Podcast
The Person Who Believed In Me
Hosted by David Begnaud · EN
Deeply human conversations with extraordinary humans. Raw. Relatable. Unexpected.
Hosted by Emmy Award–winning storyteller David Begnaud, The Person Who Believed in Me brings together big names from every field around one powerful question: Who believed in you before anyone else did? Through vulnerable, gratitude-filled conversations, guests reflect on the mentors, teachers, family members, and quiet champions who shaped their lives long before success found them. While the names may be familiar, the stories rarely are.
This is a podcast about belief, connection, and the people who change our lives without ever asking for credit.
24episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
From 'Too Girly for Finance' to Multimillionaire | Vivian Tu, Your Rich BFF CEO
2d ago01:22:07Summary readyBefore Vivian Tu became a multimillionaire financial educator with 6.5 million followers, two New York Times bestselling books, and a chart-topping podcast, she was a 22-year-old analyst sitting on a filing cabinet at JP Morgan while senior traders commanded the room. Then Jean Ma, her first manager and the first rich Asian woman she had ever met, told her: You deserve a seat at the table. Don't sit on a filing cabinet like you are some lackey.In this deeply personal conversation, the creator of Your Rich BFF tells David Begnaud how Jean, who walked into the office in limited-edition Chanel and Gucci stilettos, taught her that life isn't a meritocracy and showed her at a meatpacking-district dive bar that the rules she thought she had to play by weren't the rules everyone else played by.Vivian also gets real about the manager who reassigned her, told her she was "too girly for finance," and mocked her cardigan as a kimono — and why she's thankful he was such a jerk, because it's exactly what pushed her out of JP Morgan and into the life she has now. She talks about walking away from a $600,000 job at BuzzFeed to bet on herself full time, the $100,000 safety net she built just in case (and never had to touch), and growing up the daughter of Chinese immigrants who sacrificed everything so she could be here. She opens up about buying her parents cars and vacations, why her husband Greg is the reason she can take big career swings without fear, and closes with the story that still gives her chills: a woman at the University of Delaware who used one of Vivian's videos to talk her hospital down $5,000 on a medical bill. And yes, she'll admit it — some of her drive really is just pure spite, knowing the guy who doubted her can't walk past a bookstore today without seeing her face in the window.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Woman Who Gave Her a Seat at the Table00:01:31 The First Meeting: Designer Bags and Gucci Stilettos00:08:53 The Brass Monkey Bar: When Time Has Value00:11:05 The Rules Rich People Play By00:12:17 The Chaos Demon: Growing Up Outside Baltimore00:16:16 The Last Strike: When Mom Said We Can't Keep You in America00:20:37 The American Dream: Running the Race for Those Who Came Before00:25:42 Raising Rich Kids: The Inheritance They Won't Get00:29:11 The Kimono Incident: When the Racist Boss Struck00:32:49 Don't Make Decisions Mad: The Strategic Exit00:39:58 The Imperfect Mentor: Dogs on Credit Cards00:42:29 When Your Mom Thanks Your Mentor00:43:41 The Book Dedication: To Jean and That Man00:46:21 No Apologies: I Deserve All of My Wins00:50:07 Not Afraid to Be Embarrassed: The Pattern of Risk00:54:51 Rich Person or Broke Person: The Rapid Fire Game00:59:57 The 22-Year-Old Starter Pack: Building Your Financial Foundation01:13:41 Climbing Cringe Mountain: The Villagers at the Bottom01:20:53 The Woman Younger Me Wanted to SeeABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Vivian TuExecutive Producer: David Begnaud, Olivier Delfosse, Justin McGoldrickBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Social: Kylee Anderson, Maxim Trofimenko, Gracie PekrulTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave Digital & David & Luana Co.CONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
He Almost Lost His Family Building a $1B Company | CEO of Nextdoor Nirav Tolia
1w ago01:05:48Summary readyBefore Nirav Tolia became the CEO of Nextdoor, a billion-dollar company connecting neighbors across America, he was a 28-year-old first-time CEO running a struggling startup during the dot-com crash, three weeks away from shutting down. Then Bill Campbell, the legendary Silicon Valley coach who mentored Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, and the founders of Google, walked into his office and said the words that changed everything: I don't want fancy quotes. Tell me about the business. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, one of tech's most mission-driven entrepreneurs sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the man who believed in him when he was just beginning to understand what it meant to lead.Nirav opens up about meeting Bill Campbell at 28, a coach who called him boy, sprinkled profanity into every lesson, and taught him that his title was not CEO but coach. He talks about growing up as one of the only Indian kids in Odessa, Texas, a place where people were genuinely happy because they had each other, and how that shaped his belief in the power of community. He shares what it was like to get to Stanford and realize he wasn't prepared for the rigor, how he found his way into tech through an Ethernet connection in his dorm room and an obsession with the Dallas Cowboys, and why he joined a collegiate acapella group that led him to become a business manager instead of a doctor. There's also a raw reflection on sacrifice, purpose, and what it means to be a guardian angel. Nirav talks about leaving Nextdoor in 2019 because he felt like a shell of a man, realizing he couldn't be the best CEO and the best father at the same time, and moving his family to Italy for a sabbatical that turned into years. He opens up about being asked to come back to Nextdoor, why he said yes even though he never thought he'd be a CEO again, and how spending time away from the job gave him the space to reflect and become a better human being. Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Coach Who Believed When the Company Almost Died00:02:18 The First Meeting: Boy, Tell Me About Your Company00:10:00 A Stranger in a Strange Land: Finding Community in West Texas00:14:10 Stanford and the Struggle: When Everyone Is Smarter Than You00:17:33 Fleet Street Singers: The Acapella Group That Led to Business00:24:23 999 Failures Leading to One Big Success: The Entrepreneurship Story00:28:36 Your Title Makes You a Manager, Your People Make You a Leader00:31:12 Three Weeks of Cash Left: The Christmas That Changed Everything00:33:46 The Hardest Thing a CEO Ever Has to Do: Laying Off Employees00:38:15 The Kindness of Strangers: Lost Dogs, Cups of Sugar, and Natural Disasters00:40:57 Purpose, People, Product: The Three Ps Bill Taught00:43:00 A Shell of a Man: When Being CEO Meant Not Being a Father00:48:26 Coming Back to Nextdoor: The Second Chance to Refound a Company00:54:58 Moving to Dallas: Choosing Family and Community Over Silicon Valley00:57:21 The Board Meeting in Dallas: Hearing Bill's Voice 20 Years Later01:03:39 Happy 30th Birthday: The Voicemail That Captures Everything01:04:59 Find a Bill or Be the Bill: The Legacy of Lifting People UpABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Nirav ToliaExecutive Producer: David Begnaud, Olivier Delfosse, Justin McGoldrickBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksSocial: Kylee Anderson, Maxim Trofimenko, Gracie PekrulLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Theme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave Digital & David & Luana Co.CONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
ABC Threatened To Sue Adam Lambert Over One Kiss | Adam Lambert
2w ago01:25:29Summary readyBefore Adam Lambert became a global superstar, Grammy-nominated artist, and one of the most electrifying voices in music, he was a 13-year-old theater kid from conservative North County San Diego, struggling to fit in at middle school and trying on his mother's makeup after class. Then Lynn Broyles, a voice teacher with fierce energy and impeccable taste, saw something in him that no one else had: a kid who needed a safe space to just be himself. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the trailblazing artist sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the woman who believed in him when he was just beginning to understand who he was.Adam opens up about meeting Lynn at 13, a voice teacher who introduced him to Sondheim, cabaret, and the gay cultural lexicon without ever calling it what it was. He talks about growing up with parents who let him wear their makeup and high heels as a toddler, spending Saturdays in a theater company that taught him discipline and teamwork, and the moment he auditioned for American Idol by quitting his job in Wicked with no guarantees. He shares what it felt like to kiss a guy on live television at the 2009 AMAs the night before his first single dropped, getting yanked off Good Morning America because ABC threatened to sue, and why that controversy made him realize his career was about something much bigger than just making music.There's also a raw reflection on identity, fame, and what it means to finally say what you've always felt. Adam talks about starting to feel shame for being gay once he got famous, encountering homophobia for the first time in mainstream America after living in an LA bubble for 10 years, and why he started having imposter syndrome even though he believed he could win. He opens up about fronting Queen for 10 years, performing for millions at Rock in Rio and on the steps of Buckingham Palace, and why being around Brian May and Roger Taylor taught him the gravity of iconic music through osmosis. He reflects on moving to New York, doing six months on Broadway as the Emcee in Cabaret, and bringing Lynn to see the show as a full circle moment. He shares why he's finally ready to stop people pleasing, why his new self-titled album Adam feels like a return to where he started, and why after 17 years in the industry, he's done being polite about what he wants.