The Jason Wright Show

Major Dodge is an actor, producer, and writer originally from New Albany, Indiana. He is a former college wrestler and MMA enthusiast, and is best known for his film Bomb City (2017) based on the controversial story of late punk rocker, Brian Deneke. Other notable work includes the internationally acclaimed Behold the Noose (2014). In January 2020 he appeared in a Safelite Autoglass national commercial that became quite the buzz, dubbing him the “Safelite Hottie.” He is a member of 3rd Identity, a filmmaker collaborative based in Dallas, Texas. In his spare time he enjoys dancing, bass fishing, working with kids and coaching his son’s wrestling team. Major often speaks and writes about overcoming adversity in his life, and other inspirational subjects, with the goal of encouraging others in mind. His son Major Dodge IV aka Major “Jr.” is also an actor and is a series regular on season 2 of Roswell, New Mexico(2020) on the CW network.

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Hey folks. This is a different format than the usual Texas Titan Podcast. In this episode I review one of my favorite recent reads, “Choose Yourself” by James Altucher. I want to start doing more book reviews for you, my listening audience. I know who precious your time is, and reading is a major intellectual investment. Therefore, when I come across something truly special I want to let you know about it. This book fits that bill.

James Altucher is a modern day Renaissance man in every sense of the word. He’s wicked smart. He’s funny. He’s made and lost and made again millions of dollars. He decided he wanted to get into stand up comedy so he bought a comedy club. There’s a way to make sure you always get on stage. That’s how James is. He loves to “skip the line” as he calls it. He figures out workarounds in life others don’t even realize are possible.

I hope you enjoy this. If you do get the book, please post a pic on Instagram and Facebook with a picture of the book and tag me and James. Let me know what you think of the book. As you map out your life plan, choose yourself!

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Mr. Crawford is a Co-founder and President of Coltala Holdings. He has over 15 years of experience in investing, asset management and building operating teams. As a Managing Director of Avesta Holdings, Mr. Crawford led business development activities; identified capital and acquisitions, special situation opportunities and managed key investor relationships. Mr. Crawford helped build Avesta’s business to include over 320 employees and $1billion in assets and $100 million in revenue.

Mr. Crawford was a Vice President at Goldman Sachs where he spent seven years as an advisor to numerous CEOs, institutions and private company owners. Mr. Crawford joined Goldman Sachs from the private equity firm Advantage Capital Partners (ACP), a national lower, middle-market, private equity firm. Prior to joining ACP, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic where, at 23 years of age, he founded a four-member coffee cooperative and grew it to include more than 200 coffee farmers with access to global markets. Mr. Crawford is a trustee of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida; a trustee on the Business School Council at The Freeman School of Business at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana; and a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

As a U.S. Naval Intelligence Officer, Mr. Crawford served with Special Operations Command South in Latin America. From 2012-2013, he was deployed to Afghanistan as the Tribal and Political Adviser for SEAL Teams Two and Four as part of a Special Operations Task Force. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service. 

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As Jacob and David were walking into a 7-Eleven, a homeless man approached them begging for money. Jacob reached into his pocket, pulled out a five-dollar bill and gave it to the homeless man. When the man reached for it, Jacob maintained a tight grasp. The man suddenly turned and looked up at Jacob, holding the bill tightly.

Jacob looked him right in the eye and said, “I want you to know you’re worth it.”

As the homeless man walked toward the convenience store, he turned back and with an astonished look on his face said, “What did you say?”

Jacob pulled up his pant leg and revealed his prosthetic leg and said, “I want you to know what I did for this country is for you. You’re worth it, and you’re worth that money.”

“Life is about those 7-Eleven moments and you may never know the outcome but that’s not why you do it,” said David Vobora, founder of Adaptive Training Foundation.

Every day, 22 veterans commit suicide. To help awareness and prevention of suicide, Cpl. Jacob Schick (ret.) told his story about his life and the help he received to that prevented him from committing suicide.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY

Schick grew up in Bossier City, Louisiana. He lived there until he was 12 and then moved to Texas. Around the age of eight, he knew that he wanted to be a Marine.

His grandfather was a Marine in World War II. His grandmother told him all the stories about his grandfather and it was a heavy influence on him. Jacob’s uncle was a 2nd generation Marine, following in the footsteps of Jacob’s grandfather.

“I knew at a very young age that I was going to be a Marine,” said Schick.

Schick’s grandfather and uncle both left the Marine Corps as corporals. He decided early on that he needed to raise the bar. His plan was to become a mustang, which is a Marine officer who was once enlisted.

Jacob signed up to enlist at the beginning of his senior year of high school in 2000 as a reservist. He went to boot camp a month after the 9/11 attacks.

“I knew day one when I stepped on the yellow footprints that I was destined to be here at this moment in time,” said Schick.

After boot camp, he went to the School of Infantry (West) Camp Pendleton, California, where he was trained as a rifleman. Schick said he thoroughly enjoyed it and is still in touch with Marines from recruit training and SOI.

