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Lauren Wilson on Returning to Sailing, Rebuilding After Surgery, and Chasing the Olympics as a Mom

Coy Brown III sits down with Lauren Wilson, an Olympic sailing campaigner, mother of two, entrepreneur, and women’s empowerment advocate, to trace the winding path that brought her back to competitive sailing. Lauren shares how sailing shaped her identity from age seven, how life pulled her away, and how motherhood, surgery, and a strong support system helped her return with a clearer sense of purpose.This episode is about more than sport. It’s about choosing yourself, rebuilding from the inside out, and showing your kids that courage can look like starting over in your 40s.

Episode insights

• Take the next small step. Lauren’s return began with getting back on the water—not with a grand Olympic plan.
• A nonlinear path can still move you forward. She sees the detours in her life as tacks, not failures.
• Choosing yourself isn’t necessarily selfish. Pursuing what energizes you can strengthen your relationships and family life.
• Rebuilding can reveal new strength. After surgery and rehab, Lauren found her body could work better than before.
• Let children see the process. Competing, losing, recovering, and trying again can model resilience more clearly than advice alone.
• Support makes ambition more possible. Her husband, mother, children, and community all play a part in making the campaign work.
• It’s worth trying before deciding it’s too late. Lauren’s return shows how a small opportunity can reopen a meaningful chapter.

Key topics

• In this episode: Lauren explains how sailing started as a family activity at age seven, went from frustrating to addictive, and became a place where she felt in control.
• We discuss: Her rise through junior and Olympic development sailing, international competition, and the lessons in humility that come with elite sport.
• Lauren shares: Why she stepped away from a full Olympic path for college and a broader life, while still feeling connected to sailing.
• We discuss: How motherhood, grief, and a women’s race with other moms helped reignite her competitive drive.
• Lauren shares: Her experience with postpartum identity loss, diastasis recti, hernia surgery, and the long process of rebuilding.
• We discuss: How Pilates supported her physical recovery and helped her find a community.
• Lauren shares: The hidden costs and logistics of an Olympic campaign—and how her family helps make it possible.
• We discuss: What her children learn by seeing her prepare, compete, lose, and return to the water.
• Lauren shares: Why the water feels restorative and how she thinks about life as a nonlinear course.

Timestamps

00:00 — Introducing Lauren Wilson and her return to sailing
01:51 — Growing up sailing from age seven
03:38 — Junior racing and Olympic development
04:58 — The trade-offs of elite competition as a teenager
07:47 — Stepping away for college and family
09:45 — Motherhood and the long gap from Olympic sailing
10:42 — Returning to racing after having a daughter
11:40 — A women’s race reignites the competitive spark
14:34 — When sailing first clicked
17:32 — The coach who pushed her without constant praise
21:47 — International competition and humility
24:58 — What it felt like to be away from sailing
29:14 — Diastasis recti, hernia, and preparing for surgery
31:14 — Racing in Italy and an unexpected operation
37:43 — Rebuilding strength through Pilates
43:14 — Feeling stronger and returning to racing
45:28 — Climbing back into the rankings
46:16 — Why the comeback began with a small yes
53:11 — Giving herself permission to choose herself
57:17 — Pursuing an Olympic spot despite the odds
60:29 — Her son’s first regatta and doing hard things scared
63:16 — Racing against stronger competitors
66:44 — The campaign’s logistics, fundraising, and sponsorship
74:43 — Navigating marriage, money, and ambition
79:58 — Traveling internationally with the kids
87:03 — Why the water feels like medicine
90:41 — Competing at 42 and modeling resilience
103:35 — Hearing from women and girls inspired by her story
109:59 — Sailing’s nonlinear path and learning to tack
114:27 — Reflecting on the full arc of her life and career
123:09 — What she wishes she could tell her past self
126:20 — Advice for someone who thinks their chance has passed
128:32 — Where to follow Lauren’s campaign
129:39 — Closing question: “Life is…”

Resources and links

• Self Discovery Blueprint
• Coherence Diagnostic 
• Coherence Intake - The Life Is Podcast 
• Books That Build The Life
• St. Joseph County Public Library Events 
• Schedule Call with Host 

Connect with Lauren Wilson

• Lauren's website: secondwindracing.com
• Lauren's Instagram: @sailingmom2la28
• Lauren's other social channels: Tiktok
• Support her journey to LA28

Notable quotes

“Life is putting yourself out there to find your limits.”

