nature of power and what happens when the machinery built to protect us gets pointed at us instead.

Video Chapters:

0:00 — Introduction: Ross Ulbricht at the RNC

1:16 — Welcome Back & Mixed Reactions

2:07 — Libertarian Backlash Over Trump Endorsement

4:06 — Ross's Story: Silk Road & the Injustice

5:38 — Trump Keeps His Promise: The Pardon

6:34 — "Freedom Is Like Air"

8:45 — Government Machinery Turned on Americans

10:12 — How a Free Country Falls to Tyranny

11:40 — Liberty vs. Security: The False Choice

13:34 — Control Masquerading as Security

14:14 — Libertarian Frustration: Ross Pushes Back

15:40 — Trump's Wins for Liberty

20:13 — Not a Perfect Record & Restoring Law & Order

22:04 — Ross's Closing Words

22:26 — Remembering COVID Lockdowns

23:53 — Addressing Libertarian Pushback

24:58 — The Core Message: Power & Government

26:25 — Outro & Call to Action

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The Jerry Sandusky case is back in the national spotlight after reports that "Victim 10" Ryan Rittmeyer plans to recant his trial testimony at an upcoming evidentiary hearing. Journalist John Ziegler, who has spent over a decade investigating the case and is the only person to have interviewed Rittmeyer since the trial, argues that the alleged recantation is deeply compromised and that the hearing could backfire disastrously on Sandusky's defense. Ziegler reveals that investigator Frank Parlato developed a deeply conflicted relationship with Rittmeyer — including housing him, arranging a documentary contract, and introducing him to a girlfriend — fatally undermining any credibility the recantation might have had. The episode also covers why accusers who knew Sandusky well are less likely to recant, how to open skeptical minds to re-examining the case, and why federal court may be the only remaining path to justice.

Chapters:

0:00 — Intro & Why the Sandusky Case Is Back in the News

3:52 — The Media Frenzy Around the Alleged Recantation

9:05 — Who Is Victim 10? Ryan Rittmeyer's Story

12:30 — The Prosecution's Flawed Strategy

18:21 — Jerry Sandusky Is No Criminal Mastermind

21:26 — The Chad Dubin & Frank Parlato Recantation Effort

28:07 — Inside Ziegler's Bizarre Interview with Ryan Rittmeyer

44:17 — Best & Worst Case Scenarios for the Evidentiary Hearing

52:45 — How to Open People's Minds About the Case

59:49 — The Path Forward: Federal Court & Closing Thoughts

With the Benefit of Hindsight Podcast: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/with-the-benefit-of-hindsight/id1562078872⁠

Link to All Finding Freedom/Felony Friday episodes on Jerry Sandusky scandal: ⁠https://www.lionsofliberty.com/sandusky-scandal⁠

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This episode examines the declining male labor force participation rate in America, which has fallen to its lowest level since 1948, with roughly one in three men no longer working or seeking work. While mainstream explanations point to manufacturing decline, an aging population, and the opioid crisis, host John Odermatt argues that a decade of DEI policies has systematically pushed men—especially white men—out of industries across corporate America, academia, media, and tech. Drawing on Jacob Savage's viral Compact Magazine article "The Lost Generation" and survey data from hiring managers themselves, the episode presents sector-by-sector evidence of documented hiring discrimination. Odermatt shares his own experience of being pushed out of corporate America and reframes the crisis not as a story of victimhood, but as a call for men to build income streams they control—through entrepreneurship, skilled trades, and commission-based work. The episode closes with a challenge to listeners: stop building your life on a foundation someone else can pull out from under you.

Video Chapters

0:00 - The Hook: One in Three Men Are Not Working

1:10 - Welcome to Finding Freedom

2:09 - The Mainstream Explanation: Manufacturing, Opioids & Aging

3:03 - The DEI Explanation: What the Media Won't Say

3:32 - The Raw Numbers: Labor Force Participation Data

6:42 - Jacob Savage's "The Lost Generation" Article

8:18 - Sector-by-Sector: TV, Medicine, Academia, Tech & Media

11:22 - What Hiring Managers Admit: The Survey Data

13:45- The Fallout: Opioids, Video Games & Walking Away

16:07 - The Real Lesson: Build Your Own Escape & Closing

Sources:

Schedule a 15 minute Gut Health Audit with John: https://calendar.app.google/B9fcGdSFjC5caTVu5

SUPPORT LIONS OF LIBERTY: Help keep this podcast going! We rely on listener support to continue bringing you content on freedom, political reform, and personal empowerment. 

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Kendra Riley's two daughters were diagnosed with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a rare terminal genetic disorder. With no FDA-approved treatment available in the U.S., Kendra's family had to raise nearly half a million dollars and relocate to Italy so their youngest daughter could receive a life-saving gene therapy. While that treatment succeeded, their older daughter's disease had progressed too far — she is now in hospice care at age eight. Kendra joins Finding Freedom to advocate for Right to Try 2.0, federal legislation that would give rare disease patients access to individualized gene-based therapies at home without crossing an ocean. She also shares advice for families navigating rare disease diagnoses and resources that can help along the way.

Video Chapters:

0:00 — Intro & Guest Introduction

3:19 — The MLD Diagnosis

4:55 — Moving to Italy for Gene Therapy

6:43 — Right to Try 2.0 Explained

8:07 — Two Daughters, Two Outcomes

13:53 — Advice for Rare Disease Families

17:32 — How to Help & Where to Follow

Links:

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