A teenage coach finds a sponsor for a little league team, grows into college football at UCLA, builds manufacturing companies that ship at massive scale, and then pivots into a mission that matters more than any win-loss record.

Tony DeMaio joins us to share the full arc, with a simple through-line: learn fast, stay organized, and keep showing up for people.

We begin with coaching, what it really demands beyond playbooks: relationships, long hours alongside other coaches, and the kind of pressure that forces clarity. From there, Tony takes us into entrepreneurship, designing sports training tools, scaling Duraflex Sports Products, and saying yes to a $5 million Kmart order when the company was barely formed. If you care about leadership, sales, product demonstration, and building trust under pressure, there’s a lot here you can apply.

Tony DeMaio is a community leader, veteran advocate, first responder, and entrepreneur whose career has been defined by innovation, leadership, and service. He is also the author of Silent Battle, a book written for families and friends of veterans, first responders, and law enforcement to help identify when someone may be at risk.

The conversation then turns to Helping Heroes USA, the nonprofit Tony founded to support veterans, active-duty military personnel, and first responders. Through suicide prevention programs, community outreach, and national campaigns, his work focuses on strengthening connections and reducing isolation.

We talk about the patterns that often go unnoticed, the stigma that keeps people silent, and the warning signs that can appear before a crisis, like giving away meaningful belongings or suddenly organizing finances. We also explore how to start a non-judgmental conversation, why asking directly about suicide does not “plant the idea,” and how simple acts, a coffee meet-up, a cycling group, even a genuine smile, can become a lifeline.

If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who may need it, and leave a review to help more people find the show.

What’s one small way you can be a support angel for someone this week?

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Ordinary people, extraordinary experiences - Real voices, real moments - ​Human connection through stories - Live true storytelling podcast - Confessions - First person emotional narratives - Unscripted Life Stories.

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¿Qué pasa cuando decides seguir tu vocación… incluso cuando otros esperan que elijas otro camino?

En el caso de Leonardo, esa decisión lo llevó a dedicar su vida a proteger a los tiburones, especies que influyen en el océano mucho más de lo que imaginamos. Y cuando entiendes su papel, empiezas a ver por qué protegerlos es proteger nuestro propio futuro.

En este episodio conversamos con Leonardo Sánchez, biólogo venezolano y director del Centro para la Investigación de Tiburones de Venezuela (CIT), con más de 20 años dedicados a la protección de estas especies en el Caribe.

Leonardo comparte la historia profundamente humana detrás de su vocación: cómo decidió seguir la biología a pesar de la presión familiar y cómo encontró en el océano un propósito de vida.

Hablamos sobre la conservación de los tiburones en Venezuela y el Caribe con ejemplos reales: cómo se identifican áreas de crianza, por qué es clave seguir la migración del tiburón ballena y por qué sus poblaciones pueden colapsar tan rápido.

También exploramos soluciones que sí funcionan: proyectos con pescadores, ecoturismo responsable y programas que convierten al pez león invasor en alimento y oportunidad económica.

Si te interesa la salud de los océanos, la pesca sostenible o el futuro del planeta, este episodio te mostrará lo que está en riesgo… y lo que todavía podemos cambiar.

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To Share - Connect & Relate:

• Share Your Thoughts and Shape the Show! Tell me what you love about the podcast and what you want to hear more about. Please email me at behas.podcast@gmail.com and be part of the conversation!
• To be on the show Podmatch Profile

Ordinary people, extraordinary experiences - Real voices, real moments - ​Human connection through stories - Live true storytelling podcast - Confessions - First person emotional narratives - Unscripted Life Stories.

Thank you for listening - Hasta Pronto!

How can life’s hardest challenges become the starting point for a journey toward purpose?

In this conversation, Neena Perez shares how she turned trauma, homelessness, and judgment into a life grounded in self-belief and helping others rebuild. We follow the turning points that reshaped her identity, from escaping violence to becoming a chef, author, and mentor supporting people as they step back into work and confidence.

Neena Perez is a bold, faith-fueled storyteller, chef, and speaker who helps people reconnect with their God-given purpose through food, faith, and authentic conversation.

Her story then opens into the work of rebuilding. Returning to culinary school as an adult, earning top grades, and later guiding underprivileged adults through job-ready cooking skills, resumes, and interview preparation, Nina shows how structure, faith, and community support can change lives, one step at a time.

We also explore the quieter chapter many people recognize but rarely name: burnout and midlife emptiness. Nina explains why she stepped back from coaching, how journaling and her “CEO meetings with God” helped her release control, and how that pause sparked a new creative direction with The Purpose Filled Kitchen.

https://www.youtube.com/@chefneenaperez

https://sleek.bio/chefneenaperez

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Support the show

To Share - Connect & Relate:

• Share Your Thoughts and Shape the Show! Tell me what you love about the podcast and what you want to hear more about. Please email me at behas.podcast@gmail.com and be part of the conversation!
• To be on the show Podmatch Profile

Ordinary people, extraordinary experiences - Real voices, real moments - ​Human connection through stories - Live true storytelling podcast - Confessions - First person emotional narratives - Unscripted Life Stories.

Thank you for listening - Hasta Pronto!