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Bhawna Sharma Puri immigrated from India 18 years ago as a young girl, all by herself. She now lives in the Bay Area, California, with her loving husband and is a proud mom to two beautiful—yet mischievous—kids, ages 5 and 8.

She has built a successful career as a Cloud Marketing leader, bringing over 15 years of experience in various key roles in Silicon Valley. Bhawna serves as a board council member for the Customer Success program at California State University.

A dedicated philanthropist, she is passionate about giving back—whether through mentoring women in tech, supporting first-generation immigrant mothers, or sponsoring the education of homeless children in India.

She is also a self-proclaimed "mom-motivator" and shares her insights through her blog, Love Pray Laugh Slay. Beyond her professional and philanthropic endeavors, Bhawna enjoys modeling and dabbling in acting as a hobby.

Her mantra is simple: You can do it all and have it all—if you work for it. A Type-A go-getter, she is committed to giving 100% to every aspect of her life while uplifting those around her. Well-known in the Bay Area for her generosity, infectious positivity, and ability to make people smile, Bhawna radiates warmth and happy energy wherever she goes.

Connect with Bhawna: https://www.facebook.com/bhawnasharmapuri/

Eric Skwarczynski is the creator and host of the Preacher Boys Podcast, a platform dedicated to exposing abuse within religious institutions, particularly in Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) churches. With his podcast garnering millions of downloads, Eric has become a leading voice in advocating for survivors of religious trauma and abuse. His work has been featured in major outlets, including HBO's Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals, where he sheds light on systemic issues of abuse and cover-ups within faith-based organizations. Eric’s passion for justice and his unique ability to connect with survivors make him a compelling advocate for change.

On this episode we talk about:

– The widespread issue of abuse in religious institutions and why it often goes unreported or covered up.

– The psychological and societal factors that lead communities to protect abusers instead of victims.

– The personal stories that motivated Eric to start the Preacher Boys Podcast.

– How guilt, shame, and denial contribute to the ongoing cycle of abuse and silence.

– Practical advice for survivors seeking justice and healing.

Top 3 Takeaways

1. Abuse thrives in environments of secrecy, denial, and misplaced loyalty. Breaking the silence is crucial for justice and healing.

2. Institutions often prioritize reputation, power, or financial interests over protecting victims, underscoring the need for systemic reform.

3. Survivors are not alone—there are communities and resources available to support them in their journey toward healing.

Notable Quotes

– "You shouldn’t blame yourself for how good predators are at being bad." – Eric Skwarczynski

– "If you love your church or community, stand up against the bad actors running it." – Eric Skwarczynski

– "Honesty and love are the antidotes to guilt, shame, and denial." – Sam Newell

Connect with Eric Skwarczynski:

– YouTube: youtube.com/preacherboys

– Instagram: @preacherboyspod

Download the FREE PDF of Ben's Victory Chant and Crown Code here: https://www.benkjar.com/victorvault

Today's guest is Ben Kjar. Ben was born with Crouzons syndrome (a craniofacial anomaly), and as a young boy the doctors told him that he would live a different life.....and that’s exactly what he’s done! He has risen above any of life’s challenges and become a Victor not a victim. Ben is Utah Valley University’s first-ever NCAA Division 1 Wrestling All-American and has represented the USA team internationally. Ben is an international professional speaker and has told his story to millions around the globe, in front of crowds of up to 10,000 people!

📲 Connect with your host, Sam Newell:

Website: https://www.mficlub.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samnewellrealestate

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamNewellRealtor

In 2016, Matthew Baltzell embarked on an incredible journey, moving to Thailand as an American expat. Since then, he has built a real estate portfolio with over 700 units, spent four years in private equity, hosted a Top 400 Business Podcast, and launched a thriving online business.

Today, Matthew helps real estate investors and entrepreneurs scale their businesses by leveraging audience building, podcasting, and innovative digital marketing strategies.

📲 Connect with Matthew Baltzell:

https://matthewbaltzell.com/

📲 Connect with Sam Newell:

Website: https://www.mficlub.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samnewellrealestate

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamNewellRealtor

Kaajal brings 20+ years of knowledge and expertise in buying, selling, and investing in real estate. Her achievements include- a distinction as the '#1 producer' by Fremont Intero Real Estate, Real Estate Expert on Newsweek, HGTV guest appearance, and Intero Top Real Estate Agent 1%.

As a lifelong resident of the East Bay area, Kaajal offers a true insider's perspective and comprehensive local knowledge, which has been invaluable to her clients. She works with her buyers and sellers through every step of the process and navigates complex transactions with ease and expertise to deliver results.

📲 Connect with Kaajal Shahani:

https://kaajalshahani.com/

📲 Connect with Sam Newell:

Website: https://www.mficlub.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samnewellrealestate

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamNewellRealtor

John Maxim is a self-made millionaire and hands-on expert house flipper who has fixed and flipped over $500 million of international real estate-- for profit, charity and the community.

