Live Life By Design with Jeff Mendez

In this heartfelt episode of Live Life by Design, host Jeff Mendez sits down with NBA Champion and Lakers legend Michael Cooper to talk legacy, leadership, and living life on purpose.

Michael opens up about his humble beginnings in Pasadena, how his five personal “D” principles helped him reach the NBA, and what made the Lakers dynasty of the 80s so powerful — both on and off the court. From brotherhood and family to culture, faith, and business, Coop shares the untold lessons that made Showtime so much more than basketball.

He also speaks vulnerably about love, loss, and the personal relationship that grounded his life after sports. If you're looking for wisdom, inspiration, and a deeper look into the mind of a champion, this episode delivers.

⏱️ Key Timestamps

0:00 Welcome to Casa de Mendez

1:00 Early Life in Pasadena & The Five D’s

2:30 Overcoming Doubt & Earning a Spot in the NBA

3:15 Favorite Championship Moments with the Lakers

5:00 Beating the Celtics in 1985

6:00 Building Brotherhood Within the Lakers

8:15 The Legendary Lakers Reunion in Maui

10:00 Spencer Haywood’s Return to the Family

11:30 Culture, Conflict, and Accountability

13:00 Lessons from Dr. Jerry Buss

14:30 What Made Magic Johnson’s Business Mindset Stand Out

15:50 Respecting Roles & Building a Lasting Organization

17:00 Final Advice: Living Life by Design

18:15 The Power of Partnership & Choosing the Right Person

19:30 Closing Reflections & Gratitude

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In this powerful episode of Live Life by Design, host Jeff Mendez sits down with Damon Price, Chief Sales Officer at Pure Light, for a deep and raw conversation about leadership through adversity in both business and life.

From rebuilding a company after a seismic industry shift to navigating the heartbreak of personal loss, Damon shares the real journey behind the titles. He opens up about how he handled a nine-figure acquisition, the toll of burnout, and the mental frameworks that keep him aligned through chaos. This episode is packed with practical wisdom for entrepreneurs, sales leaders, and anyone chasing purpose beyond profit.

Damon also reveals something deeply personal he’s been holding back, and why now might be the time to share it with the world.

This episode will challenge your mindset, recharge your drive, and remind you what really matters.

⏱️ Key Timestamps

0:00 Welcome to Casa de Mendez

1:00 Major Industry Shifts & The "Big Beautiful Bill"

3:00 Leadership in Crisis Mode

5:45 Turning Turmoil Into Strength

8:15 Lessons from a Nine-Figure Acquisition

10:40 Burnout, Loss & Work-Life Alignment

14:00 What Sales Leaders Actually Need to Teach

19:30 Damon’s Must-Read Book Recs

22:20 Founders Don’t Run Out of Money, They Run Out of Will

25:00 Do Hard Things on Purpose

28:00 A Perspective Shift on Time, Loss & Legacy

33:45 “Backstory” and The Rocking Chair Test

36:00 Keep It Simple, Keep It Soulful

40:00 The Real Sales Strategy: Consistency Over Charisma

44:00 Vivint Memories and Industry Mentors

48:00 “I’ve Been Holding This Back…”

50:00 Jeff’s Final Thoughts

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In this inspiring episode of Live Life by Design, Jeff Mendez sits down with solar sales legend Ashton Buswell, whose 20-year journey through direct sales, leadership, and personal growth reveals what it really takes to live intentionally.

From his early door-to-door days to selling over 1,000 solar systems and creating the “28+ Challenge,” Ashton shares his mindset for consistency, leadership, and building a life fueled by purpose and love.

Whether you’re in sales or simply chasing personal growth, this episode delivers lessons on discipline, perspective, and the daily non‑negotiables that lead to success.

🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of Live Life by Design — and share this with someone who needs the inspiration.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Ashton opens the show

00:45 Meeting Jeff in Kansas City

03:10 Career path through sales

05:25 Back into solar with Luke

07:25 1,000+ installs at Legacy

08:44 The 28+ Challenge explained

10:33 Least favorite part of sales

12:30 Sales as a sport mindset

15:19 Everyone should do door-to-door

17:26 Building leaders through mentorship

22:20 Selling by asking, not telling

23:35 Book rec: Chop Wood, Carry Water

25:00 Momentum Mondays & health habits

31:10 Selling 16 in a day to win a Tesla

36:00 Why love is the real superpower

45:21 Ski story: practicing patience

51:23 Ashton’s gift: spreading love

56:00 Final thoughts & farewell

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On this episode of Live Life by Design, host Jeff Mendez sits down with Jeremy Lieber, founder of Uncommon Education and a successful day trader who’s redefined what it means to live on your own terms. They explore what true wealth really looks like, why discomfort can be the key to happiness, and how to avoid the dangerous trap of success without fulfillment. From jungle fly fishing to life lessons in the stock market, Jeremy shares his unfiltered journey of designing a life filled with intention, freedom, and joy.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome & Guest Intro

01:08 The Jungle Reset: Discomfort is the Point

03:22 Why Simplicity Trumps Luxury

05:14 From Porsche to Peace

07:41 Wealth Redefined

10:03 A Perfect Day in the Life

13:19 Confidence is the Cure

15:51 Vulnerability is the Superpower

18:55 Building Uncommon Education

21:19 The Biggest Mistake Traders Make

24:17 Trading Should Be Boring

25:12 Should You Quit Your Job to Trade?

28:48 Top Success Story: $10K to $270K

35:03 Biggest Failure: The $400K Blow-Up

43:16 Thoughts on Real Estate Investing

45:03 Book Recommendations

48:29 What Gift Are You Hiding?

