Nowhere To Go But Up

Here is another episode from May of 2020 so disregard any of the dates that are mentioned please. Thank you for your patience as I get through the backlog that I am trying to clear out of my que. 

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This was a great conversation that touched on Sarah's book Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will. We also talk about being a parent and some of the cool things that happen and the shifts that happen after you become a parent.

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Sarah's Bio:

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Sarah Elkins is your guide to uncovering the right personal stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and effectively demonstrate their character, values, and vision. As a Gallup certified StrengthsFinder coach, Sarah uses that tool and story sharing strategies as the foundation of her work with teams, improving communication to reduce tension and stress in the workplace.

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Her podcast and book, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will focus on storytelling as a means of self-reflection, knowing that the stories you choose to tell, and how you choose to tell them, impact your internal messages and the perception of those around you.
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Sarah’s nearly 20 years of work in public sector agencies from the Federal to the local level developed into an appreciation for public services, which drives her passion for improving workplaces. She loves to help people like their jobs again through her work in leadership development and communication improvement.
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Visit Sarah’s website, elkinsconsulting.com, to learn more about her work and to find links to her podcast and book. 

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Sarah's Book:

Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will - https://amzn.to/3sCEL8G

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You can find Sarah here:

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Website:  https://elkinsconsulting.com/ * Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-stories-dont-define-you-how-you-tell-them-will/id1329558957 * Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/sarahlynnelkins/ * LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesmileisfree/ * Book on Amazon: 

This is another Clubhouse guest acquisition. Robert's wife reached out to me after hearing me speak about my story in a Clubhouse room. She felt that his story could help people and himself from sharing it on my show. It is a great comeback story and I hope that it impacts people and lets you know that you aren't alone and that you could turn your mess into your message too. * Robert's Bio: * I’m 33 from Columbus Ohio I’m a dump truck driver ( I love what I do fortunately). Married with 5 children 3 teens from a previous relationship and 2 with my current wife. * In a nutshell, lived with my father and his wife for most of my childhood 3-13 and it was the worst ten years of my life being severely physically and mentally abused by my step mother. She’s done things to me as a child that are unimaginable even for the 90’s. * Move forward to around 13 children services finally got wind and moved me in with my mother and stepfather. After 2 or so years my mother was admitted into a psych facility and I was kicked to the streets at 15. I received my high school diploma at 15 and started working met my now ex and that’s when the long story starts. * Had a child found out in the hospital he wasn’t mine (he’s half Jamaican so it was pretty obvious pretty fast) went into a spiral after a few years discovered opiates as an escape ended up homeless and living in abandoned houses and eventually in prison which turned everything around for me. * Mett my now wife and have been sober since 2/14/14 and have a career I love. I make amazing money live in a great town in Ohio. I have a nice house nice vehicles and live mostly stress free. My ex and her family all get along we’re honestly one big extended family. My current wife and my ex will even take the kids and go do things so everything has fell into place where I think it’s supposed to be. * I’m in a place now where I’m glad all the Bull that has happened to me, has happened. I wouldn’t change anything no blood sweat or tears because I feel like things would now be different. But there is allot to fill in between all this that’s pretty crazy. * * Here is where you can find Robert: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/19r.m.g87/ * Twitter: https://twitter.com/19grimshaw

Here is another conversation that was recorded in May of 2020. Better late than never. There are a couple of PC notification sounds in the recording that I couldn't get out. It wasn't annoying enough to scrap the whole conversation. 

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In this episode I talk to Chris Bentley about his struggles as a business owner that has filed bankruptcy. Chris is a Texas resident who also talks about his successful stream of income with his Amazon storefront, and being a real estate broker.

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About Chris:

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As one of Dallas' most aggressive real estate magnates in the making, Chris D. Bentley is quickly growing into one of the most popular people on social media. Through his social media posts and videos, we're able to experience what's it's like to be a Realtor®. His achievements to date include:

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Voted 2017, 2018, and 2019 D Magazine's Best Realtor®

6x Multi-Million Dollar Producer

4x Published Author

100+ Videos on YouTube

17+ Podcast Guest Interviews 

#13 of Top 20 Dallas Realtors on Social Media in 2018 and 2019

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You can find Chris here:

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Websites:

https://chrisdbentley.com/

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https://bentleyfineproperties.com/

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YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGQTL_aLigFcSgdQJfjQP8w

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Book Suggestion:

The Wolf of Wall Street - https://amzn.to/3mG1Juq

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Podcast Suggestions:

Joe Rogan Experience and Gary Vee

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You can buy me a coffee here:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pozapoze

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Please Help Support My Vision Here:

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If you like what I'm doing and creating and have been wondering how you can get involved and help support my vision. Head over to my Patreon page and check out the perks & benefits you receive by becoming a monthly subscriber. You can also learn more about the nonprofit organization that my team and I are building for transitional age youth in my c

In this episode I have a conversation with D.J. Vodicka who is a former prison guard for the California Department of Corrections. D.J. is best known for the book that he wrote called "The Green Wall" which is about his career and the fact that he blew the whistle on a corrections officer gang called the Green Wall.

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D.J.'s Bio:

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The career of Donald “D.J.” Vodicka encompassed the rapid expansion of the prison system in California. For sixteen years, he was a prison guard in California’s highest security and most notorious correctional institutions Daily duties included serving meals to gang leaders, proctoring serial killers in lockdown cells, or patrolling exercise yards filled with violent felons while unarmed and outnumbered 1000-to-2. He belonged to an elite unit called the Investigative Services Unit (Internal Affairs), responsible for solving horrific crimes occurring inside the walls. He was retired as a decorated veteran officer, but certainly NOT of his own volition. He became the most influential “whistle-blower”, uncovering the silent secrecy of a group of rogue prison guards who called themselves “The Green Wall.” * His book is a true story, a real-life drama of one man’s courage to do the right thing against the California State Prison System that helped in the cover-up. It is an unblinking look at what can go wrong when only one person is willing to stand up and speak for what is right, against almost insurmountable odds. Vodicka’s televised state senate testimony exposed a scandal that led to resignations, transfers, sudden retirements, and reforms of the system that are still underway. The story is a classic tale of the triumph of personal integrity in the most dishonest and crooked institution imaginable.

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You can find The Green Wall here:

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Website:

https://ttriathl8r.wixsite.com/gw723

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Buy the book here:

The Green Wall

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Email: [email protected] * Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thegreenwallbook

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Twitter:  https://twitter.com/GWBook723

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

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You can buy me a coffee here:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pozapoze

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Please Help Support My Vision Here:

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If you like what I'm doing and creating and have been wondering how you can get involved and help support my vision. Head over to my Patreon page and check out the perks & benefits you receive by becoming a monthly subscriber. You can also learn more about the nonprofit organization that my team and I are building for transitional age youth in my county that are re-entering the community from incarceration. As a subscriber you would be helping to

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In this episode I talk to Frenchaire Gardner talks about the trauma that she suffered as a child. She was molested by her father and shares how that childhood trauma showed up in her life as an adult in dysfunctional behaviors.

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Frenchaire's Bio:

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Frenchaire Gardner is a serial entrepreneur and creative:  Mother of Joseph Jr., Frenchaire-Two, Melchizedek Malcolm X and Sarai. Manufacturer of her business's Be And Us LLC Nigerian Organic Shea Butter and retailer of her own African Market filled with African makers' products.  Children’s book author of her debut book:  “Mommy And DaddyDo You Still Love Me Anymore?”

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 Creator and host of A News You Can Use Podcast. Partners with various small business owners. She is a visual artist, PR person, model, activist, photographer, actress and dancer. Graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.  Pan-African spiritualist. Read her other published works in the Arts Today Newszine Vol. 5.1, Vol. 5.7, & House of Otem

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You can find Frenchaire here:

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Linktr.ee/beandusllc

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Book Suggestion:

You Are A Bad Ass

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Podcast Suggestions:

Mind muscle mastery

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You can buy me a coffee here:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pozapoze

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Please Help Support My Vision Here:

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If you like what I'm doing and creating and have been wondering how you can get involved and help support my vision. Head over to my Patreon page and check out the perks & benefits you receive by becoming a monthly subscriber. You can also learn more about the nonprofit organization that my team and I are building for transitional age youth in my county that are re-entering the community from incarceration. As a subscriber you would be helping to build and support my ability to work on this project full time, while still being able to bring you the engaging content that you enjoy listening to or watching.

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https://www.patreon.com/user?u=19859993&fan_landing=true

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If you like the streaming platform that I am using called StreamYard use the link below to sign up with and receive a $10 credit when you spend your first $25 on an upgraded account. I will get a credit as well and that of course will help the show.

