What happens when someone loses everything and still finds a reason to fight?

In this deeply personal episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, Branden sits down with Brian Blackman, founder of Crab Crew Life, to discuss his journey through addiction, homelessness, recovery, and ultimately helping others find hope.

Brian shares the moment that changed everything—a rock-bottom experience where he looked in the mirror and saw no light left inside himself. What followed was a painful but transformative journey through sobriety, healing childhood wounds, rebuilding his identity, and discovering a purpose greater than himself.

The conversation explores addiction, shame, homelessness, resilience, faith, recovery, personal responsibility, and what separates people who recover from those who remain trapped in destructive cycles. Brian also shares the inspiring story of Elaine, the woman who took him in when no one else would, and how that act of compassion became part of his recovery story.

Listeners will learn about the Crab Crew philosophy and its four pillars: resilience, adaptability, belief, and personal responsibility. Most importantly, they’ll hear a message that anyone struggling needs to hear:

You are not too far gone.

This episode is for anyone battling addiction, supporting someone in recovery, overcoming trauma, or searching for proof that redemption is still possible.
Bryan left Texas for California chasing a dream — and ended up homeless, sleeping in his car, drowning in alcohol and addiction. Then an 85-year-old landlord named Elaine changed everything. She didn't just give him a room. She gave him a reason to rise.
Now sober, viral, and on a mission — Bryan built Crab Crew Life to prove that no matter how deep you've dug your hole, you can claw your way back out.

https://crabcrewlife.com/

https://crabcrewlife.com/

What happens when a twelve-year-old refuses to let pain have the final word?

In this powerful episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, Branden sits down with bestselling young author and anti-bullying advocate Shanti Hershenson to discuss how writing transformed her life and helped her find her voice during one of the most difficult seasons of her childhood.

Shanti shares how bullying, identity struggles, and feeling misunderstood led her to discover a passion for storytelling that would eventually result in dozens of published books before adulthood. She opens up about the healing power of writing, the realities of social media bullying, the challenges young people face today, and how creativity can become a path toward purpose.

The conversation explores overcoming fear, trusting yourself before the world validates you, building an audience online, balancing authenticity with growth, and why so many aspiring writers never finish their first book.

Whether you’re a writer, entrepreneur, parent, student, or someone who has ever felt invisible, this episode is a powerful reminder that your story matters and your voice deserves to be heard.
Shanties first two novellas were published when she was in the sixth grade, although her writing journey started long before then. Ever since she could hold a pencil, marker, or crayon, she was creating stories. They started from pictures, mere scribbles, and eventually, turned into captivating tales.

​She lives in California with her parents, sister, and furry friends. Besides writing, she enjoys skateboarding, fencing, being a regular teenager, and of course, reading.

She writes in a variety of genres, including Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Contemporary, although she mostly sticks to Sci-Fi.

As an anti-bullying advocate, you may find her volunteering or performing powerful poetry at open mic nights.
​
Shanti is eighteen years old and a senior in high school. She plans to study Creative Writing at Bryn Mawr College.

https://www.amazon.com/Shanti-Hershenson/e/B08QRF5LP4?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1645593351&sr=8-1

http://shantihershenson.com/

What if your story is part of something much bigger than you realize?

In this powerful episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, Branden sits down with Air Force Academy graduate and author Terrence Rotering to discuss faith, spiritual warfare, purpose, and the incredible journey behind his massive Chronicles book series.

Terrence shares how a military career that included flying jets and working at NORAD eventually led him into writing an expansive science fiction and fantasy universe spanning multiple worlds, thousands of characters, and a battle between good and evil that ultimately points readers back to biblical truth.

The conversation explores spiritual warfare, the reality of evil, God’s purpose in our lives, faith in modern culture, and the challenge of communicating truth without becoming preachy. Terrence also shares several remarkable “God wink” moments that strengthened his conviction that he was called to write these stories.

Branden and Terrence dive deep into Christian responsibility, sharing your testimony, overcoming fear, the nature of heaven, and why every individual has a unique role to play in God’s larger story.

Whether you’re a reader, writer, believer, creative, or someone searching for deeper purpose, this episode will challenge you to see your life through a much bigger lens.

