Mick Unplugged

What happens when a creative outlet becomes the thing your family needs? Daniel Nicholson joins Mick Hunt for an in-person conversation about building custom bourbon barrels, finding focus through woodworking, and turning an idea into something real.

Daniel shares how a first barrel, a small tool investment, and a change in his family's circumstances pushed him to keep creating. He talks about the value of working with his hands, the support of his wife, and the link between intention and action.

The conversation goes deeper into his experience growing up biracial, the importance of honest conversations, and the relationships that opened doors in his career. Daniel and Mick close with mentorship, The Unplugged Five, and a spirited comparison of their favorite bourbons.

YOU'LL HEAR

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 Idea, intent, action

00:11 Meet Daniel and the bourbon barrel

03:29 The Because: turning ideas into reality

06:54 The Unplugged Truth: woodworking, family, and action

13:09 The Hot Takes: identity and honest conversations

20:42 The Room: honesty opens doors

25:00 The Unplugged 5: cooking, life, and bourbon

35:00 Connect with Daniel and closing

CONNECT  & DISCOVER  DANIEL

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

Daniel recommends finding CBUS Barrels on Facebook for custom builds.

FOLLOW MICK

Mick Hunt Official: https://mickhuntofficial.com/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mickunplugged

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MickUnpluggedPodcast

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

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/id1731755953

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cUp7JRzkVqunYmD2ENe4g

Buy Mick's book: How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never Had One

https://www.amazon.com/Good-Leader-When-Youve-Never/dp/1394357958

Landon McKinnis wanted his mom and his kids to be proud of the man he was becoming. That purpose kept him moving as he built GoNutz through rejection, grief, and the uncertainty of entrepreneurship.

In this episode of Mick Unplugged, Landon joins me to talk about the because behind his work. He reflects on growing up in Shawnee, Kansas, facing racial discrimination, and finding his own identity. He also shares how faith helped him learn patience when things weren't happening on his timeline.

We get into the business journey, too: the first shipment of inventory, a viral TikTok moment, slowing sales, and the Shark Tank email he initially thought was a joke. Landon explains how being prepared helped him respond to the opportunity, what it felt like to pitch the Sharks, and why listening to customers matters.

YOU’LL HEAR

- The family relationships behind Landon's purpose

- How childhood experiences shaped his work ethic and sense of identity

- The challenges that followed going viral

- Why business records, numbers, and preparation mattered before Shark Tank

- What customer feedback taught him about the product he was building

- How he stays focused when competitors have bigger budgets and teams

- A friendly Kansas City versus Carolina barbecue debate

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 Faith, Patience, and Being Ready

00:16 Welcome to Landon McKinnis

01:12 The Because: Family, Purpose, and Making Them Proud

03:47 The Unplugged Truth: Identity, Setbacks, and Faith

09:18 The Hot Takes: Building GoNutz and the Shark Tank Journey

33:46 The Room: The Opportunity That Changed Everything

38:31 The Unplugged 5: Barbecue, Resourcefulness, and Running Your Own Race

43:14 Friendship, GoNutz, and Your Because

Put it into practice: Choose one useful step you can take with the resources you have today. Keep your attention on the work in front of you and the people you're doing it for.

Follow Mick Unplugged for more conversations about purpose, leadership, and the because behind the work.

Connect & Discover Landon McKinnis

GoNutz / ORBÉ: https://thegonutz.com/

Founder story: https://thegonutz.com/pages/orbe-story

This conversation uses the GoNutz name. The company's current website introduces ORBÉ as its new primary brand.

FOLLOW MICK

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

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MickUnpluggedPodcast

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

Website: https://mickhuntofficial.com/

Book: How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never Had One

https://howtobeagoodleader.com/

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/id1731755953

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cUp7JRzkVqunYmD2ENe4g

Content note: Discussion of grief, racial discrimination, and personal grooming.

#mickunplugged #landonmckinnis #gonutz #sharktank #entrepreneurship

This is a previously recorded conversation, returning as a Mick Unplugged re-release. References to upcoming projects reflect the time of recording.

Chef André Rush's strength reaches far beyond the kitchen or the gym. In this conversation, the U.S. Army veteran, former White House chef, and mental health advocate shares the mission that keeps him serving others through grief, setbacks, and success.