Maxim started his real estate empire by living under a stairwell: creating $1,000/month in passive income by renting out his home to 9 friends. Today, the 20-year real estate veteran has a massive portfolio, flipping 100 homes a year. From wholesaling to property management, nightly rentals, house flipping, mortgages, lending, commercial, residential -- Maxim has held almost every job in real estate. He has founded multiple 7-figure businesses including Tree Fort Realty, Rhino Property Management, Savvy House Design and Doorstep Management -- all the while using his success to give back. Maxim hosts bi-annual treasure hunts in Salt Lake City, burying $20k-$30k cash for winners. In his spare time, he flips homes for families in need, free of charge. The real estate mogul is a humble father of five, failed stand-up comic, hobby filmmaker and backyard beekeeper who has saved over 70 raccoons in the state of Utah!

📲 Connect with John Maxim:

https://www.instagram.com/onthejohn/

📲 Connect with Sam Newell:

Website: https://www.mficlub.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samnewellrealestate

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamNewellRealtor

Kyle Deever is the CEO and founder of Bad Bet Productions. A lifelong entrepreneur, Kyle has a true rags-to-riches story. Kyle lives with his wife and three children in Highland, Utah and has a love for business and growth.

📲 Connect with Kyle Deever:

www.badbetproductions.com

📲 Connect with Sam Newell:

Website: https://www.mficlub.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samnewellrealestate

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamNewellRealtor

Creighton has been a licensed real estate agent since 2000. He began his career selling new construction and loved helping buyers build their dream home and walk them through the entire construction process. He also has been involved in the investment/remodel market, owning several rental properties himself. The combination of his exposure to new construction and investment/remodels, gives him extensive knowledge of the “guts” of a home. We joke that he has “x-ray” vision when he walks in a home and has a keen eye for the potential of homes that need fixing up.

He served on the Utah HBA Sales and Marketing Council from 2005-2008, was President in 2007, and in 2008 was recognized as “Sales Manager of the Year” for Utah. His love for real estate is evident in his diligence to find out exactly what a buyer wants in a home and seek high and low for such a property.

Creighton is excited to be part of the Summit Sotheby's team. When Creighton isn’t doing real estate he’s either training for a triathlon, playing Frisbee with his two black labs, or spending time with his lovely wife Natalie and their son.

📲 Connect with Creighton Lowe:

https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/associate/180-a-df230505140710844924/creighton-lowe

📲 Connect with Sam Newell:

Website: https://www.mficlub.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samnewellrealestate

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamNewellRealtor

Born in Baku, Azerbaijan, to thereafter live in Moscow until moving to the United States and living in both Massachusetts & Arizona, David Arustamian brings a unique skill set to the field of real estate and our team here at Russ Lyon | Sotheby's International Realty. David attended Babson College in Massachusetts, where he successfully graduated in 2011. Immediately following his studies, David delved into Real Estate, and his passion for being a salesperson connecting with his clients to achieve their goals truly set in.

Now a member of Russ Lyon Sotheby's International Realty and Gibson Sotheby's International Realty, David is licensed and active in multiple states. As a determined, passionate, disciplined, and incredibly ambitious individual, David consistently strives to further his real estate business, credibility, and client base. With a deep knowledge of a Valley as well as neighborhoods all around the city, David is appropriately able to handle either side of the transaction at any price point.

In his spare time, David also is a frequent contributor to the Realogy Charitable Foundation, as well as Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled (LADD). In addition, David is a serious believer in living a healthy lifestyle. From going to the gym to running track, hiking the Camelback's and more, he knows that being fit, eating right, and being healthy helps keep him motivated and on a competitive path both in business and in his overall life and well-being. Furthering himself as an agent, even more, is David's unique ability to get his clients to the closing table both in English as well as Russian, which he is also fluent in.

📲 Connect with David Arustamian:

https://www.davidarustamian.com/about/

📲 Connect with Sam Newell:

Website: https://www.mficlub.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samnewellrealestate

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamNewellRealtor

In this episode, we sit down with Betty Jo, a real estate agent extraordinaire with a passion for helping families find their dream homes—whether it's their first or tenth investment. Betty Jo shares her journey, from growing up in foster care to becoming a successful mother of four, real estate professional, and home renovator in the valley for over 5 years. Specializing in new home buyers, investments, and the luxury real estate market, Betty Jo combines her clinical medical background with her compassionate, organized approach to deliver outstanding results. She opens up about overcoming trauma, breaking the stigma, and what it truly means to find happiness and thrive in life.

📲 Connect with Betty Jo:

https://www.instagram.com/realtorbettyjo/

📲 Connect with Sam Newell:

Website: https://www.mficlub.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samnewellrealestate

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamNewellRealtor