What does it really take to go from a Miami drug hustle to leading a global tech company—without sight, privilege, or a roadmap? Prepare to have everything you ever thought you knew about grit, grace, and success put to the test!

In a world that still struggles to see beyond labels like “disabled,” “ex-con,” or “minority,” Mike Calvo’s story breaks the mold. This episode isn’t just about overcoming the odds—it’s about redefining them entirely. If you're tired of the same recycled DEI narratives and want the real story behind resilience, leadership, and purpose-driven success, this is your episode.

• Get an unfiltered look at how one man turned struggle into strategy—and built a legacy along the way.
• Learn why many modern DEI initiatives fall short, especially for those society often ignores.
• Discover how adversity, grit, and vision created a business model that serves the underserved.

Press play to hear Mike Calvo’s wild, bold, and brutally honest journey from the streets to CEO—this story will challenge everything you think you know about success.

I hope you enjoyed today's episode! If there is ever anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to reach out. Below, you will find ALL the places and ALL the ways to connect!

• I would LOVE to hear from you! Send me a Voice Message
• Want to be a guest on GRIT, GRACE, & INSPIRATION? Send Kevin Lowe a message on PodMatch!
• Book Kevin to Speak at Your Next Event: CLICK to Learn More + Get In Touch
• Hire Kevin to Create Your Own Custom Soundtrack!
• Or for 1 Place for Everything, CLICK to visit the website!

© 2025 Grit, Grace, & Inspiration

This podcast is designed specifically for those seeking healing from trauma, relief from anxiety, overcoming fear of the unknown, resolving isolation, rebuilding self-worth, confronting guilt and shame, personal growth after trauma, finding their life's purpose, recovering from emotional distress, conquering limiting beliefs, navigating identity shifts, building resilience, rebuilding relationships, coping with chronic pain, searching for spiritual direction, embracing inner strength, cultivating hope, overcoming self-doubt, reclaiming their future, and experiencing post-traumatic growth.

What happens when the dream life you've spent decades building feels more like a nightmare you can't wake up from?

Today’s conversation is for the person who looks successful on the outside... but feels quietly disconnected on the inside. If you’ve ever wondered:

• Why do I feel empty when everything looks “right”?
• Why am I exhausted by a life I’m supposed to be proud of?
• Why does walking away feel both terrifying and necessary?

This episode will hit close to home.

In this deeply honest conversation, I sit down with Matthew Blades—a former nationally syndicated radio host who spent 28 years living the dream so many people chase.

The career.

The money.

The recognition.

The life everyone else wanted.

And yet… it nearly cost him everything.

This is the story of what happens when success stops being enough, when your body forces you to listen, and when the bravest move forward is the one that looks like quitting from the outside.

But make no mistake—this isn’t a story about giving up.

It’s a story about waking up.

• What it feels like to succeed publicly while quietly falling apart
• The moment your body starts screaming what your mind has been ignoring
• Why panic attacks, burnout, and chronic stress are often messages—not malfunctions
• The difference between building a life and living one
• What it really means to “blow up what you built” without destroying yourself
• How generational patterns, unhealed trauma, and outdated beliefs quietly shape our decisions
• Why the hardest conversations are often the most freeing ones
• How to walk away from an identity you’ve worn for decades—and rebuild from truth

This episode isn’t asking you to quit your job.

It’s asking you to listen to yourself.

To notice the quiet signals you’ve been explaining away.

To question whether the life you’re maintaining is still the life you want.

To consider that walking away doesn’t mean you failed—it may mean you finally chose yourself.

You don’t need to have all the answers.

You just need the courage to ask the right questions.

If this conversation stirred something in you... Don’t rush to quiet it. That discomfort might be clarity knocking. And sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is stop pretending everything is fine.

I hope you enjoyed today's episode! If there is ever anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to reach out. Below, you will find ALL the places and ALL the ways to connect!

• I would LOVE to hear from you! Send me a Voice Message
• Want to be a guest on GRIT, GRACE, & INSPIRATION? Send Kevin Lowe a message on PodMatch!
• Book Kevin to Speak at Your Next Event: CLICK to Learn More + Get In Touch
• Hire Kevin to Create Your Own Custom Soundtrack!
• Or for 1 Place for Everything, CLICK to visit the website!

© 2025 Grit, Grace, & Inspiration

If you’re secretly counting down the days until Christmas is over, getting really close to emotionally spiraling out of control, or wishing you could fast-forward straight to January… press play right now! This is your Holiday Survival Guide!

When the holidays arrive after a hard year—loss, divorce, financial stress, or emotional burnout—the pressure to feel joyful can feel unbearable. This episode speaks directly to the part of you that’s exhausted from pretending you’re fine and offers real, doable ways to get through the season without forcing cheer, abandoning yourself, or doing it alone.

This episode is a steady hand on your back during a season that can feel overwhelming. Kevin shares three grounded, compassionate strategies to help make Christmas feel more manageable—even if it looks nothing like it used to.

From letting go of old expectations, to choosing connection over isolation, to allowing yourself to feel deeply and honestly, this conversation isn’t about fixing you. It’s about helping you get through. If you’ve been wishing you could sleep through December or just make it to the new year, this episode reminds you that you’re not broken—and you’re not as far from relief as it may seem.

Kevin Lowe is the creator and host of Grit, Grace, & Inspiration, plus an inspirational public speaker who helps people navigate life’s hardest seasons with honesty, clarity, and hope. After losing his sight unexpectedly at 17 following life-saving brain surgery, Kevin turned adversity into purpose—creating a space for real conversations that remind listeners they don’t need to be fixed to move forward. His work centers on resilience, perspective, and learning how to grow through what you’re going through.

I hope you enjoyed today's episode! If there is ever anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to reach out. Below, you will find ALL the places and ALL the ways to connect!

• I would LOVE to hear from you! Send me a Voice Message
• Want to be a guest on GRIT, GRACE, & INSPIRATION? Send Kevin Lowe a message on PodMatch!
• Book Kevin to Speak at Your Next Event: CLICK to Learn More + Get In Touch
• Hire Kevin to Create Your Own Custom Soundtrack!
• Or for 1 Place for Everything, CLICK to visit the website!

© 2025 Grit, Grace, & Inspiration

This podcast is designed specifically for those seeking healing from trauma, relief from anxiety, overcoming fear of the unknown, resolving isolation, rebuilding self-worth, confronting guilt and shame, personal growth after trauma, finding their life's purpose, recovering from emotional distress, conquering limiting beliefs, navigating identity shifts, building resilience, rebuilding relationships, coping with chronic pain, searching for spiritual direction, embracing inner strength, cultivating hope, overcoming self-doubt, reclaiming their future, and experiencing post-traumatic growth.