Mick and Chef Rush talk about checking in on the people you love, the stigma around asking for help, and why compassion belongs alongside discipline. Chef Rush reflects on September 11 at the Pentagon, a moment of connection at therapy, and the lessons his parents gave him about hard work and perseverance.

The conversation also explores how cooking became his calling, the accountability required inside the White House, and the experiences behind his memoir, Call Me Chef, Dammit! It closes with four rapid-fire questions and an exchange about mentorship, gratitude, and making an impact.

You'll Hear

- Why a simple conversation can help people feel connected

- Chef Rush's answer to “What is your because?”

- How personal loss shaped his commitment to children and veterans

- His experience of trauma and the difficulty of asking for support

- Why encouragement, empathy, and perseverance matter

- How military service led him toward a culinary career

- Accountability, teamwork, and the White House kitchen

- The story behind his memoir and four candid rapid-fire answers

CHAPTERS

00:00 Check on each other: the cold open

00:20 Meet Chef André Rush

01:19 Why reaching out matters

03:24 Choosing service and refusing complacency

05:33 His father's lessons on hard work

07:19 The Because: a mission beyond yourself

10:22 Mick on friendship, loss, and connection

13:05 Turning remembrance into a cause

14:13 September 11, the Pentagon, and trauma

17:14 Asking for help and challenging stigma

20:12 A moment of connection at therapy

20:43 Keep going: encouragement and resilience

24:44 How cooking became his calling

32:17 Accountability inside the White House

35:35 The story behind Call Me Chef, Dammit!

40:50 Food, patience, and plans discussed in the recording

42:24 Four rapid-fire questions

44:40 Gratitude, mentorship, and farewell

CONNECT & DISCOVER CHEF ANDRÉ RUSH

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChefRush

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chefrush

Website: https://chefrush.com/

Book discussed: Call Me Chef, Dammit! A Veteran's Journey from the Rural South to the White House

FOLLOW MICK

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

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MickUnpluggedPodcast

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

TikTok: @mickunplugged: https://www.tiktok.com/@mickunplugged

Spotify, Mick Unplugged: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cUp7JRzkVqunYmD2ENe4g

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/id1731755953

Mick Hunt Official: https://mickhuntofficial.com/

Buy Mick's book, How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never Had One:

https://www.amazon.com/Good-Leader-When-Youve-Never/dp/1394357958

Content note: Discussion of suicide loss, grief, September 11, trauma, and mental health. Contains occasional strong language.

What happens when business experience becomes the foundation for a more personal mission? Adam Zeitsiff joins Mick Hunt to discuss youth fitness, purpose, and the leadership lessons behind building teams that can carry a mission forward.

From technology to Gold's Gym and LA Fitness, Adam reflects on the experiences that led him to his work with the Dominique Dawes Academy. He explains why a child's gold medal moment might be learning a cartwheel, gaining confidence, or discovering the value of practice.

The conversation also explores the shop-floor example his grandfather set, the importance of asking for help, and why hiring and listening to capable people can change a business. They close with mentorship, lessons Adam wishes he had learned earlier, and The Unplugged Five.

YOU'LL HEAR

- Why Adam's because is centered on creating better opportunities for children.

- How his technology background shaped his work in the fitness industry.

- The mission behind helping kids find their own gold medal moments.

- What his grandfather taught him about caring for the people on your team.

- Why entrepreneurs need to ask for help, listen, and hire strong specialists.

- His perspective on AI, mentorship, and the legacy he wants to leave.