Schick later reported to 1st battalion, 23rd Marines, and deployed to Iraq in 2004.

Before deployment, Schick thought he knew what teamwork and the “one team, one fight” concept was all about, but he learned quickly he didn’t. He fully grasped the idea through brotherhood, sacrifice and suffering during his deployment in Iraq.

“The fact is, when we’re at our highest high we’re together, and when we’re at our lowest low it’s together,” said Schick. “We did it as a family as one unit. So I learned that I could depend on the Marine to my left and right no matter what.

“No matter what circumstance may arise, they are willing to die for me and I am willing to die for them,” Schick added. “I think it goes without saying that is what makes us the best in the world.”

Early in the morning Schick’s unit had gotten a reaction call. The night previously they had captured two hostages and had a stand off that lasted well into the night.

His Marines had been sleeping for a half hour and Schick himself hadn’t gotten any sleep, when they got the reaction call.

Think of a famous chef, and adjectives such as “serious,” “rigid,” or

even “arrogant ” may come to mind, not so with Johnny Carrabba.

Johnny’s style of cooking is, well, fun. Talking about his PBS

show, Cucina Amore, with uncle and fellow chef Damian Mandola, Johnny

says, “We’re having fun… I mean that’s what cooking is all about… having

fun. Getting people’s minds off of everyday stress and everyday

chores… cooking is fun, you know, its entertainment.”

Johnny Carrabba was born to be a restaurateur. His family, including

uncle Damian, has made preparing great meals and entertaining a focus of

their lives. After attending college at St. Thomas University in

Houston, he began working in the local restaurants owned by members of

his family. In 1986 he opened Carrabba’s with his uncle, Damian

Mandola. Their mission was to offer guests high quality Italian dishes

in a warm, casual environment. They wanted Carrabba’s to have a real

wood-fired pizza oven and an open kitchen where their guests could watch

their meals being prepared to order. High standards, unique amenities

like their Carside Carry-Out service (customers call in orders ahead and

have them delivered directly to their car) and the balls of pizza dough

young diners are encouraged to play with, are the ingredients that have

made Carrabba’s, now in fifteen states, a success.

Johnny not only takes cuisine seriously. He is just as concerned with

the atmosphere in which his guests enjoy it. Asked what he loves most

about Carrabba’s, Johnny says, “I love the preparation and the

excitement of it. It’s like throwing a party at your home every night.”

The ambience that Johnny has created at his restaurants, with partner

Damian, is warm, lively, and fun. It’s important to Johnny that his

guests feel as if they are dining in the home of a good friend, and not

in an atmosphere that feels too formal to have fun. As he tells his

staff “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.”

And, as he further explains, “You work hard to prepare a great meal and

you can’t wait to greet your guests and show them a great time.”

On Johnny and Damian’s new PBS program, Cucina Sicilia all the recipes are based on family classics that find their roots in Sicily at the southern tip of the Mediterranean. As you experienced on their series Cucina Amore, Johnny and Damian will pass along their attitudes about cooking and entertaining, along with their sense of fun and gusto for living.

From PBS

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This week I continue my conversation with Austin.

Dallas-based entrepreneur Austin Eudaly made his name in oil and gas, but a recent pivot has led him to the completely disparate industries of film and online dating.

He began working in the oil and gas industry in 2005 holding

positions for Meredith Land & Minerals Co., Flatiron Energy

Partners, and most recently served as managing partner at Gallatin

Natural Resources.

“From 2008 to 2012 Mr. Eudaly personally oversaw leasehold

acquisitions in multiple basins acquiring some 47,000 acres for certain

exploration and production partners,” according to the Gallatin website. 

“I feel like a lot of people push their dreams back and say ‘maybe

I’ll do that one day,’ and you get to the end and say ‘you know, I

really should’ve given that a shot.’” Austin Eudaly

Now, he’s taken a step back to pursue other ventures such as his dating app Vouch and a documentary series called Uncommon Fellows. 

While he still holds an advisory position at Gallatin he has decided to give his full time and attention to his new projects. 

Eudaly said the change in direction comes from the opportunity to work on something he truly loves.

“This is a lifelong dream,” Eudaly said. “I feel like a lot of people

push their dreams back and say ‘maybe I’ll do that one day,’ and you

get to the end and say ‘you know, I really should’ve given that a

shot.’”

Excerpt from Dallas Innovates

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Dallas-based entrepreneur Austin Eudaly made his name in oil

and gas, but a recent pivot has led him to the completely disparate

industries of film and online dating.

He began working in the oil and gas industry in 2005 holding

positions for Meredith Land & Minerals Co., Flatiron Energy

Partners, and most recently served as managing partner at Gallatin

Natural Resources.

“From 2008 to 2012 Mr. Eudaly personally oversaw leasehold

acquisitions in multiple basins acquiring some 47,000 acres for certain

exploration and production partners,” according to the Gallatin website. 

“I feel like a lot of people push their dreams back and say ‘maybe

I’ll do that one day,’ and you get to the end and say ‘you know, I

really should’ve given that a shot.’” Austin Eudaly

Now, he’s taken a step back to pursue other ventures such as his dating app Vouch and a documentary series called Uncommon Fellows. 

While he still holds an advisory position at Gallatin he has decided to give his full time and attention to his new projects. 

Eudaly said the change in direction comes from the opportunity to work on something he truly loves.

“This is a lifelong dream,” Eudaly said. “I feel like a lot of people push their dreams back and say ‘maybe I’ll do that one day,’ and you get to the end and say ‘you know, I really should’ve given that a shot.’”

Excerpt from Dallas Innovates

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Jim Bayless is an attorney, former U.S. government official, and current Texas gubernatorial appointee with broad expertise in the intersection of business and government.  For over 35 years Mr. Bayless has represented and counseled domestic and international corporate clients on legislative and regulatory matters before the federal, state, and local governments.  Prior to founding his solo practice in Austin, he was a member of the Government Relations and Public & Regulatory Law Practice Groups of Winstead PC, one of the largest business law firms in Texas, in its Austin and Washington, D.C., offices.  Deep understanding of the legislative and oversight processes of Congress and the regulatory and policy-making procedures of the federal executive branch. 

Well-acquainted with the operation of Texas state government as a member of a state board appointed by the Governor of Texas upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.  Extensive experience developing and implementing public-policy strategies to advance or protect the client’s and its industry’s strategic business interests.  Proven record of producing results and serving as a trusted adviser to clients across a broad range of industries.  Experienced as a managing partner responsible for all financial and personnel matters.  Accomplished speaker and writer.  Excellent management and mentoring skills. 

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Willie Baronet is the former owner and creative director of GroupBaronet (now MasonBaronet). His advertising and design work has been featured in Communication Arts, Graphis, AIGA Graphic Design Annual, New York Art Directors Annual, The One Show, Print Casebooks, Annual Report Trends, The Type Directors Club Annual and Annual Report Design: A Historical Retrospective 1510-1990, organized by the Cooper-Hewitt National Museum of Design. His print and broadcast work has received numerous medals from the Dallas Advertising League’s Tops Show, the Dallas Society of Visual Communications and the Houston Art Directors Club. In 1999, he was a juror for the Communication Arts Illustration Annual.

In 2013, Baronet was named an AIGA Fellow for making a significant contribution to raising the standards of excellence in practice and conduct in the creative community. This is the highest honor an AIGA chapter can bestow upon one of its senior-level members.

Baronet has been buying and collecting homeless signs since 1993 as part of a long-term art project titled “WE ARE ALL HOMELESS.” In 2014 he began a 31-day cross country trip to buy signs in 24 cities, which was the subject of the documentary Signs of Humanity, which premiered at the Dallas International Film Festival and has been accepted into seven additional festivals. He has done exhibits featuring these signs across the U.S. and in the UK. The project has been featured in dozens of international and local media, including Yahoo! News, NPR – All Things Considered, HuffPost, Al Jazeera America, BuzzFeed, Fast Company’s blog (posted by Katie Couric), and dozens of others. An UpWorthy video about the project that was uploaded on August 31, 2015 has been viewed over 6.4 million times.

Over the years, Baronet has spoken to schools and organizations across the country about creativity, leadership and his homeless project, including TEDx, PechaKucha, Ignite DFW, Creative Mornings, Catalyst University, AIGA, DSVC and the HOW Design Conference.

In his advertising career, Baronet has worked with clients in just about every industry. He has served on the board of directors for the Dallas Society of Visual Communications, and the advisory board of the DFW AIGA. In 2006, Baronet sold the GroupBaronet company to long-time employee Holly Mason, and the company was renamed MasonBaronet.

Baronet is a 1982 graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette).

Chef Lance was formerly the executive chef of two restaurants in the Texas Hill Country, before opening the much loved and celebrated McGarity’s Saloon in the East Texas destination town of Jefferson. After McGarity’s, he and his (accomplished professional BBQ Pitmaster) wife Bailey decided to move west to try and further hone his skills by working under the best chefs he could find to learn from before planning a return to East Texas. 

Lance made a great impact since arriving in the Dallas food scene in 2017, working as the Executive Sous Chef of  SĒR  Steak+Spirits in the Hilton Anatole, followed by incredible experiences learning as a Chef de Partie under Matt McCallister at the legendary FT33 Dallas, and under David Uygur and Anthony Bombaci as a Chef de Partie at Macellaio, Dallas’ Best New Restaurant, 2018. 

As a sixth generation Texan his cuisine is firmly based on his East Texas roots, but his tastes for food and wine are truly worldly.

Throughout his military and professional careers, he has spent time in almost 40 different countries; soaking in the food, drink, and cultures abroad, and now turns those exposures towards his own style of cuisine; East Texas comfort food, Cajun,  Middle Eastern, Asian, Mediterranean, Latin American, and wherever he and Bailey travel next!

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