“You can’t fill everyone else’s cup from an empty cup.”

“If you don’t try, then you will wonder what if forever.”

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September Synthesis: 5 Common Threads Across the Month’s Guests

Coy Brown III recaps September’s guests on The Life Is Podcast and pulls out the recurring ideas that connected every conversation. This episode reflects on leadership, identity, and what it means to build a life or career from internal coherence instead of external scripts. It’s especially useful if you want a high-level map of the month’s biggest themes.

Key topics

• Coy Brown III identifies five common threads across the month’s guests and uses them to frame the path into October.
• The first thread is subtraction of the script — growth can begin by rejecting inherited roles, titles, and expectations.
• Justice Zimmerman brought an unconventional background in classical acting, rock climbing, and startup management into executive arts leadership at the Austin Symphony.
• Dom Johnson is discussed through the lens of the athlete identity cliff — the loss of self-worth that can happen when sports status disappears.
• Sergiy Kobolenkov challenged standard construction assumptions by building with eco-friendly industrial hemp lime instead of conventional, carbon-intensive materials.
• The second thread is sovereignty of the ground state — how a pivot that looks backward from the outside can be a move toward deeper alignment.
• Coy emphasizes that real leadership comes from internal composure, empathy, and coalition building, not top-down control.
• The third thread is the discipline of the gap — using detours, trauma, loss, and “lost years” as raw material for future leverage and character.
• The fourth thread is tactical logic — the value of physical presence, in-person engagement, and tangible systems in a noisy digital world.
• The fifth thread is identity, stability, and sustainable infrastructure — building durable systems that outlast individual performance and support long-term legacy.

Timestamps

00:00 — September recap and the month’s shared themes
 00:29 — Thread 1: Subtraction of the script
 00:55 — Justice Zimmerman’s unconventional path into symphony leadership
 01:24 — Dom Johnson and the athlete identity cliff
 01:55 — Sergiy Kobolenkov and hemp-based construction
 02:25 — Titles as containers, not destinations
 02:52 — Thread 2: Sovereignty of the ground state
 03:19 — Why pivots are often moves toward alignment
 03:46 — Justice’s consensus-based leadership style
 04:16 — Dom’s shift from trauma to service and coaching
 04:45 — Sergiy’s adaptation across global markets
 05:17 — Thread 3: The discipline of the gap
 05:45 — Reframing detours as incubators for resilience
 06:15 — Dom’s childhood adversity becomes a coaching mission
 06:44 — Sergiy builds through geopolitical tension and resistance
 07:12 — Character decisions as the foundation of credibility
 07:56 — Community shoutout and library programming
 08:56 — Thread 4: Tactical logic
 09:23 — Live performance and in-person transformation as leverage
 09:51 — Hempcrete and practical building logic
 10:22 — Efficiency as concentrated effort, not less effort
 10:50 — Bringing more real-world engagement into work
 11:16 — Thread 5: Identity, stability, and sustainable infrastructure
 11:46 — Dom’s internal healing and educational framework
 12:15 — Sergiy’s ecological conviction and carbon-negative supply chains
 12:44 — External life as the expression of internal decision
 13:11 — Long-term legacy versus short-term transactions
 13:41 — Closing the September synthesis

Notable quotes

“The pivot is not the detour — the pivot is actually the arrival.”

“Downstream of character is credibility. Downstream of credibility is trust."

“Life expands in proportion to internal coherence.”

Resources and Links

• St. Joe County Public Library
• The Mental Edge Coherence Diagnostic
• The Self Discovery Blueprint 
• Books That Build The Life 
• Coherence Intake - Internal Guidance 
• Guided Meditation

Connect with Coy

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
•  Schedule a Call
• YouTube

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Life Is Podcast - Justus Zimmerman on building a career across acting, entrepreneurship, and orchestra leadership

Episode insight

Justus Zimmerman’s path from acting and rock climbing to entrepreneurship and orchestra leadership shows how experiences that seem like detours can build skills for a future you can’t yet see. He reflects on learning through risk, feedback, and failure—and on leading an orchestra by building trust and buy-in rather than relying on authority alone.