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 The mission behind the work

00:33 Meet Adam Zeitsiff

01:34 The Because: a mission centered on children

05:45 Schools, parents, and physical activity

08:55 The Unplugged Truth: technology meets fitness

11:45 Leading at Gold's Gym

14:32 Two different fitness business models

16:05 Hot Takes: the Dominique Dawes Academy vision

20:43 AI and the human side of fitness

23:17 Finding a child's gold medal moments

25:57 The Room: a grandfather's leadership example

27:56 Asking for help and scaling a business

30:01 Hiring and compensating the right people

32:58 Mentorship and growing leaders from within

34:25 Connecting with the academy

35:11 Leadership lessons learned the hard way

36:46 The Unplugged Five

40:12 Legacy and making a difference

CONNECT & DISCOVER Adam Zeitsiff:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-zeitsiff/

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

Dominique Dawes Academy: https://www.dominiquedawesgymnasticsacademy.com/

Academy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dominique-dawes-academy/

Academy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawesgymnasticsacademy

FOLLOW MICK

Mick Hunt Official: https://mickhuntofficial.com/

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

TikTok: @mickunplugged https://www.tiktok.com/@mickunplugged

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MickUnpluggedPodcast

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

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/id1731755953

Spotify: Mick Unplugged https://open.spotify.com/show/2cUp7JRzkVqunYmD2ENe4g

Buy Mick's book: How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never Had One

https://www.amazon.com/Good-Leader-When-Youve-Never/dp/1394357958

Your because is your superpower. Go unleash it.

Content note: Contains occasional strong language. Business plans and expansion discussions reflect the time of recording.

#mickunplugged #adamzeitsiff #kidsfitness #gymnastics

What does it take to stand in front of a room and make people laugh—even when the room goes quiet?

Comedian Mookie G joins Mick for a candid, funny conversation about the work behind the punchline. He shares how his mother recognized his gift for bringing people joy, encouraged him to take a comedy class, and helped him discover his because.

Mookie breaks down the difference between being funny online and performing live, the challenge of developing jokes, and why an audience’s silence does not always mean a set has failed. Mick and Mookie also explore authenticity, self-love, social media, and the patience it takes to keep showing up before the right opportunity arrives.

Along the way: Houston sports loyalty, growing up in Beaumont, moving to Atlanta, and a rapid-fire conversation about comedy, food, and the legacy Mookie wants to leave.

Listen for the purpose beneath the laughter—and the reminder to be yourself.

In this episode:

• Finding a because in bringing happiness and joy to others

• The mother who saw a comedian before he saw it himself

• Stage fright, audience energy, and learning to trust silence

• Developing material through recorded conversations and real-life experience

• Hosting, featuring, and headlining: different jobs, different rhythms

• Using social media to build visibility while staying yourself

• Self-love, consistency, and being ready for opportunity

• Beaumont roots, Atlanta possibility, and a funny and friendly legacy

CHAPTERS

00:00 Cold open: becoming comfortable with silence

00:27 Welcome and the comedy show where Mick and Mookie met

02:36 The Because: bringing happiness and joy

03:29 How his mother helped him discover comedy

04:10 Being funny online versus performing on stage

05:36 Tough rooms and protecting your own material

07:42 The Unplugged Truth: developing jokes

11:04 Hosting, featuring, and headlining

12:42 Hot Takes: getting attention and staying yourself

14:05 Building visibility through social media

16:40 Be yourself, self-love, and finding joy

18:23 Houston loyalty and Beaumont roots

22:26 Why Atlanta felt full of possibility

23:49 The Room: the comedy class that changed his path

25:45 Trusting silence and finding your pace

28:45 New projects and getting booked

29:59 Performing your best when opportunity is watching

33:15 Where to find Mookie and the story behind the merch

34:47 The Unplugged Five: comedy, football, and food

38:03 The legacy he wants to leave

39:30 Closing: your because is your superpower

Subscribe to Mick Unplugged for conversations about the because behind the journey.

Connect & Discover Mookie G:

Instagram: @mookie_g_comedy

Facebook: @mookiegcomedy

Website: mookieg.com

FOLLOW MICK ON:

Spotify: MickUnplugged

Instagram: @mickunplugged 

Facebook: @mickunpluggedYouTube:  @MickUnpluggedPodcast 

LinkedIn: @mickhunt 

Website:  MickHuntOfficial.com

Website: howtobeagoodleader.com

Website: Leadloudseries.com

Apple: MickUnplugged

Book: How to be A Good Leader When You’ve Never Had One

D.L. Hughley wanted one more conversation with his father. He put it into Charlie's Boy.

In this episode of Mick Unplugged, D.L. joins me to talk about his new memoir, the man who raised him and the parts of fatherhood he understands differently now.