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Voice Teacher Who Saw the Queen in Him00:01:23 The Instant Connection: When Humor Became the Language00:05:22 The Loud, Verbal Kid Who Preferred Adults00:08:52 Growing Up Different in Conservative San Diego00:11:40 The Anger Management Lessons and Counting to Ten00:14:05 Middle School Hell: When the Teachers Liked You Wasn't Cool Anymore00:15:39 Metropolitan Educational Theater: Learning Discipline Through Performance00:17:30 Lynn's Gift: Sondheim, Cabaret, and the Gay Cultural Lexicon00:18:04 The Unspoken Understanding: I Think She Knew I Was Gay00:26:51 The American Idol Audition: Quitting Wicked for a Shot00:37:45 The AMA Kiss That Changed Everything00:45:37 Coming Out on Rolling Stone: The Gay Label and Double Standards00:35:49 Imposter Syndrome and Finding My Voice00:53:53 Ten Years with Queen: Pinch Me Moments and Learning from Legends01:02:29 The Five-Year Relationship: Finding Work-Life Balance00:50:03 The New Album ADAM: Accepting All of Yourself01:10:42 Broadway Cabaret: The Full Circle Moment with Lynn01:14:13 The Evolution of LGBTQ Visibility: Then vs Now01:16:50 Feel Something Foundation: Giving Back to Queer Youth01:20:42 Give Me My Flowers: It's My TurnABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Adam LambertExecutive Producer: David Begnaud, Olivier DelfosseBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Social: Maxim Trofimenko, Kylee Anderson, Gracie PekrulTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave Digital, David & Luana Co.CONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
Stop Raising Your Children With This Dangerous Lie | Ian V. Rowe
3w ago01:21:43Summary readyBefore Ian Rowe became a visionary educator, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, founder of Vertex Partnership Academy, and author of the book Agency, he was a 12 year old kid from Queens standing in his family's living room, crying and pleading with his Jamaican immigrant parents to let him stay at a junior high school that was about to become all black after white families fled to a newly created annex. Then Linda Talish, his sixth grade teacher at PS 156 in Laurelton, Queens, gave him something he didn't even know he needed: the courage to challenge his parents for the very first time. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, one of education's most influential and controversial voices sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the woman who believed in him when he was just beginning to believe in himself.Ian opens up about meeting Ms. Talish in sixth grade, a Jewish teacher who talked about her heritage with a certain reverence and pride, even in the midst of racial tension that was tearing apart their small middle class Queens neighborhood. He shares what it was like growing up as the son of parents who came to the United States in 1968, the year of Martin Luther King's assassination, with his father becoming one of the first black engineers at IBM and his mother a financial securities analyst at Manufacturer's Hanover Bank. He reflects on the Sunday night before transfer papers were due, standing in front of his parents in their living room, begging and crying to stay at junior high school 231, and saying the words that changed everything: Just because everyone that's left is black, why does it have to be bad?.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Teacher Who Gave Him the Courage to Say No00:00:40 The Racial Tension in Laurelton: When the White Kids Left00:03:54 The Play That Changed Everything: Welcome Back, Sauter00:14:24 The Sunday Night I Challenged My Parents00:22:42 Just Because Everyone That's Left Is Black, Why Does It Have to Be Bad?00:27:27 From Brooklyn Tech to Cornell at 16: Working My Butt Off00:28:10 Vertex Partnership Academy: Creating Coming of Agency Moments00:38:51 The Four Cardinal Virtues: Courage, Justice, Temperance, and Wisdom00:53:11 The Teachers Union Sued Us: Six Days Before We Opened01:00:49 The Success Sequence: Education, Work, Marriage, Then Children00:56:38 Social Capital Is the Currency of America01:08:31 From 470 Million Dollars at Gates to Running Individual Schools01:19:06 Have You Done Your Best? The Booker T. Washington LectureABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Ian RoweExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Social: Maxim Trofimenko, Kylee Anderson, Gracie PekrulTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave Digital, David & Luana Co.CONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
The Hidden Trauma Behind This Comedy Star's Rise to Fame | Margaret Cho