Terrence graduated from the United States Air Force Academy. He retired from the United States Air Force after twenty years of service as a weapon systems officer on fighter aircraft worldwide and fifteen more years at North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Author of the ten book Chronicles Series, Terry gives readers an epic adventure of fantasy, science fiction, and spiritual warfare; following in the footsteps of the giants in all three genres.

https://chroniclesoftrinian.com/

What if motivation isn’t actually the thing holding most people back?

In this eye-opening episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, Branden sits down with elite performance coach and Propel Health Australia Managing Director Grant Jenkins to explore the connection between performance, recovery, nutrition, gut health, and long-term wellness.

Drawing from his experience working with elite athletes, including professional tennis players, Grant shares the pivotal moment that changed his perspective on human performance and led him to focus on foundational health rather than simply athletic achievement.

The conversation dives into genetics and athletic potential, differences in training approaches between men and women, recovery strategies that actually restore energy, and the hidden role gut health plays in motivation, nutrient absorption, physical performance, and overall well-being.

Grant also discusses concerns about food quality, glyphosate exposure, supplement industry standards, regulatory differences between Australia and the United States, and why consumers need to become educated advocates for their own health.

Whether you’re an athlete, entrepreneur, parent, or someone simply trying to feel better and perform at a higher level, this episode offers practical insights into creating a healthier, stronger, and more resilient life.

propelhealthaustralia.com and use code - special5

Grant is the Managing Director of Propel Health Australia and a high-performance coach with more than 25 years of experience working with elite athletes, health professionals and everyday Australians seeking better health outcomes.

Grant has coached athletes across four sports at World Championship level and worked at all four Tennis Grand Slams, including helping develop former World No.1 Ash Barty.

Today, he combines performance coaching with his work in the health and supplement industry, focusing on evidence-based nutrition, gut health, metabolic health, recovery, cognitive performance and anti-aging.

As the founder of the international brand Propel Health, Grant is passionate about helping people cut through health misinformation and understand the science behind supplements, performance, recovery and long-term wellness.

Podcast topics may include:
• Gut health and the microbiome
• Supplements that actually matter
• Performance, recovery and creatine
• Men’s health over 40
• Anti-aging and longevity
• Health industry myths and misleading marketing
• Building a health brand in Australia
• Elite sport and mindset
• Entrepreneurship, resilience and reinvention

https://propelhealthaustralia.com/

propelhealthaustralia.com and use code - special5

What if everything you’ve been taught about life insurance, wealth preservation, and financial security is incomplete?

In this episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, Branden sits down with Keith Friedman, Founder and CEO of FBO Strategies, to discuss how wealthy families approach wealth preservation, risk management, and long-term financial planning differently than most Americans.

Keith shares how the 2008 financial crisis changed the trajectory of his career after watching certain mutually owned life insurance companies remain financially strong while major institutions collapsed. That experience led him to develop the Carbine Allocation Strategy and become a leading voice in helping families think differently about cash value life insurance, asset allocation, legacy planning, and financial protection.

Together, Branden and Keith dive into common misconceptions about life insurance, wealth preservation strategies, financial freedom, legacy planning, entrepreneurial financial mistakes, and why protecting wealth often matters more than chasing the highest returns.

If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, parent, or anyone thinking about long-term financial security, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on building wealth that lasts for generations.
Keith is the Founder & CEO of Stamford, Connecticut-based FBO Strategies, LLC. He is a 21-year veteran of the insurance and financial services industries, including 14 years at the helm of FBO Strategies. Friedman is a pioneer in the use of permanent life insurance to transfer risk and maximize cash value accumulation. He is the originator of the Carbyne Allocation® strategy for reallocating clients’ conservative assets, such as bonds and cash, into a cash value insurance policy with higher returns and similar risk. Friedman has been featured on CNBC, Fox Business, and the AFO Wealth Management Forward Podcast and quoted by U.S. News & World Report, Nasdaq, CPA Trendlines, and Insure.com.

https://www.carbyneallocation.co/

What happens when life hits you with everything at once?

In this deeply moving episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, Branden sits down with Mike Rizzo to discuss caregiving, cancer, faith, resilience, and the power of finding joy even in life’s darkest moments.