We get into duty, family silence and why providing for your children can become so consuming that being present gets pushed aside. D.L. shares what he learned about Charlie after his death and why he makes a deliberate effort to let his own children know him.

I also tell D.L. how his backstage mentorship changed the way I approached my podcast and my business. We talk about knowing the rules, owning your decisions and understanding why people keep listening.

You'll hear:

- The conversation behind Charlie's Boy

- What showing up does for a father-child relationship

- The pressure to keep working, even when it costs you time at home

- Why finding his way into comedy also brought survivor's guilt

- A reunion 25 years after an act of kindness

- D.L.'s take on freedom of speech, consequences and protecting your peace

I'm giving a copy of Charlie's Boy to the first 100 people who DM "Charlie's Boy" to @mickunplugged on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/mickunplugged/

CHAPTERS

00:00 The conversation D.L. never had with his father

00:11 Meet D.L. Hughley

00:55 The Because: Faith, hope and connection

04:12 The Unplugged Truth: The father behind Charlie's Boy

07:12 Duty, love and the words fathers do not say

10:36 Why D.L. wrote Charlie's Boy

11:45 Hot Takes: Hurt, offense and growth

14:30 Free speech and consequences

16:22 Fatherhood and the trust built by showing up

21:56 What D.L. learned about Charlie's work life

26:03 The Room: Finding a way forward through comedy

28:02 Survivor's guilt and appreciating your life

29:05 An act of kindness comes back 25 years later

32:06 The backstage advice that changed Mick's approach to media

34:11 Mick's 100-book offer

35:22 The Unplugged Five: What makes D.L. laugh

36:37 The conversation America avoids

37:45 Human connection and why people keep listening

41:34 D.L.'s go-to drinks

42:35 Other people's opinions and protecting your attention

44:27 Closing conversation

CONNECT & DISCOVER D.L. HUGHLEY

Book: Charlie's Boy: A Memoir

https://a.co/d/0bV9x1UZ

Instagram: @realdlhughley

https://www.instagram.com/realdlhughley/

Facebook: @RealDLHughley

https://www.facebook.com/RealDLHughley/

YouTube: DL Hughley

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6B_HuuSaR-IDsKuJVK0LEw

FOLLOW MICK

Instagram: @mickunplugged

https://www.instagram.com/mickunplugged/

Facebook: @mickunplugged

YouTube: @MickUnpluggedPodcast

https://www.youtube.com/@MickUnpluggedPodcast

LinkedIn: @mickhunt

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickhunt/

Website: https://mickhuntofficial.com/

Book: How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never Had One

https://howtobeagoodleader.com/

Apple Podcasts: Mick Unplugged

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/id1731755953

Spotify: Mick Unplugged

https://open.spotify.com/show/2cUp7JRzkVqunYmD2ENe4g

Content note: Explicit language and discussion of grief and family relationships.

What makes a bottle worth remembering? For Dixon Dedman, the answer starts with the people who share it.

The master blender behind 2XO joins Mick Hunt for a conversation about bourbon, hospitality, creative conviction, and the legacy he hopes to leave his children. Dixon explains how his family's hospitality roots shaped his purpose, why blending requires more than mixing percentages, and how he approaches mouthfeel, maturation, and secondary oak exposure.

Mick also tastes Rapper's Delight during the conversation, and Dixon shares the story of a father and son celebrating a new generation with a bottle of Kentucky Owl. That moment brings the conversation back to his because: making something that becomes part of another person's meaningful experience.

In this episode:

Listen for the lesson that travels beyond bourbon: exceeding expectations can turn a product or service into a moment someone remembers.

Follow Mick Unplugged for more conversations about purpose, leadership, and the because behind the work.

Connect & Discover Dixon Dedman:

Instagram: @dixon_dedman

LinkedIn: @dixon_dedman

X: @dixon_dedman

Website: 2xowhiskey.com

FOLLOW MICK ON:

Spotify: MickUnplugged

Instagram: @mickunplugged 

Facebook: @mickunpluggedYouTube:  @MickUnpluggedPodcast 

LinkedIn: @mickhunt 

Website:  MickHuntOfficial.com

Website: howtobeagoodleader.com

Website: Leadloudseries.com

Apple: MickUnplugged

Book: How to be A Good Leader When You’ve Never Had One

#MickUnplugged #Leadership #Podcast #DixonDedman #2XOWhiskey

Your next difficult conversation may not need a stronger argument. It may need a better question.