Key topics

• Finding value in the so-called “lost years”
• What acting and rock climbing taught him about resilience and risk
• Lessons from starting a toy company
• Entering the orchestra world as an outsider
• Using feedback and humility to grow
• Leading through trust, empathy, and buy-in
• Austin’s growth and the Austin Symphony’s role in the city
• Choosing alignment and impact over stability or prestige

Timestamps

00:00 – Introducing Justus Zimmerman and his unconventional path
 05:37 – The road trip west that sparked climbing and a bigger life
 09:14 – What acting and climbing taught about risk and resilience
 11:48 – Starting a toy company and learning the business
 17:00 – Why clever products still need to be easy to understand
 18:28 – Entering the orchestra world as a marketing outsider
 23:07 – Bringing digital strategy to a traditional arts organization
 30:55 – Confidence, ambition, and “dare to suck”
 34:08 – Feedback as a tool for growth
 35:35 – Leading through buy-in, boards, and relationships
 41:22 – The music director partnership and empathy
 44:41 – Austin’s growth and the orchestra’s opportunity
 52:24 – Reframing the so-called “lost years”
 61:09 – Luck, timing, preparation, and showing up
 68:47 – Knowing when it’s time to leave a good thing
 73:14 – A five-year vision for the Austin Symphony
 77:07 – Mission, impact, and money
 78:13 – Where to find Justus and the Austin Symphony
 78:58 – Closing reflection: “Life is lived gratitude”

Resources & links

• Austin Symphony Orchestra
• How to Support the Austin Symphony Orchestra
• Austin Symphony Orchestra Instagram 
• Self Discovery Blueprint 
• Mental Edge Coherence Diagnostic 
• Coherence Intake - The Life Is Podcast 
• Books That Build The Life 
• St. Joseph County Public Library Events 
• Schedule Call with Host 

How to connect with Justus Zimmerman

• X Account 
• Instagram 
• LinkedIn

Notable quotes 

• “Dare to suck."
• “Life is lived gratitude.”
• “You have to be willing to be corrected.”
• “The title doesn’t matter as much as the output.”

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Dom Johnson on Athlete Transition, Trauma, and Building Spark

Coy Brown III talks with Dom Johnson, athlete transition coach and founder of Spark, about the long arc from childhood trauma to college sports, coaching, and entrepreneurship. Dom shares how his upbringing, his mother’s resilience, and his own post-athlete identity crisis shaped the mission behind Spark.We discuss what athletes lose when sports end, why mental health and financial literacy matter in transition, and why Dom believes every athlete should have access to a coach for life beyond the game. This is a personal, specific conversation about pain, purpose, and building the support system he wishes had existed earlier.