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StreamYard Affiliate Link:

https://streamyard.com?pal=5045291231739904

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Here is where you can find Sean Dustin:

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Linktree:

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https://linktr.ee/Nowheretogobutup

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CLUBHOUSE: @seandu

In this episode I talk to Sarah Dakh who I found in a Clubhouse room and I checked out her profile and saw that she had an interesting story. Sarah has a brand called Bareroot. Her bio and guest questions and answers below. * What bottom or life struggle would you like to share with our audience? * That I was diagnosed with an extremely debilitating autoimmune disease 'ulcerative colitis' and managed to find healing because I could no longer handle feeling like I was in jail, inside my own body. * Unless terminal, there's always an answer to healing health problems that are preventing us from living our best lives. We just need to be committed, stay focused and never give up on ourselves. The answer will surface, you just need to find it! * Mission: To educate people about the healing benefits of diverse plant-based foods. * Bareroots purpose is to provide an educational platform where people can learn about the healing properties of not only plant-based foods, but plant diversity too. Each individual plant has its own nutrients to help feed and support specific microbes in our digestive health system, so an abundance of a variety of plant foods are the key to optimal health. This knowledge will help empower humans to take control of their own health again, so that they can heal. * * You can find Sarah here: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bareroot_/ * * Book Suggestion: Fiber Fueled - Will Bulsiewicz * Podcast Suggestions: I'm not married to any particular podcast. I jump from place to place listening to interviews with experts in the health field. * * You can buy me a coffee here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pozapoze * * Please Help Support My Vision Here: * If you like what I'm doing and creating and have been wondering how you can get involved and help support my vision. Head over to my Patreon page and check out the perks & benefits you receive by becoming a monthly subscriber. You can also learn more about the nonprofit organization that my team and I are building for transitional age youth in my county that are re-entering the community from incarceration. As a subscriber you would be helping to build and support my ability to work on this project full time, while still being able to bring you the engaging content that you enjoy listening to or watching. *

This is a collaboration with Aurora Eggert the host of "The Borealis Experience" and Sean Dustin the host of the "Nowhere To Go But Up" podcast.

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A few weeks ago Aurora and myself were recording an episode for her show with me as the guest. After finishing recording we decided that we since we have both been abusive people in our past relationships that this would be the perfect opportunity to team up and start a series about abusive behavior. It isn't often that you find a female that is willing to speak on being abusive in their past relationships. It is also not often that you find a male that is willing to openly talk about their role they played in being abusive. 

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This type of behavior is usually buried in shame, guilt, and embarrassment so it rarely gets talked about outside the walls of a therapists office. The type of abuse that is displayed by women in relationships isn't usually physical in nature but more mentally and emotionally charged. A lot of the time when a man is abusive it plays out in mental, emotional, and physical forms of abuse.

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We hope that this conversation and the ones to come will help people out there that are being abusive, have been abusive, or have been affected by an abusive person to understand why this behavior even exists in ourselves and other people. We hope to bring on licensed professionals to talk about the different types of abuse and why they happen as well as current/former abusive people and people that have been affected by abusive behavior.

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If you fit into this category and would like to tell us your story or appear on the show as a guest feel free to reach out through email to [email protected] and we will read your story on the show. You can remain anonymous in either scenario writing your story or appearing as a guest. Thank you for listening.

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Here is where you can find Aurora:

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Podcast:

https://auroraeggert.buzzsprout.com/

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Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/dawn.roschen

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CLUBHOUSE:  @auroraeggert

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Here is where you can find Sean Dustin: * Linktree: * https://linktr.ee/Nowheretogobutup * CLUBHOUSE:  @seandustin * To support the show through Patreon: * https://www.patreon.com/user?u=19859993

In this episode I am talking to Joline Rivera who is the founder of "Kitchen Toke". I came across Joline in my new favorite place to connect with people called Clubhouse. Kitchen Toke is a website and magazine dedicated to health and wellness through culinary cannabis. * * About Kitchen Toke Founder, Joline Rivera: * Joline Rivera is the founder and creative director of Kitchen Toke and Red Belly Honey. * Kitchen Toke is the first media brand dedicated to promoting health and wellness through culinary cannabis. A skilled visual storyteller and food and lifestyle expert, she has more than 20 years of experience as a creative director, lending her design expertise to clients like Food Network Kitchens, US Foods, Meredith Publishing, Crate & Barrel and more. She has also directed award-winning publications, including Food Fanatics, Sweet Paul and Uncrate. * With Kitchen Toke, she turns her elevated eye to the world of cannabis. After Rivera investigated the benefits of medical cannabis to help a friend’s father during his cancer battle, she was inspired by the possibilities of culinary cannabis as part of a path to wellness. Drawing on Rivera’s years of experience in the publishing industry—as well as her long-standing connections to top chefs, writers, photographers, filmmakers and food stylists—Kitchen Toke provides a credible, refined resource that aims to change the way people think about cannabis. * And in June of 2020, she partnered with Bee-Fuse Technology to launch Red Belly Honey the world’s first full-spectrum, whole-plant, CBD honey on the market today, infused by bees and not humans. Joline’s continued priority is to shine a light on relevant cannabis-infused food helping people introduce cannabis to their bodies with the focus of being healthy, not just high. And most important to Joline is to continue the dialogue that cannabis is food, and food is medicine. * * You can find Joline here: * Website: https://kitchentoke.com/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kitchentoke/ * * Book Suggestion: Right now I'm reading GRIT, by Angela Duckworth * Podcast Suggestions:

