Podcast
Determined Society with Shawn French | Adversity & Mindset
Hosted by Shawn French | Adversity & Determination Expert · EN
Discover The Determined Society with Shawn French, your gateway to exploring determination, adversity, and mindset. Each episode delves into raw conversations with celebrities, authors, and athletes revealing their cultural perspectives and mental health journeys. We unpack how these icons break norms and develop habits that fuel success. Dive behind the headlines for breakthrough insights into overcoming life's challenges and embracing resilience.
We dive into the stories behind the personas: What inspires a bestselling author to tug at society’s threads? How does an athlete navigate identity beyond the game? How do cultural icons harness influence to spark social change? These aren’t surface-level soundbites—they’re raw, revealing conversations that reflect who we are and where we’re headed.
Expect humor. Expect heart. Expect breakthrough insights.
Whether we’re unpacking a book that reshapes dialogue, exploring the impact of fame on mental health, or analyzing how sports stars challenge societal norms—Culture Unscripted brings you the human stories behind cultural icons and the societal conversations they spark.
If you’re curious, driven, and ready for a show that celebrates the richness of culture through the faces shaping it—Culture Unscripted is where you belong. Tune in, and let’s explore the world through the voices that help define it.
159episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Tax Advice That Could Change Your Financial Life Ft. Karlton Dennis
Today01:01:21Summary readyKarlton Dennis, CEO and founder of Tax Alchemy, enrolled agent, author, and tax strategist, joins The Determined Society for a powerful conversation on taxes, wealth building, identity, entrepreneurship, and the strategy behind keeping more of what you earn. In this episode, Shawn French and Karlton discuss the life pivot that took him from football to business, the identity shift that came with leaving the athlete stage, and the IRS letter that pushed him into the tax world. Karlton shares how working inside his mother’s firm helped him understand the power of tax planning and why most people overpay simply because they wait too long to think about taxes. He also breaks down the difference between a tax accountant and a tax strategist, how he built a massive online platform through YouTube and Google Trends, and why true wealth building requires more than earning money. It requires education, planning, and the willingness to take responsibility before the bill arrives. This conversation is about more than taxes. It is about reinvention, failure, financial awareness, ownership, and the determination to get back up stronger every time life redirects you. The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all others.. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave a review. It helps more than you know. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Summary
The Cost of Truth-Seeking | Ben Swann on Breaking Norms
1w ago01:14:39Summary readyOn The Determined Society, authentic conversations and hard questions separate growth from stagnation. Ben Swann—journalist, truth-seeker, and cultural disruptor—sits down with Shawn French to explore why asking difficult questions takes real discipline, how breaking norms demands determination, and what happens when you refuse to accept surface-level answers. Discover the mental strength it takes to challenge the status quo and the resilience required to stand by your convictions. Perfect for anyone tired of shallow discourse and ready to dig deeper. The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all others.. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave a review. It helps more than you know. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Summary
Overcoming Failure | How Jake Bostwick Turned Loss Into Resilience
2w ago01:08:55Summary readyJake "Brutal" Bostwick grew up surrounded by violence in Southeast London. Now a bare-knuckle champion, he reveals how adversity and overcoming failure became his greatest assets. In this raw conversation, Jake shares the discipline techniques, mindset shifts, and unforgiving lessons that transformed survival instinct into elite fighting performance—and why loss was never the end. Connect with Jake Bostwick: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brutalbostw... Connect with Shawn: https://link.me/shawnmf32 Subscribe to our newsletter for all updates and heavy doses of DETERMINATION: https://thedeterminedsociety.com The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all others.. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave a review. It helps more than you know. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Summary
Building Legacies Through Adversity: FuelFest & Paul Walker's Impact
3w ago01:12:34Summary readyIn this new episode of The Determined Society, Shawn French sits down with Tyrese Gibson and Cody Walker for a heartfelt conversation on FuelFest, Paul Walker’s legacy, Reach Out Worldwide, cars, music, community, faith, family, and what it means to build something bigger than yourself. Tyrese and Cody open up about the mission behind FuelFest, a global celebration of car culture, music, motorsports, and human connection. What started as a simple idea has grown into an international movement that brings people from every background together while helping support Reach Out Worldwide, the disaster relief organization founded by Paul Walker. Cody reflects on honoring his brother’s heart, continuing the work Paul cared deeply about, and helping carry that torch forward after his passing. Tyrese shares powerful thoughts on purpose, discipline, faith, legacy, and the responsibility to empty yourself of every dream and vision while you are still here. In this episode, we dive into: • The story and mission behind FuelFest • Honoring Paul Walker’s legacy through action • How Reach Out Worldwide continues Paul’s heart for helping people • Why cars and music bring people together across cultures • Building a global community through passion and purpose • Cody Walker’s journey after losing Paul • Tyrese Gibson on faith, determination, and doing something with your life • Why you do not need to have everything figured out to start • The power of showing up, failing, learning, and moving forward • Creating experiences that impact people far beyond the event This is more than a conversation about cars, movies, or music. It is a conversation about legacy, brotherhood, purpose, service, and the determination to create something that continues to impact the world. • Connect with Shawn: https://link.me/shawnmf32 • Subscribe to our newsletter for all updates and heavy doses of DETERMINATION: https://thedeterminedsociety.com The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all others.. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave a review. It helps more than you know. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Summary
From Merrill Lynch to $1.5B: Chad Willardson on Discipline & True Wealth
4w ago01:03:57Summary readyIn this inspiring episode of The Determined Society, Shawn French sits down with Chad Willardson, founder of Pacific Capital, six-time author, husband, father of five, and one of the most respected voices in wealth management and leadership. Chad shares the courageous decision that changed his life forever, walking away from a successful career at Merrill Lynch with no safety net to build a company rooted in integrity, purpose, and people over profits. Today, Chad Willardson manages more than $1.5 billion in assets, but Chad reveals that his greatest success has never been measured by money. From overcoming fear and rejection to building elite teams, protecting company culture, prioritizing family, and turning down millions to stay true to his values, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone determined to build a meaningful life. • Connect with Shawn: https://link.me/shawnmf32 •Subscribe to our newsletter for all updates and heavy doses of DETERMINATION: https://thedeterminedsociety.com • Subscribe on Apple/Spotify: — Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... — Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5kS9tkL... The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all others.. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave a review. It helps more than you know. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Summary
Redemption Through Adversity: Michael Franzese's Path to Discipline
Jun 2901:27:29Summary readyOvercoming obstacles isn't just about external circumstances, it's about discipline, accountability, and choosing redemption. Michael Franzese, a former Colombo crime captain who walked away from the mob to build a life rooted in faith and family, joins Shawn French to unpack the mindset shift required to break norms, embrace adversity as growth, and redefine what true strength looks like. Discover how controlling the controllables and unwavering discipline became his path to transformation. Connect with Shawn https://link.me/shawnmf32 Subscribe to our newsletter for all updates and heavy doses of DETERMINATION: https://thedeterminedsociety.com The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all others.. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave a review. It helps more than you know. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Summary
Survival to Empire | How Bedros Keuilian Built Determination From Adversity
Jun 2201:25:08Summary readyBedros Keuilian—founder of Fit Body Boot Camp and creator of The Project—joins Shawn French for a raw conversation on determination, adversity, and breaking limiting beliefs. From arriving in America as an immigrant child on welfare to building a $100M+ fitness empire, Bedros shares how he reframed trauma and bullying into fuel for leadership, fatherhood, and becoming the man he needed to become. This is a masterclass in overcoming obstacles and transforming survival mode into unstoppable discipline. Connect with Shawn https://link.me/shawnmf32 Subscribe to our newsletter for all updates and heavy doses of DETERMINATION: https://thedeterminedsociety.com The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all others.. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave a review. It helps more than you know. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Summary
Discipline Through Adversity | Trevor Bauer on Pressure, Media Judgment & Mental Strength