Key topics

• Dom shares his background as a Canadian kid born in Winnipeg, raised in a sports-heavy family with a father who played in the NFL and CFL.
• He opens up about growing up in an abusive home, including a childhood memory at age two that shaped his understanding of fear and safety.
• Dom explains how his mother left, went to law school as a single parent, kept the family together, and eventually built a successful law practice.
• He reconnects emotionally and practically with his father later in life, but says that relationship remains limited and unlikely to become truly close.
• He describes playing football and basketball at the University at Buffalo, including scholarships, injuries, and the pressure of being a dual-sport athlete.
• Dom talks about the crash after sports, when identity, money, structure, and attention all changed at once.
• He recounts a dark mental health moment while injured at a bowl game in the Bahamas, showing how isolating athlete injury and transition can be.
• He explains how coaching at Alabama under Nate Oates, low pay, and constant work pushed him into self-education and entrepreneurship.
• He details the Chicago chapter, where working with vulnerable populations taught him that people need listening, grace, community, and trust more than advice.
• He breaks down Spark as athlete life coaching built around support, purpose, alignment, resilience, and knowledge, with camps, coaching, books, and tools for current and former athletes.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introducing Dom Johnson and the mission behind Spark
 01:20 - Growing up in Winnipeg, family roots in football, and a complicated childhood
 03:14 - What Spark stands for and why athlete transition became his purpose
 05:31 - Childhood fear, abuse in the home, and the memory he never forgot
 09:47 - Watching his mother leave, rebuild, and keep six kids together
 14:53 - His mother’s law career and the example of relentless resilience
 16:43 - Reconnecting with his father after 17 years and why the door stays mostly closed
 18:41 - Facing fears on the road tour and deciding to call his dad
 23:12 - Why that conversation fueled his mission to protect younger athletes
 26:42 - What Division I football and basketball gave him, and what it took from him
 29:39 - Injury, isolation, and the mental health reality of athlete life
 36:44 - Leaving Buffalo, $47 in the bank, and the shock of post-sports uncertainty
 39:06 - Getting the Alabama coaching job through a Christmas text
 40:04 - Life as a graduate assistant, learning to add value, and cutting hair as a side hustle
 42:00 - The books, speakers, and ideas that shifted his mindset
 46:35 - A relationship that changed how he thought about money, habits, and personal growth
 51:53 - Chicago work with vulnerable populations and the power of full immersion
 57:51 - What Spark actually is and how the camps and coaching work
 61:28 - Why Spark serves current athletes, former athletes, and people in transition
 66:27 - Bootstrapping the business and building proof without investors
 72:41 - Why trust matters more than hype in sports and coaching
 76:22 - Betting on human connection in an AI-heavy future
 81:21 - Scaling Spark globally and what stays universal across countries and sports
 86:48 - Pain, purpose, and the idea that what hurts you can also build you
 90:43 - Advice for former athletes trying to figure out who they are
 97:33 - Where to find Dom and Spark
 99:03 - What life means to Dom right now

Resources & Links

• The Self Discovery Blueprint 
• The Mental Edge Coherence Diagnostic 
• Coherence Intake - The Life Is Podcast
• Books That Build The Life 
• St. Joseph County Public Library Events 
• Schedule Call with Host 

Connect with Dom Johnson

• Website: Spark Coaching 
• Instagram 
• Organization Instagram 

Notable Quotes

“People do not care about what you know until they know that you care.”

“Some of the most painful things we go through will be the thing that brings us the most purpose.”

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Life Is Podcast with Sergiy Kovalenkov

In this episode, Coy Brown III speaks with Sergiy Kovalenkov, founder and CEO of Hempire, about how a civil engineer from Ukraine became a hemp construction pioneer. Sergiy explains why hemp-based building materials can help address housing, health, environmental, and supply-chain challenges.The conversation covers Sergiy’s international construction experience, the practical benefits of hemp lime, the future of bio-based materials, and what it took to build a hemp company in Ukraine during active conflict.

Key Points

• Sergiy’s background as a civil engineer trained in Canada.
• His construction experience across Ukraine, Canada, Turkey, Australia, and other countries.
• The moment he discovered hemp lime construction in Australia.
• How hemp hurd, lime, and water become a breathable, energy-efficient building material.
• Why hemp can replace materials such as drywall, OSB, rock wool, and plastic membranes.
• The potential health benefits of hemp homes, including moisture regulation, reduced mold risk, lower off-gassing, and improved indoor comfort.
• The environmental benefits of hemp, including carbon sequestration and reduced dependence on resource-intensive materials.
• Why local production and supply chains matter in high-cost markets such as Hawaii.
• The challenge of building Hempire during wartime in Ukraine.
• Why regulation and industry standards are essential for wider adoption.
• The importance of integrity, trust, and aligning business with personal values.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction to Sergiy Kovalenkov and Hempire
 02:20 - From Ukraine to Canada and a career in construction
 04:37 - The cement plant experience that changed everything
 06:02 - Discovering hemp lime in Australia
 08:59 - What construction taught him beyond the classroom
 16:28 - Culture, geography, and construction around the world
 18:50 - Ancient natural building and the rise of concrete
 21:51 - The roots of Sergiy’s environmental values
 25:16 - Why hemp matters in a world running out of resources
 30:06 - How hemp becomes a building material
 33:54 - Hemp insulation replacing multiple toxic products
 37:23 - How hemp lime is installed and cures
 39:12 - Fire, mold, and pest resistance
 41:03 - EMF blocking and other overlooked benefits
 42:25 - Energy efficiency and long-term savings
 44:20 - Mold, sick building syndrome, and toxic materials
 49:04 - Why client trust matters more than awards
 51:58 - Hempire’s founding principles
 55:31 - Local production and the Hawaii housing challenge
 58:42 - Bamboo, hemp lime, and the need for standards
 62:46 - Building Hempire during wartime in Ukraine
 68:17 - Rockets, damaged facilities, and business disruptions
 78:58 - Regulation, standards, and industry adoption
 86:27 - Integrity and global partnerships
 92:52 - Responding to skeptics and industry resistance
 97:10 - Educating students and correcting misconceptions about hemp
 99:53 - What living in a hemp home feels like
 104:57 - The cost of ignoring hemp in the housing crisis
 110:57 - Building in alignment with your beliefs
 113:37 - Advice for engineers and sustainability-minded builders
 116:39 - Where to connect with Sergiy and Hempire
 117:24 - Life Is Podcast: Life is love

Resources & Links

• The Self Discovery Blueprint
• The Mental Edge Coherence Diagnostic 
• Books That Build The Life
• St. Joseph County Public Library Events
• Morning Affirmations with Coy
• Guided Meditation 

Connect with Sergiy Kovalenkov

• Hempire
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Hempire's LinkedIn

Notable Quotes

“Life is love. That’s all.”

“The house used to be a temple."

“We are running out of resources right now on the planet.”

A Note from Life Is Podcast

Life Is Podcast stands with Ukraine and with all those affected by the war. We honor the courage, resilience, and humanity of the Ukrainian people, and we extend our deepest compassion to Sergiy, his loved ones, and everyone working toward peace, safety, and a better future.

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The August Synthesis: Five Principles for Building a Life That Expands

Episode Description

In this August Synthesis episode of the Life Is Podcast, Coy Brown III connects the shared lessons of three conversations with Sarah Stewart, Christopher Epps, and Dr. Emily Grace.

Across food access, sustainable agriculture, education, and personal growth, one message keeps surfacing: meaningful change begins when we stop waiting for permission and start building from the inside out.

Coy unpacks five core threads from the month’s conversations: challenging institutional limits, choosing practical action over theory, leading with dignity, making access radically simpler, and integrating every part of who you are into the work you do.

If you’re building a business, leading a community, navigating a transition, or trying to create a more aligned life, this episode is an invitation to examine the barriers you’ve accepted—and the potential that opens up when you move beyond them.

Key Topics

• Why institutional rules and gatekeepers do not have to define what is possible
• Sarah Stewart’s dignity-first approach to food access and community care
• Christopher Epps’ people-centered approach to conservation and agricultural policy
• Dr. Emily Grace’s work making advanced science more accessible to young people
• Why direct, practical work creates more lasting authority than abstract strategy
• How dignity builds trust, participation, and sustainable systems
• Radical accessibility as a way to unlock overlooked human potential
• The power of integrating values, intellect, identity, and daily action
• Reflection questions for building a more coherent and expansive life

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Introduction: Three leaders, five shared threads
• 01:34 – The August Synthesis begins
• 02:05 – Thread one: The system’s gate is not the limit
• 04:11 – Thread two: Direct utility trumps theoretical strategy
• 06:18 – Community spotlight: St. Joseph County Public Library
• 06:30 – Thread three: Dignity is the core operating system
• 08:02 – Thread four: Radical accessibility unlocks latent abundance
• 09:37 – Thread five: Coherence demands integration, not separation
• 11:22 – Closing reflections: Building from the inside out
• 11:53 – Final recap and invitation to go deeper

Resources & Links

• The Mental Edge Coherence Diagnostic
• The Self Discovery Blueprint
• St. Joseph County Public Library events 
• Guided Meditation 
• Morning Affirmations for You 
• Books That Build The Life

Connect with Coy Brown III

• Instagram 
• LinkedIn
• Facebook 

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Life Is Podcast with Zevin Clark: anxiety, entrepreneurship, and building with purpose

Coy Brown III sits down with Zevin Clark for a wide-ranging conversation about performance anxiety, identity, entrepreneurship, and the work of building a life that actually aligns with who you are. Zevin shares how early pressure in sports shaped his mindset, how he taught himself marketing and coding from scratch, and why his current focus is less about ego and more about helping people understand health, systems, and themselves.