Jun 2900:56:26Summary readyBefore Margaret Cho became a legendary comedian, Emmy-nominated actor, and one of the most influential voices in stand-up comedy, she was a 15-year-old kid who had just been expelled from one of San Francisco's most prestigious high schools for truancy and bad grades, with parents who had essentially given up on her. Then James Jackson, an English teacher with a Southern drawl, a speech impediment, and a vintage motorcycle, started writing notes in the margins of her essays that changed everything: A+, so great, brilliant, funny. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the trailblazing comedian sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the man who believed in her when she was just trying to blend into the walls.Margaret opens up about meeting Mr. Jackson at the School of the Arts in San Francisco, a teacher who rode a motorcycle, wore a leather jacket with cigarettes in the sleeve, and spoke like a Southern Barbara Walters. She talks about the composition book he gave her at the beginning of the year, how his handwritten encouragement in the margins reignited the excellent student she had forgotten she was, and why his gentle belief felt so tender it was almost poetic. She shares what it was like to watch him get bullied by jocks in the classroom for being gay, how that made her feel as a closeted teenager herself, and the day she and her best friend Jerry walked out of school forever after those same jocks mocked Mr. Jackson's murder. She reflects on learning decades later that Mr. Jackson had been killed by a homeless teenager he had taken in, and how court documents revealed allegations that Mr. Jackson had sexually abused the boy who killed him.There's also a raw reflection on trauma, survival, and what it means to separate the art from the artist. Margaret talks about being sexually abused by multiple people as a young girl in the 1970s and 80s, a time when young girl sexuality was disturbingly normalized, and how her parents denied it happened and still refuse to talk about it today. She opens up about being raped in high school, headlining the first primetime ABC sitcom starring an Asian American woman in 1994, and being told by network executives that she was too fat to play herself. She shares what it felt like to lose 30 pounds in two weeks on fen-fen, urinate blood in her trailer from kidney failure, and be told not to gain the weight back even after her hair fell out. She reflects on spending a year and nine months in treatment for addiction, learning to wear sobriety like a loose garment, and why comedy is a coping mechanism that gives you hope by making you take an unexpected breath. As complicated as the story is as we present it, Margaret reflects on what she would want to say to Mr. Jackson, why his encouragement led her to encourage younger comedians the same way, and why she's really happy now after arranging her life in the right way.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Teacher Who Wrote Notes in the Margins00:02:34 The Composition Book: When an Adult Finally Noticed00:07:27 A Southern Barbara Walters on a Motorcycle00:12:39 The Murder That Changed Everything00:19:23 Growing Up in a Gay Bookstore: Finding Safety00:25:20 A Lot of People: The Sexual Abuse Nobody Wanted to Hear About00:32:48 Jerry: The 40-Year Friendship That Wasn't Platonic or Romantic00:38:20 Too Fat to Play Myself: The ABC Show That Broke Her00:43:14 A Year and Nine Months: Institutionalized and Determined to Live00:47:13 Comedy as a Shield and a Sword: The Social Contract00:53:19 Purge Makes Plenty: Writing a Joke Every MorningABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Margaret ChoExecutive Producer: David Begnaud, Olivier DelfosseBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Social: Maxim Trofimenko, Kylee Anderson, Gracie PekrulTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave Digital & David & Luana Co.CONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcastPhoto Credits: Margaret Cho, Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts Yearbook
Summary
The Truth About Coming Home As An Olympic Medalist At 14 | Tom Daley
Jun 2201:10:20Summary readyBefore Tom Daley became one of the most decorated divers in British history with five Olympic medals and five Olympic Games under his belt, he was a terrified nine year old standing on the end of a diving board, crying his eyes out and refusing to jump into the pool. Then Andy Banks, the head coach at Plymouth Diving Club, walked in and said the words that almost ended everything before it started: Tom Daley will never be a diver for as long as he'll live. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the Olympic champion sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the coach who doubted him at first, then never stopped believing in him, and how that belief carried him through bullying, loss, and the darkest years of his life.Tom opens up about the moment Andy pulled him aside at 12 years old and asked if he wanted to go to the Beijing Olympics in 2008, laying out a roadmap for a kid who would become the youngest British diver to compete at an Olympic Games at just 14 years and 81 days old. He talks about coming back from Beijing and enduring brutal physical and emotional bullying at school, getting rugby tackled in the field and threatened to have his legs broken, all while trying to process what it meant to be an Olympian in eighth grade. He shares what it felt like to lose his father to a brain tumor at 17, just one year before the London 2012 Olympics, and how his dad never cared about results, only that Tom was 18th best in the whole country even if he came dead last. He reflects on meeting Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar winning screenwriter who flew to the UK to see him, only to be told by management that dating an LGBTQ activist would be bad for his image, and how falling in love felt like one more thing he loved that the world said was wrong.There's also a raw reflection on fear, identity, and what it means to thrive under pressure. Tom talks about hitting his head twice while diving, why Andy taught him that the day you stop being scared on the board is the day something goes wrong, and how knitting became the reason he was able to win Olympic gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games. He opens up about coming out at 19 through a YouTube video because he was tired of being misquoted and feeling ashamed, why he believes vulnerability is a practice and not a destination, and how becoming Papa to Robbie and Phoenix is the role he's most proud of beyond all his Olympic medals. He shares what it's like to retire at 30 and wake up every day wondering if he could do one more Olympics in LA 2028, why there's no such thing as good luck only good preparation, and why the greatest form of activism is just living your authentic life every single day. And he reflects on what his father, who recorded everything up until two days before he died, would want the world to know.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Coach Who Said He'd Never Make It00:06:35 Standing on the Board, Crying: The Day Andy Walked In00:08:52 Do You Want to Go to Beijing? The 12-Year-Old's Olympic Plan00:13:29 The Perfectionist Who Felt Everything Too Deeply00:16:13 Titian: Learning to Compete Every Single Day00:17:59 It's About Bloody Time: Winning Gold After Four Olympics00:18:26 The Bullying After Beijing: When Being an Olympian Made It Worse00:20:21 Everything I Loved Got Taken Away: Dad, Diving, and Being Gay00:30:17 18th in Rio: The God Wink and Your Story Doesn't End Here00:40:13 The Fear Is What Stops You Making Mistakes00:41:45 Knitting Saved My Olympic Gold: Finding Calm in the Chaos00:43:13 Nothing Will Ever Compare: Life After Retirement at 3000:44:34 Papa: The Role I'm Most Proud Of Beyond All the Medals00:46:05 LA 2028: Could I Do One More?00:51:16 The Perfect Little Boy Syndrome: Overachieving to Hide Being GayABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Tom DaleyExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Jonah JohnsonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Social Media: Maxim Trofimenko, Kylee Anderson, Gracie PekrulTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave Digital, David & Luana Co.CONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
He Missed the NBA and Built a Music Empire | Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr.
Jun 1501:01:56Summary readyBefore Harvey Mason Jr. became the CEO of the Recording Academy and a legendary music producer who worked with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Michael Jackson, he was a college basketball player at the University of Arizona headed to the NBA. Then a torn ACL ended his career in one awkward landing, leaving him watching soap operas in a dorm room, depressed and driving around Tucson pitching jingles to Chinese buffets and brake shops. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the Grammy executive sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the man who believed in him when he was still figuring out who he was: Clive Davis, the legendary music mogul who put him in a room with Aretha Franklin and changed everything.Harvey opens up about the day he walked into Clive's bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel, nervous and blown away by the flowers and the speakers and the man who had signed his father as an artist decades earlier. He talks about playing I Like Them Girls for Clive, watching him close his eyes and nod his head, and getting the yes that gave him a confidence boost he didn't know he needed. He shares what it was like to produce Aretha's vocals, pushing her so hard she sent a furious letter to Clive saying Harvey wasn't the right producer, only to send him flowers the next day after hearing the recording and calling it one of her favorite vocals ever. He reflects on recording Whitney Houston for seven hours when she'd only promised him 15 minutes, convincing her to keep going by saying his only job was to make fans say that's the best Whitney Houston song