Taking it for Granted

Brad Williams, better known as Dragon Redbeard, has had more ups and downs in his life than you care to count, but no matter what gets thrown his way, Dragon keeps coming out on the other side smiling and happy. Whether it be a bank robbing ex-wife or working 80 hours a week to support two kids at the age of 20, he knows the value of always showing up. After being furloughed during the pandemic, Dragon decided to take a bad situation and turn it into a positive, and began exercising. After 600 consecutive days of working out, and counting, he has lost a remarkable 150 pounds. Dragon is a kind, compassionate, and hard working man who understands the value of being present and never taking life too seriously.

Brandon Painter founded Nowhere Coffee Co to find an escape from the corporate world and start living life on his terms again. After spending a decade clocking in for numerous high level jobs in the world of advertising and design, Brandon knew it was time for a change, and he got to work on his mobile coffee shop air stream "Ramblin' Rose." After a few years of hard work, Nowhere Coffee is in business, and Brandon is able to live the life he wants. Whether it be chatting with lifelong friends, making new ones at the shop, or going on spontaneous adventures because he can, Brandon is right where he wants to be. To learn more about Nowhere Coffee, follow them on Instagram @nowherecoffee.co or check out the website https://nowherecoffee.co/.

John Furniss, better known as The Blind Woodsman on TikTok and Instagram, has inspired countless people through his work, but it hasn't been an easy road to get where he is now. Surviving suicide, battling drug use, and overcoming loss of sight and smell are all hurdles John has overcome in his life. While he doesn't wish to relive those experiences, they taught him many valuable lessons that have made him into the man he is today. To learn more about John, follow him on Instagram and TikTok @theblindwoodsman, or visit the website https://www.furnissstudios.com/.

Aawaz Pokhrel is a PhD student in Physics at Georgia Tech, and quite the philosopher. With a deep thirst of knowledge on all things life, Aawaz is constantly searching for answers, but is also very mindful of being present. Whether it be playing guitar, listening to John Prine, or cooking dinner for his friends, he enjoys the little moments of happiness in his life. It's safe to say that after immigrating from Nepal, Aawaz has certainly found a new home, and a new place to thrive.

Warren Wood is the Co-Founder of Elevated Seltzer, the nation's first independent seltzery, located in Olde Town Arvada. While he has found success, and his business ventures continue to grow, the most important parts of life for Warren continue to be his friends and family. Experiences from traveling to a state a month, skiing the Dolomites, and hiking to hidden gems, he certainly knows how to live life elevated, but his passion for his work certainly shines through. To learn more about Warren and his work, visit https://www.elvtdseltzer.com/ or follow him on Instagram @warren.wood and @elvtdsltzr.

Lillian So is a Life Coach, Holistic Healer, Fitness Instructor, and Author of "So Empowered." She has turned her passion into her career, and as her passions in life have changed, her career has pivoted as well. Lillian started very successfully in the fitness world at a young age, but learned that she wasn't happy in a lot of other aspects of her life; so that became her mission. Now through her work with she is able to help countless clients find their own path to a happy and fulfilling life. To learn more about Lillian, visit her website https://meetlillianso.com/, or follow her on Instagram @meetlillianso.

Matthew Birch is a musician and the founder of the band Our Violet Room. The band was recently a finalist in Hometown for the Holidays, a local music competition hosted by radio station KTCL, 93.3 in Denver. Even though a "long haul" battle with COVID slowed Matthew down recently, he is skyrocketing through the music industry. His music has been used in multiple tv shows, and Our Violet Room has a new album coming out this spring. To learn more about Matthew and the band, follow them on Spotify and Instagram @ourvioletroom.

Therese Rocca is a Senior Account Executive at iHeartMedia, but lives such an interesting life outside of her 9-5. She is an expert travel hacker who has been to 27 countries and counting. Therese has found out what is important to her in life, and a big part of that is seeing amazing places with amazing people. Now she is helping others live out their travel dreams too. To learn more about Therese and her work check out www.ultimatecheaptravel.com

Colin O'Brien went viral this past year for his website datecolinobrien.com, but that is just part of who he is. When he isn't looking for his someone special, Colin produces many events from concerts to film festivals, puts together extravagant Christmas parties, or decides to run a marathon. While he is trying to navigate finding love in this new world of dating apps, Colin decided to set himself apart, and man did it work. He has been featured on many radio and television stations, and even though he hasn't found the love of his life yet, he knows it has been a great learning experience, and that it is all about the journey. To learn more about Colin, and possibly go on a date with him, visit https://www.datecolinobrien.com/.

We celebrate a year of the podcast by welcoming back the very first guest, AJ Smith. He is a former Marine, a recovering drug addict nearing five years of sobriety, and the Safety Coordinator for Thompson Construction Group. AJ gives us an update on the past year of his life, and his mindset heading into a new year.