Key topics

• In this episode, Zevin Clark shares how he moved from identifying as a serial entrepreneur to seeing himself as an anthropologist of human behavior, always studying why people do what they do.
• He opens up about anxiety showing up early in childhood and then becoming physical before big football games in middle school and high school, including purging and getting sick before performance moments.
• Coy and Zevin discuss the way athletic performance can become tied to self-worth, especially when other people’s opinions start controlling how much space you take up.
• Zevin explains how a school counselor helped him reframe his anxiety by accepting that the reaction would come, which reduced the pressure he was placing on himself.
• He talks about learning to ignore limiting projections from other people and instead focus on what is actually possible, using examples like Roger Bannister and the four-minute mile.
• Zevin walks through his early marketing and SEO company in Oklahoma, where he taught himself to code through YouTube and took on clients without formal training.
• He describes the pivot from firearm-industry clients to broader business categories, and how he learned to read markets, study incentives, and reverse engineer opportunity.
• He shares the rise of Bloomble in the CBD and hemp space after the 2018 Farm Bill, including building supply chain relationships, scaling operations, and managing real overhead pressure.
• Zevin also reflects on failed healthcare ventures during the COVID era, especially the lessons around location, employee reliability, incentives, and the difference between revenue and profit.
• He explains his current vision for community-driven healthcare and “human OS” thinking, using social media to build trust, ask better questions, and fund future initiatives without depending on traditional venture capital.

Timestamps

00:00 - Coy introduces Zevin Clark and frames the conversation around coherence, identity, and growth
 02:07 - Zevin explains why he no longer leads with “serial entrepreneur” and instead identifies with anthropology and human nature
 04:36 - Early childhood anxiety, performance pressure, and the first physical signs before sports
 09:39 - A school counselor, acceptance, and why the pressure returned in new forms
 14:51 - Letting go of other people’s opinions and focusing on what is actually controllable
 18:37 - Teaching himself marketing and SEO, and reverse engineering a path into entrepreneurship
 22:32 - Leaving college to build a marketing business and learning on the fly in the firearm industry
 28:52 - The crash course of YouTube university, client obligations, and building while under pressure
 34:14 - Knowing when to pivot, the sunk cost fallacy, and the importance of matching action to goals
 39:41 - Reading markets, understanding incentives, and why distribution matters so much
 42:43 - Bloombow, free markets, collapsing margins, and why some industries only work at monopolistic scale
 46:56 - Growing Bloombow through relationships, garage operations, and hands-on supply chain learning
 58:20 - Hiring, incentives, and what mentors taught him about scale, structure, and distribution
 64:54 - Revolution RX, Apothecary, COVID-era setbacks, and what those failures revealed about execution
 71:58 - Honesty, self-audit, and separating genuine purpose from obligation
 77:41 - Building a community-funded healthcare platform through social trust rather than venture capital
 84:43 - Preventative healthcare, peptides, HMO economics, and where disruption may live in supply chains
 88:45 - Social media strategy, seventh-grade clarity, and making complex ideas easy to understand
 95:08 - Looking back at the full arc and realizing the work is about people, not ego
 97:43 - Advice to the younger self: courage, faith, relinquishing control, and reading more scripture
 101:17 - What to tell someone whose business failed or who is struggling with anxiety
 103:20 - Where to find Zevin online and how to stay connected with his work
 104:03 - “Life is” as Zevin’s closing phrase: life is your inputs

Resources & Links

• Self Discovery Blueprint 
• The Mental Edge Coherence Diagnostic 
• Books That Build The Life 
• St. Joseph County Library - Events 

Connect With Zevin Clark 

• Facebook
• Instagram 
• TikTok

“I think that the smartest people can articulate things in ways that anybody can understand.”