In this episode I am having a conversation with Chad Marks. I have been circling the same spaces as Chad for the last year and have mutual acquaintances. Chad has done some hard time in the past in one of the toughest maximum security federal prisons in the system. Below is a bio that will tell you a little about him and his story. * I got a link to Chad's new YouTube show from one of my subscribers on Patreon. So I checked it out and was amazed that this was the 1st episode. The raw and real message that was being broadcast and painted for the viewers. His flow, speech, personality, talent and authenticity are what drew me into this show. I'm a fan now! * Chad is doing great work as a paralegal, Criminal justice reform activist, and an author. The purpose driving this show is, to save kids from a life of imprisonment and premature death in the streets through our stories. Make sure you check out new show direct link below. * * Chad's Bio: * Chad Marks is a 42 year-old author, criminal justice reform activist, and educator. At the age of 24 years old he was sentenced to a 40-year federal mandatory minimum in prison for his involvement in a non-violent drug crime. * During his over 17 years in some of the most dangerous federal prisons in the United States. Chad became known as the "Lawyer" by both staff and prisoners. He learned the law chasing a dream - to one day have a chance to reclaim his own life While pursuing his own freedom as a "Jail House Lawyer" Chad was able to secure the release or reduction in sentences through the courts for other prisoners. * Law was not the only thing he did in prison. He taught the men around him to read and write. He also dedicated his time to teaching Alternative to Violence Project Seminars, Leaders Breed Leaders, and tutoring college students behind the walls, and many other rehabilitative programs. * In 2019 Chad wrote a prose motion that he filed to court that eventually led to his 40-year sentence being reduced from 40 years to 20 years. The federal sentencing judge that based on Chad's rehabilitation which included earning a college degree, and changes in the law, that he deserved that second chance to reclaim his life - the dream that he had been chasing had become his reality * On June 25, 2020 the gates that Chad had heard slam so many times locking him in, slammed behind him this time letting him out. * Today Chad works as a paralegal for Freedom Fighters & Prison Consultants. He also the owner of FEL$CON a business that provides service to prisoners across the country. Chad's life mission is to be the voice of the voiceless that are serving grotesque sentences that deserve the same opportunity that he now has. * * Here is where you can find Chad: * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chad.marks.391/ * Twitter:

In episode #5 I talked to a voiceover actress that shared her path of entry into voiceover work. I took her advice and followed her instruction for myself and ended up landing gigs for 3 different non paying projects. One of those was the voice of Adam Warlock in the Lego Avenger Series that my two guests wrote and produced. After about a year the final product was published and I thought that it was really good and was curious how they got involved in creating this type of content. * * Daniels Bio: * My name is Daniel Lucas, I am from Brazil. I created my YouTube channel in 2012. I started posting videos on my YouTube channel in 2013. At the moment, I have more than 2 thousand subscribers and I've uploaded 168 videos so far. My purpose with this channel is to practice the English language, have fun doing something I love, and make people have something to enjoy and have fun watching . * * Leonardo's Bio: * My name is Leonardo. Passionate lover of Star wars, Marvel and videogames. I love to write small stories and scripts during my free time, have helped with some scripts of Daniel's videos, with my best job being with the Darth Vader vs Darth Maul video. I work as an English teacher and currently aiming at my first bachelor degree. As a future project, I intend to give life to my own YouTube channel of podcasts named Radio Midgar, as a reference to my favorite game of all time, Final fantasy 7 * * Here is where you can find and follow their work: * Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/kypGoldenflier * Youtube Membership Club: https://www.youtube.com/cha.../UCCrPszTdqwL1wTcgMfuRmOw/join * Instagram page: