Passion to Poison

Will is a Lifestyle Ocean Athlete. In 2014, he made a 1,386-mile unassisted stand-up paddle from Canada to Mexico. The legendary paddle has made him a pioneer in the world of endurance ocean sports. He’s been featured in SUP Magazine and on CBS Sports as well as numerous radio and live appearances. He’s the second, 3-time solo stand-up paddler to cross the length of the Catalina Channel in Southern California. Will is a former United States Marine, a dedicated ambassador for SIC Maui SUP, a contributing writer for theintertia.com, and a two-time solo participant in the Moloka’i to Oahu Paddleboard World Championships. He’s also produced and starred in two documentary films recounting his own experiences on the water. Despite his success and extreme desire to challenge himself, Will has struggled with debilitating depression. We’re excited to hear his story and learn how paddleboarding literally saved his life.

Jonalyn is the co-founder and Chief Development Officer of Obsesh, a sports marketplace that connects consumers and top athletes through personalized video messaging and live-streaming online classes. Obsesh helps top sports talent monetize their skills and talents to build their personal brands.

For more than 15 years, she led the go-to-market strategies, talent sponsorships, and PR for some of the most iconic brands in the world, including Beats by Dre, DTS, and Sony. Jonalyn also led the global PR and marketing strategies for THQ Wireless which launched the first mobile games for the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, and WWE.

Despite her success, there have been struggles and transitions along the way. Jonalyn talks about how she was able to navigate through the challenges in her life and discover the importance of having passion, confidence, and a willingness to learn new things.

Sabba Quidwai is an educational speaker, researcher, and consultant. She’s worked as an innovative learning specialist at Fairmont Schools in Orange County, California, the director of innovative learning at USC, and most recently an education leadership executive at Apple. Although she’s been successful in many areas of her life, both academically and professionally, she’s gone through several life-changing transitions that challenged her beliefs about life, work, and family.

Cory started his career as a child actor in the 1980s. He’s most famous for playing Tom Hanks’ son in the movie The Burbs. He’s also had acting roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Who’s the Boss?, Beauty and the Beast, and other TV shows and movies. In many ways, Cory’s had a storied life. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t struggled along the way. Transitioning in and out of Hollywood was a challenge. He also lost both of his parents at a relatively young age which he considers to be the hardest transition of his life. He talks about how his imagination and manifestation served as a liferaft during the tough times.

WARNING: This episode explores difficult subjects, including sexual abuse and rape.

With a successful career as a clinical therapist, a master's degree from USC, a wonderful husband, and two beautiful daughters, you wouldn't be wrong to assume Lindsey has a great life. But getting to this point involved going through incredible challenges. Lindsey opens up about her experiences with sexual abuse, rape, and alcoholism.

Not too many people can say they've been smuggled out of their home country, trekked over the Himalayas, speak 9 languages fluently, won dance competitions and beauty pageants, and become a successful Hollywood actress. Sitara Attaie is one of those rare people. In this episode, she talks about her incredible journey from Afghanistan to the United States, her time growing up in The Netherlands, and how her parent's unconditional love gave her the confidence to achieve her dreams.

Fahim’s entire life has been a series of life-changing transitions. He was born in Afghanistan and separated from his family when he was 12 years old. After a miraculous reuniting in the United States, he worked as a translator for the US Department of Defense. He’s a best selling author and currently an actor in Hollywood. He's been in numerous movies and TV shows, including Iron Man, American Sniper, and 12 Strong. And he’s worked with A-list celebrities like Tom Hanks, Chris Hemsworth, Bill Murray, Clint Eastwood, and Ben Affleck. Fahim shares his keys to success and his unique perspective on life.

Josh Penrod is one of the leading user experience (UX) experts in the world. He's held executive positions at companies like Ancestry.com and Podium. Despite his success, he's struggled with depression and injury. Josh opens up about the challenges he's faced and how he was able preserver and ultimately come out better on the other side.

Passion to Poison co-host Mac Wilson talks about the successes and challenges he's had throughout his career as a professional volleyball player and his transition into the business world.

The life of a musician can be difficult. Despite being an award-winning musician, producer, and composer, our guest, Rodger Cunningham, talks about the challenges he's faced along the way and how he's managed to transition into different phases of his life and career.