
Hosted by Jared Carroll · EN

Alexandra Bonugli is a salon manager and model. On this episode, Alexandra opens up about her family dynamic and what it was like growing up with a sister close in age. Alexandra talks about participating in dance during her childhood and how it helped her build important life skills. She goes into detail about overcoming a traumatic experience during her senior year of high school and how it changed her direction in life. We discuss how she go into working with hair and what led her to try out modeling. Alexandra explains how modeling is a fun hobby that helps her destress and express herself too Join us in this powerful conversation on taking control of your life, finding a fun hobby, and mental health. The Five Pillars to Create a Meaningful Life Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/9kXIt9u

***TRIGGER WARNING - Conversations about severe mental health struggles*** On this episode, Tyler Valerio rejoins the podcast for the first time since his last appearance on episode 146. Tyler catches us up on everything that has happened since the episode aired in 2023. He talks about going on a bachelors trip that lead him into psychosis. Tyler shares details about his experience during psychosis and what it felt like. Also, discusses reaching a turning point in his mental health battle with being bipolar where he posted on the internet looking for answers. This decision changed the course of Tyler's life and opened up a new opportunity to try Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Tyler explains his journey during TMS and how he wanted to document the process in hopes to help educate others. Join us in this authentic conversation on therapy, advocacy, and mental health. The Five Pillars to Create a Meaningful Life Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/9kXIt9u

Buffmetal Justin is a musician. On this episode, Buffmetal Justin dives into his family dynamic and getting some of his personality from his father. Buffmetal Justin talks about developing an early love for music specifically metal. He explains that he decided to join the Army after high school and spent 7 years in it. Afterwards, he goes into deciding to lean back into music and truly be himself. Buffmetal Justin dives into how much he values creating and reviewing music in his space. We discuss the importance of being consistent at something and how being yourself is always the better path to pursue. Join us in this rock heavy conversation about metal music, consistency, and mental health. The Five Pillars to Create a Meaningful Life Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/9kXIt9u

Andre Marines is an entrepreneur. On this episode, Andre opens up about his family dynamic and growing up in a household where his parents co-parented to give him a chance at success. Andre dives into his early love for baseball and MMA during his youth. We share our experiences playing youth sports and how valuable it was for us growing up. Also, he explains how his father introduced him to real estate at an early age which eventually allowed him to get into the industry. Andre discusses some of the important factors in buying a house and how forming a relationship with his clients is necessary. We talk about the importance of perseverance in pursuing passions too. Join us in this passionate conversation on business, real estate, and mental health. The Five Pillars to Create a Meaningful Life Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/9kXIt9u

Brennan Fromm is an actor and model. On this episode, Brennan opens up about his family dynamic and what it was like growing up. Brennan dives into some of the struggles of going through high school during covid. We discuss the issue that future generations will face after losing multiple years of face to face schooling. Also, Brennan talks about his battle with crippling OCD and explains his journey working to live with it. He mentions being introduced to alternative medicine called neurofeedback therapy which helps regulate brainwave activity and is shown to help many struggling with their mental health. We dive into the importance of alternative medicines and focusing on your mental health before worrying about other things in life. Join us in this powerful conversation on acting, alternative medicine, and mental health. The Five Pillars to Create a Meaningful Life Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/9kXIt9u

Ayee is an artist and vocal engineer. On this episode, Ayee opens up about his family dynamic and how moving around to different states affected him growing up. Ayee explains the relationship with his older sister and how they helped each other as they switched schools when moving. He talks about how sports were a way to connect and make new friends too. Also, Ayee discusses why he got into music and why he decided to come back from an extended break. Ayee goes into detail about his process and working to build a community of "pirates" to take what is theirs in relation to their music. We go back and forth about uplifting others and how important it is to have a solid support system. Join us in this authentic conversation on music, community, and mental health. The Five Pillars to Create a Meaningful Life Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/9kXIt9u

Brian Fernandez is an actor and content creator. On this episode, Brian opens up about his family dynamic and how actually became homeless in his teenage years. Brian discusses how he overcame being homeless and dropping out of school through multiple different jobs. He mentions how having his daughter at a young age motivated him to better his life. Also, Brian explains why he auditioned for short film and how this experience opened up the door to more acting opportunities. Brian talks about switching to content creation and some of things he's learned along the way. We dive into focusing on creating authentic content versus chasing numbers. Join us in this genuine conversation on acting, content, and mental health. The Five Pillars to Create a Meaningful Life Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/9kXIt9u

On this episode, I am rejoined by Elijah DeAndrade to review our 2025 and how this year went for us. Elijah catches us up on everything that has happened since his last appearance on episode 142. He goes into detail about leaving a blue collar career to transitioning into sales. Also, Elijah discusses how tough it was to initially switch careers, but ultimately needed a big life change. We both discuss taking new jobs this year and what it was like for us. Elijah dives into getting into running specifically marathons and why he was motivated to do them. We share our experiences with podcasting and how we've both changed over the year. Join us in recapping 2025 with some laughs and motivation for 2026. The Five Pillars to Create a Meaningful Life Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/9kXIt9u

On this episode, Levi Leland rejoins the podcast for the first time since his last appearance on episode 191. Levi catches us up on everything that has happened since episode 191 aired in August of 2024. He discusses the release of his book, Edgar Allan Poe The Master of the Macabre, which is apart of the Pocket Portraits series. Levi dives into how this opportunity came to be and walks us through how he actually wrote the book. We talk about the importance of preparation and how it's key to be ready for possible opportunities. Also, Levi explains how he's handled all of the publicity around the book and even dealing with some negative feedback. Join us in this authentic conversation on Poe, writing, and mental health. The Five Pillars to Create a Meaningful Life Available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/dxOr0Dn Levi Leland's "Edgar Allan Poe - The Master of the Macabre": https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Edgar-Allan-Poe/Levi-Lionel-Leland/Pocket-Portraits/9781507224137

Lincoln Pollock is the owner and craftsman behind Arcwood Jewelry. On this episode, Lincoln opens up about his family dynamic and shares what it was like growing up in his household. Lincoln expresses his appreciation for his parents and helping guide him into the arts and music. He dives into his early love for music and explains how it helped him express his emotions throughout his childhood. Also, Lincoln discusses changing majors in college to pursue music which was something he was more passionate about. Lincoln talks about deciding to dive into jewelry and where his interest came from. We talk about the importance of having a why when pursuing your passion too. Join us in this authentic conversation on music, business, and mental health.