52:49 Wrap-Up & Final Thoughts

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In this high-impact episode of Live Life by Design, Jeff Mendez is joined by Ryan Lee — real estate investor, educator, and co-author of Retire in 10 Years or Less. Together, they challenge traditional financial advice, unpack how to escape the “retirement trap,” and explore what it really means to live life by design. From smart tax strategy to redefining freedom, this conversation is packed with real talk, actionable insights, and powerful perspective shifts for anyone ready to take control of their time, money, and purpose.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome & Life Update

01:06 Retire in 10 Years or Less

02:14 Real Estate Beginnings

03:54 Rich Dad, Poor Dad Takeaways

05:15 Savers Are Losers

06:00 Debt is Money

08:10 The Tax Code & Patriotism

11:06 Inflation as a Hidden Tax

13:12 Playing the Tax Game Smart

17:06 Favorite Chapter of the Book

19:06 The 3 Investing No-Nos

23:27 Financial Freedom is a Lifestyle

26:59 The Day Ryan Quit His Job

30:25 Advice for People Feeling Stuck

32:00 Life Insurance & Legacy

34:00 The 3 Questions That Change Everything

38:00 The Ownership Economy

40:01 Last Words of Wisdom

42:15 Where to Get the Book

43:34 What’s Next for Ryan Lee

44:33 Closing Remarks

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In this episode of Live Life by Design, Jeff Mendez is joined by Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith for a powerful conversation on discipline, staying prepared, and mastering your craft.

From humble beginnings to becoming a baseball legend, Ozzie drops wisdom for athletes, entrepreneurs, and anyone chasing greatness.

💬 "You only get out of life what you put in." – Ozzie Smith

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Welcome Ozzie Smith

00:54 Early life & baseball roots

03:46 Seizing opportunities

06:10 Mental toughness

07:04 Longevity in the game

10:55 Talent vs work ethic

14:16 Life after baseball

20:45 Giving back

25:40 Hall of Fame mindset

30:23 Fundamentals & success

36:57 Living by design

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In this powerful episode of Live Life by Design, host Jeff Mendez sits down with Adam Hall, head wrestling coach at Utah Valley University, former All-American, and leadership powerhouse. From his roots in Idaho to coaching on the national stage, Adam shares raw, tactical insights on what it takes to lead under pressure, delegate with trust, and build a winning culture from the ground up.

Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or striving for personal greatness—this episode breaks down how structure creates freedom, how to lead with clarity, and why accountability is love. It’s not just about wrestling. It’s about life, purpose, and living by design—not default.

⏱️ Key Moments

0:00:07 Intro & Guest Welcome

0:00:49 Adam’s Journey to Coaching

0:03:29 Leadership & Delegation

0:05:21 Culture & Communication

0:11:38 Team Structure & Roles

0:16:06 Budgeting & Fundraising

0:21:56 Raising Academic Standards

0:24:00 Life After Graduation

0:38:58 Recruiting & Transfer Portal

0:49:06 Structure Creates Freedom

0:53:50 Wrestling Mindset & Ownership

0:56:35 Leading Through Tragedy

1:05:00 Living by Design

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NBA icon Oscar Robertson joins host Jeff Mendez on Live Life by Design to discuss the legendary Oscar Robertson Rule, how it reshaped basketball, and his perspective on success, faith, and purpose. From averaging a triple-double before it was tracked to navigating racism and redefining player freedom, this episode is a masterclass in perseverance and design—on and off the court.

💡 Comment your biggest takeaway and share this episode with someone who needs the inspiration.

⏱️ Key Moments

00:00 Welcome and intro with Oscar Robertson

01:22 The Oscar Robertson Rule explained

03:15 Building winning teams and key trades

05:31 Modern NBA money and evolution

07:58 Early years, the draft, and hard lessons

10:27 Averaging a triple-double before it mattered

13:26 Growing up through racism and sports

17:06 Eternal happiness and faith

19:02 The person he’d look for first: God

23:58 Final life advice and closing

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On this episode of Live Life by Design, host Jeff Mendez sits down with Cedric Ceballos—1992 NBA Slam Dunk champion and former All-Star—to unpack an unlikely journey: from playing only five games in high school to a 12-year NBA career with the Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, and Heat. Cedric shares lessons on resilience, choosing the right system over the shiny opportunity, the realities of pro life, transitioning to the front office, and why falling in love with the process beats chasing the result. Inspirational, candid, and packed with practical takeaways for designing a life on your terms.

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro & name

1:51 Drafted & teams

3:34 Lakers homecoming

6:47 Late-bloomer spark

10:18 Pre-draft breakout

11:20 Fit over draft hype

12:00 Draft night emotions

14:48 Rookie “point-a-minute”

17:58 All-Star & Dunk Champ

19:38 Overseas stints

22:01 Pro life realities

34:17 Process over results

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In this inspiring episode of Live Life by Design, Jeff Mendez sits down with MLB legend Dwight “Doc” Gooden for an unforgettable conversation on greatness, mistakes, and redemption.

From growing up in Tampa with his nephew Gary Sheffield to facing Pete Rose in the majors, and ultimately battling addiction—Doc opens up about it all. His honesty, grit, and comeback story will move anyone who’s ever struggled with failure, purpose, or identity.

Whether you're chasing dreams or fighting demons, this episode reminds you: it's never too late to rewrite your story.

Key Moments:

00:00 Welcome + Intro to Doc

00:31 Childhood & falling in love with baseball

02:48 Realizing he could go pro

08:13 Baseball idols: Pete Rose & Nolan Ryan

13:34 Battling addiction & breaking cycles

19:27 Turning pain into purpose

21:56 Why they call him "Doc"

29:35 The one thing he'd get back

30:23 His mom & the person he'd hug again

31:42 Final advice: Live life by design

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