In this episode of Mick Unplugged, Mick sits down with his coach, Derek Gaunt, for a personal conversation about the communication skills that changed how Mick leads, negotiates, and approaches conflict.

Derek draws on his law-enforcement and hostage-negotiation experience to explain tactical empathy: recognizing another person's perspective without having to agree with it. He breaks down why explaining too early creates resistance, how tone affects a conversation, and why an objection can point to a concern that has not yet been spoken aloud.

Mick shares how asking what success looked like to a client uncovered a need he had missed. Derek also discusses the practical ideas behind Fight Less, Win More, the role of curiosity, and why difficult conversations often deserve a phone call instead of another long email.

The conversation closes with lessons on coachability, silence, trust, and staying grounded under pressure.

In this episode

Takeaways

Before your next difficult conversation, replace one assumption with a question. Listen to the answer before preparing your response.

Follow Mick Unplugged for more conversations about the because behind how we live, lead, and grow.

Chapters

00:00 Meet Derek Gaunt, Mick's coach

03:29 The Because: sharing the gift of communication

05:25 Derek's journey in law enforcement

11:33 The Unplugged Truth: see their perspective

16:44 What does success look like?

19:41 The warning signs you should not ignore

21:45 Hot Takes: tone and pressure in negotiation

28:09 Find the concern beneath the objection

31:05 Why the conversation needs a phone call

35:05 Fight Less, Win More

39:08 The Room: a conversation that changed Derek's path

41:30 What Derek looks for in someone he coaches

45:05 When the skills change your personal life

48:12 The Unplugged Five

53:00 Silence as a negotiation tool

54:17 Trust, training, and final lessons

56:43 Closing

Connect & Discover:

Instagram: @derekmgaunt

LinkedIn: @derek-gaunt-2943a824

Website: The Black Swan Group

Book: Fight Less, Win More: How Master Negotiators Influence Hearts, Minds and Deals

Clip: 60 Seconds or She Dies            

FOLLOW MICK ON:

Spotify: MickUnplugged

Instagram: @mickunplugged 

Facebook: @mickunpluggedYouTube:  @MickUnpluggedPodcast 

LinkedIn: @mickhunt 

Website:  MickHuntOfficial.com

Website: howtobeagoodleader.com

Website: Leadloudseries.com

Apple: MickUnplugged

Book: How to be A Good Leader When You’ve Never Had One

#MickUnplugged #Leadership #Podcast #DerekGaunt #Negotiation

This Monday on Mick Unplugged, we’re revisiting Mick Hunt’s conversation with David Pollack about standards, faith, leadership, and the work behind personal growth.

David shares how mentorship and his experiences in football shaped the way he approaches challenges, leads others, and keeps growing. Mick and David explore the “50-40-10” principle, why preparation and consistent effort matter, and what it means to hold your standards when your feelings pull you in another direction.

Whether you’re hearing this conversation for the first time or returning for another listen, consider where you can put one of these lessons into practice this week.

This is a re-release of a previously recorded episode.

In this conversation:

Reflection: Where are you letting a temporary feeling make a decision that should be guided by a lasting standard?

Follow Mick Unplugged for more conversations about purpose, leadership, and your because. Share this episode with someone who could use it this week.

Connect & Discover David Pollack:

Instagram: @davidpollack47

Facebook: @PollackFF

X: @davidpollack47

YouTube: @DavidPollackCFB

Website: davidpollack.com

Podcast: See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack

FOLLOW MICK ON:

Spotify: MickUnplugged

Instagram: @mickunplugged 

Facebook: @mickunpluggedYouTube:  @MickUnpluggedPodcast 

LinkedIn: @mickhunt 

Website:  MickHuntOfficial.com

Website: howtobeagoodleader.com

Website: Leadloudseries.com

Apple: MickUnplugged

Book: How to be A Good Leader When You’ve Never Had One

#MickUnplugged #Leadership #Podcast