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Life Is Podcast: How Christopher Epps Is Bridging Agriculture, Policy, and the Next Generation

This episode features Christopher Epps, a soil conservationist, policy analyst, and agriculture innovator, sharing how his journey from a small town in Mississippi to USDA work, the Farm Bill, and youth-focused nonprofit leadership is rooted in stewardship, service, and long-term impact. From FFA and college football to conservation planning and community gardening, Chris explains how agriculture, policy, and mentorship all connect to the future of food, land, and leadership.

Key Topics:

• Christopher’s origin story: growing up in Port Gibson, Mississippi, and learning discipline through football, academics, and entrepreneurship
• How a childhood landscaping business shaped his view of land as stewardship, not just property
• Discovering agriculture through FFA, public speaking, horticulture, and mentorship from Dr. Carla Turnham Bailey
• The difference between small farms and large-scale agriculture, and why both require different strategies
• How NRCS works with private landowners to improve soil health, water quality, grazing, and conservation outcomes
• Why conservation practices like cover crops can dramatically reduce pesticide costs and improve yield
• The human side of policy: lobbying, the 2023 Farm Bill, and learning how government really works
• Why Christopher believes agriculture needs more people who understand both the field and the policy side
• The role of AI, vertical farming, and aquaculture in the future of sustainable food systems
• His vision for a youth nonprofit in Brunswick, Georgia, teaching agriculture, AI, and hands-on land stewardship
• Why small-scale farming, local food systems, and community trust matter more than ever
• Christopher’s belief that purpose, faith, and alignment create a life that lasts

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Christopher Epps and his mission

01:25 - Port Gibson roots, family influence, and first steps into agriculture

02:44 - Lawn care, land stewardship, and falling in love with the soil

03:42 - What NRCS is and why it exists

06:19 - Childhood, entrepreneurship, and discipline

08:11 - Why landscaping became more than a side hustle

13:13 - Discovering FFA and the connection between ag, policy, and communication

14:40 - Public speaking competition and youth in agriculture

17:28 - The barbecue SAE and marketing competition success

18:26 - Why agriculture needs better outreach to young people

21:11 - Food systems, population growth, and land pressure

24:05 - The moment agriculture clicked for him

26:26 - The 1890 scholarship and the path into USDA work

28:39 - Football, discipline, and academic balance at Alcorn State

33:33 - What NRCS does for landowners on the ground

41:42 - The farmer who saved money through conservation practices

45:59 - How farmers respond to conservation recommendations

50:00 - Why NRCS is non-regulatory and relationship-based

51:31 - AI, big ag, and the future of labor in farming

57:00 - Volunteering with a small goat farm and learning hands-on realities

61:44 - Community gardening and aquaculture in Brunswick

63:59 - What small farms understand that large farms often lose

67:22 - Lobbying, the Farm Bill, and learning how policy really works

78:36 - Small farms, market positioning, and USDA support systems

82:44 - Why Christopher is pursuing public policy and law

86:54 - Launching a youth nonprofit around agriculture and AI

92:22 - Sustainability, vertical farming, and aquaculture

97:29 - Using AI and data analytics to improve agricultural outcomes

100:50 - Reflecting on the full arc of his journey

103:44 - Advice for young people entering agriculture

106:03 - Where to connect with Christopher Epps and his nonprofit

108:35 - “Life is amazing”

Resources & Links:

• Self Discovery Blueprint 
• The Mental Edge Coherence Diagnostic Tool 
• St. Joe County Public Library events
• Books That Build the Life 

Connect with Christopher Epps:

• Website: EppsAIF.org
• LinkedIn: Christopher James Epps
• Facebook: Christopher Epps

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Life Is for Becoming: The Journey from Doubt to Discovery with Dr. Emily Grace

In this episode of Life Is Podcast, Coy Brown III sits down with Dr. Emily Grace, physicist, educator, science equity advocate, and faith-and-science bridge builder, for a powerful conversation about resilience, purpose, research, and belonging.Dr. Grace shares her journey from sales and psychology into physics, her work in dark matter and environmental biophysics, and how she built one of the largest high school research programs in the country. They also explore imposter syndrome, access in science, the role of worldview in research, and why creating space for students from all backgrounds matters.If you care about science, education, equity, faith, and personal transformation, this episode is for you.