Jun 1501:47:34Summary readyTrevor Bauer, 2020 Cy Young Award winner, opens up about discipline, adversity, and the moment public judgment changed everything. In this raw conversation, Trevor reveals how an engineering mindset, relentless work ethic, and refusal to quit shaped his rise from UCLA to the Majors—and how he's rebuilding after controversy tested his mental resilience. Discover the discipline techniques and mindset shifts that separate champions who come back from those who don't. Connect with Shawn https://link.me/shawnmf32 Subscribe to our newsletter for all updates and heavy doses of DETERMINATION: https://thedeterminedsociety.com The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all others.. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave a review. It helps more than you know. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Summary
Purpose & Elite Performance | Phil Daru on Discipline, Coaching Legends & Overcoming Obstacles
Jun 801:04:59Summary readyPhil Daru, world-class performance coach, former Mixed Martial Artist, and trainer to elite athletes like Dustin Poirier, Amanda Nunes, and Colby Covington, joins The Determined Society for a powerful conversation on discipline, faith, purpose, adversity, and what it really means to become unkillable in life. In this episode, Phil opens up about his early life in Broward County, training martial arts from a young age, playing Division I football, losing both parents within months, becoming a father, and being forced to pivot after a neurologist told him one more hit could change his future. He shares how that moment led him from fighting to coaching, and how routine, repetition, faith, and service became the foundation of his work with fighters, Olympians, Special Forces operators, CEOs, and high performers. This conversation is about more than training. It is about finding your purpose, staying prepared, and building the mind, body, and spirit to keep moving forward when life hits back. The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all others.. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave a review. It helps more than you know. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Summary
Blaire White: Cultural Perspective on Overcoming Obstacles & Social Media Impact
Jun 101:08:47Summary readyShe grew up with no friends, no roadmap, and a father who died before she could tell him who she really was. By 32, she had 400 million views, a national tour, a Fox News debut, a Washington Post profile, and a spot in a Billboard Award-winning music video — playing a Wild West sheriff. Blaire White is one of the most-watched, most-debated, and least-understood people on the internet. In this episode of The Determined Society, Shawn French sits down with Blaire for the conversation her own platform rarely makes room for — not the pundit, not the controversy, but the person underneath all of it. What actually happened in the years before anyone knew her name. The father she lost before she could come out to him. The childhood spent alone, writing fantasy novels to escape a world that didn't have a place for her. The grief she carried quietly while building something loud. The spiritual awakening she didn't see coming. And what determination actually looks like when no community fully claims you and the whole internet has an opinion about your existence. This is not a political debate. This is a story about becoming yourself when the cost is real. IN THIS EPISODE: - Growing up in Chico — bullied, isolated, and writing her way out - Losing her father right before coming out as transgender - Dropping out of college to bet everything on honesty - The price of being rejected by the left AND the right simultaneously - Her first Fox News appearance and what mainstream visibility actually feels like - The spiritual awakening she had in 2024 — and what changed after it - How she handles public humiliation, mistakes, and being factually wrong - The quiet grief of discovering she couldn't have children - What "determined" means when no map exists for who you are ABOUT BLAIRE WHITE Blaire White is a YouTuber, political commentator, and host of The Blaire White Project podcast. With over 1.5 million subscribers and 400+ million views, she has been featured in Penthouse, profiled by The Washington Post, and was the first openly transgender woman in Penthouse's history. She is the definition of building something from nothing — on her own terms, without permission. CONNECT WITH BLAIRE WHITE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msblairewhite/?hl=en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theblairewhiteproject Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImBlaireWhite/ CONNECT WITH SHAWN https://link.me/shawnmf32 SUBSCRIBE TO THE DETERMINED SOCIETY Newsletter: https://thedeterminedsociety.com Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/determined-society-with-shawn-french-adversity-mindset/id1555922064 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5kS9tkLGQLcVyRgB3mDznw?si=184c18d1b9d44f53 The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms. Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all others.. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave a review. It helps more than you know. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Summary