Mike shares his incredible journey of caring for his wife Nancy through her battle with ALS while simultaneously facing his own diagnosis of mesothelioma. He opens up about the emotional, physical, and spiritual challenges that came with becoming a full-time caregiver, navigating grief, and confronting mortality head-on.

Throughout the conversation, Mike discusses the importance of remaining calm during adversity, trusting God’s guidance, maintaining perspective, and recognizing that our circumstances do not define who we are. He shares lessons learned through caregiving, cancer, faith, personal growth, and the pursuit of peace regardless of external conditions.

Branden and Mike also explore the human spirit, purpose, mortality, healing, intuition, and the daily practices that allow people to experience joy even when life feels impossible. This conversation is a powerful reminder that while we cannot always control what happens to us, we can choose how we respond.

If you’ve ever faced hardship, loss, uncertainty, illness, or simply needed a reminder that hope still exists, this episode will encourage you to keep going.

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I guide others on how to live from a place of complete calm, without worry, and virtually no stress. I'm qualified to offer this because I live it. This place came about after 65 years of life, including 25 years of meditation, a terminal cancer diagnosis (that hasn't taken my life), and my wife's passing from ALS. I've learned to simplify everything, first teaching golf for nearly 40 years, and now shifting to helping others who want to experience this sense of moment to moment calm and peace in their daily life.

I will help your listeners by offering practical tools they can use, and a different way of seeing themselves, those in their lives, and the world at large. My book Finding Joy in Daily Living is a guide to help people reduce unnecessary suffering. In Jack Canfield's words in his reply to my recent email: "The content is brilliant." I am kind, speak from my heart and am here to serve; I don't need anything else in life.

https://findingjoydaily.com/chapter-excerpts/a

What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t your circumstances—but the story you’ve been telling yourself?

In this episode of Listen Bitch Presents: Tell Me Why You’re Special, Branden sits down with Dr. Brian Arnold to discuss overcoming limitations, building self-belief, finding purpose, and creating a life of freedom through faith and intentional living.

Dr. Brian shares his remarkable journey from being labeled a special education student who struggled with reading to becoming a successful educator, coach, speaker, author, and podcast host. Along the way, he learned that many people stay stuck because they allow other people’s expectations to define who they are instead of discovering who they were created to be.

Together, Branden and Brian explore identity, purpose, self-confidence, faith, personal responsibility, mentorship, overcoming excuses, and the daily habits that help people create lasting transformation. They discuss the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, developing a relationship with God, and making intentional decisions that align with your values and calling.

This episode is a powerful reminder that your past does not determine your future and that freedom begins the moment you decide to stop living by limitation and start living by purpose.

⸻
Dr. B is the host of two inspiring podcasts: The Journey to Freedom Podcast and Living Boldly with Purpose.

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing a very special guest, a dynamic keynote speaker, professor, and author who has dedicated over two decades to helping individuals unlock their true potential and achieve meaningful success.

Our guest is Dr. Brian E. Arnold (Dr. B), the creator of the transformative Journey to Freedom podcast and program, a life-changing experience designed for those feeling stuck and ready to move forward.

Dr. B specializes in guiding individuals through personal and professional breakthroughs, focusing on key areas like faith, finances, trust, health, and identity.

With extensive experience as both a podcast host and guest, Dr. B brings unmatched energy, authenticity, and relatability to every conversation.

He is dedicated to sharing authentic stories, actionable insights, and inspiring messages that connect with individuals from all backgrounds.

In addition to his coaching and mentorship, he is the voice behind Dr. B's 7-Minute Mindset YouTube series and The Journey to Freedom podcast, where he delivers actionable daily tips on self-discovery, growth, and purposeful living.

Known for his blend of humor, wisdom, and practical strategies, Dr. B is a sought-after speaker and mentor who leaves a lasting impact on everyone he works with.

I’m thrilled to have him with us today to share the invaluable lessons he’s learned and the insights he’s gained on living a life of freedom and fulfillment.
Call to Action
Link to send listeners to:
http://Brianearnold.com
I am dedicated to helping Others Become the person they need to be in order to do what they were created to Do. My website will give options on how I can do that