Key Topics

• Dr. Emily Grace’s journey from business to physics
• Overcoming discouragement, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome
• Why curiosity and passion matter more than perfection
• Dark matter research and the shift into environmental biophysics
• Building research opportunities for high school students
• Access, equity, and who gets to belong in science
• Science, faith, and worldview as lenses for interpreting data
• Leadership, mentorship, and creating healthy research cultures
• Balancing family, career, and identity

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction and guest welcome
01:24 - Emily’s background and physics journey
04:47 - The pivot from sales to science
06:09 - Professor support and rediscovering physics
10:45 - Why she left business for deeper purpose
13:36 - Letting go of insecurity and self-doubt
15:01 - Building a collaborative physics culture
19:06 - How others reacted to her path
20:02 - Dealing with imposter syndrome
23:15 - Detractors and stereotypes about science
27:57 - From dark matter to environmental biophysics
31:16 - Building research for younger students
34:30 - What makes a strong researcher
37:19 - Managing self-doubt and energy
45:08 - Faith, science, and worldview
53:54 - Welcoming different perspectives in science
65:24 - Growing up rootless and learning belonging
69:55 - Balancing marriage, family, and career
76:44 - Why she presents herself authentically
83:33 - What her journey has taught her
87:45 - Advice for people who feel they don’t belong
89:59 - Where to connect with Dr. Emily Grace
91:52 - “Life is…” closing reflection

Resources & Links

• Self Discovery Blueprint 
• The Mental Edge Coherence Diagnostic Tool
• St. Joe County Public Library events: SJCPL.org/events
• Books That Build The Life

Connect with Dr. Emily Grace

•  LinkedIn — Emily Grace PhD

"Life is the process of becoming who you are fully created to be."

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The Power of Subtraction and Internal Coherence: Insights from the July Synthesis

In this episode of the Life Is Podcast, Coy Brown III shares key lessons from two influential guests, focusing on the importance of radical subtraction, internal stability, tactical clarity, and character-building on the journey to genuine fulfillment. Discover how internal coherence and deliberate actions can reshape your life and career.

Key topics:

• The concept of radical subtraction from external expectations to build authentic internal architecture
• How Mick and Akil subtracted societal and geographical ceilings to redefine themselves
• The significance of anchoring in an unshakable ground state during external chaos
• Navigating the silent “gap” period between decisions and recognition as character-building time
• Tactical logic over abstract performance: building trust through transparency, simplicity, and operational efficiency
• Identity stability as the ultimate currency for sustainable success
• How internal coherence directly impacts external outcomes and long-term growth

Timestamps:

 00:00 – Introduction: The theme of July synthesis and the value of radical subtraction

 00:28 – The importance of subtracting external validation for authentic growth

 00:55 – Mick’s transition from NFL athlete to internal architect by dropping the athlete identity

 01:23 – Akil’s rejection of geographic limitations and societal ceilings

 01:51 – The significance of external scripts and how subtraction challenges these constraints

 02:20 – Anchoring in a ground state during external financial or emotional volatility

 02:49 – How Mick and Akil regulate their internal environments amidst chaos

 03:18 – The “gap” period as a crucial space for character development beyond external milestones

 03:48 – Building credibility from scratch through consistent internal effort and patience

 04:15 – The core: character is forged in silence and pressure, not in recognition

 04:45 – Tactical simplification: focusing on high-leverage, operational strategies over flashy performance

 05:16 – Examples of Mick’s transparent sneaker resale model and Akil’s AI approach

 05:44 – The importance of efficiency and mastery in craft and strategy

 06:04 – Internal stability as the foundation for external success and sustainability

 06:30 – Akil’s work with unprivileged youth exemplifies internal permission and stability

 07:01 – Mick’s work on financial mindset and internal security

 07:30 – Final thoughts: human engineering and internal coherence as the key to a lifetime of growth

Resources & Links:

• The Mental Edge Coherence Diagnostic 
• The Self Discovery Blueprint 
• St. Joseph County Public Library Events 

Connect with Coy Brown III

• Instagram 
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Stay connected for more insights on building a life aligned with your true purpose. Remember, internal stability and deliberate subtraction lead the way to sustainable success.

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