I've ever heard.There's also a raw reflection on belief, identity, and what it means to be pushed. Harvey talks about his father, drummer Harvey Mason Sr., who believed so fiercely in him that it became both a gift and a weight, and how that shaped the way he raised his own kids. He opens up about playing for Coach Lute Olson at Arizona, feeling like Olson didn't believe in him for years, and only realizing decades later that the hardest coaching was actually the deepest belief. He shares what he learned from teammate Steve Kerr, who asked the team on a bus ride how can you be sleeping on the way to the game? and taught him there was another level to greatness. And he reflects on what it means to be the first Black CEO of the Recording Academy, why he's never content, and why the truth is when you're in the moment of somebody believing in you, sometimes it doesn't feel like belief at all.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Man Who Believed When the Dream Ended00:02:02 The Bungalow Meeting: When Clive Davis Said Yes00:09:27 Producing Aretha: The Flowers After the Fury00:13:36 Seven Hours with Whitney: Negotiating with a Legend00:15:53 What Makes a Great Producer: Listening and Serving00:18:21 The Weekend Controversy: Leading Through Change00:20:45 Coach Olson: The Belief That Felt Like Doubt00:26:26 The Final Four and Steve Kerr's Leadership00:28:13 The Torn ACL: When Basketball Dreams Die00:29:47 Selling Jingles in Tucson: The Pivot to Music00:43:35 The Pressure of a Legendary Father00:42:31 I Love Watching You Play: Parenting Differently00:48:26 First Black CEO of the Recording Academy00:51:10 Coach Olson's Final Words: You'll Be As Successful00:52:08 Never Fulfilled: The Lists and the Chase00:56:20 To Clive: You Changed the Trajectory of My Life00:59:11 The Ultimate Form of Belief: When It Feels Like DoubtABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Harvey Mason Jr.Executive Producer: Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Jonah JohnsonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Director of Social: Mariah MaullTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
7 Years as a Waiter to TOP-PAID Comedian
Jun 801:01:49Summary readyBefore Sebastian Maniscalco became one of the highest paid comedians in the world — selling out five shows at Madison Square Garden and earning his own Sirius XM channel — he was a waiter at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, spending seven years serving nuts to celebrities while bombing at open mics. Then Mitzi Shore, the legendary owner of the Comedy Store, saw something in him that the rest of the industry had missed. In this deeply personal conversation, Sebastian sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the woman who believed in him when he barely knew her, and how she gave him the one thing he needed most: a place to belong.Sebastian opens up about the moment Mitzi grabbed him after his audition and said the words that changed everything: Come back for 10 minutes next week. He talks about skipping straight to paid regular status, getting hot spots one week and 1:30 a.m. slots in front of four people the next, and how Mitzi manipulated lineups to build his thick skin without him realizing it. His relationship with her was never verbal — her love came through the stage time she gave him, and his came through never letting her down.There's also a raw reflection on family and work ethic. Sebastian's father Cecilion, a 79-year-old hairdresser, still cuts hair and refuses to retire because he believes stopping means dying. He rented Sebastian a lawnmower as a kid to teach him about business expenses — making him cut grass while allergic to it — and after a quadruple bypass, his first question from the hospital bed was when he could go back to work. Sebastian bought his parents cars last year, because the journey was never just his. He covers a lot of groundGet more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️ Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Woman Who Gave Him a Stage00:03:00 Why Her? The Audition That Changed Everything00:09:29 The Hulk Hogan Documentary: A Morning Cry About Family00:11:20 From Anger to Disbelief: Finding His Voice on Stage00:13:36 Seven Years at the Four Seasons: The Nuts That Never Got Stale00:16:18 Renting the Lawnmower: Learning Business from Dad00:21:40 Selling Satellite Dishes in the Ghetto: The Kiosk Days00:29:54 The Photo That Made Him Cry: When They Were a Unit00:33:37 AI and Comedy: Using Technology to Brainstorm Ideas00:39:53 The Grind: Boxing Rings, Bowling Alleys, and Blood-Stained Canvas00:42:05 The Sandman Moment: Worst Night Ever, Best Lesson Learned00:45:40 From 91 People to 91,000 Tickets: The Madison Square Garden Journey00:47:39 The Introvert Comedian: Steam Rooms and Recharging Alone00:52:36 The SNL Sketch: When Marcello Called00:53:59 Thank You, Mitzi: A Relationship From AfarABOUT THIS PODCAST: The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew. In each episode, David asks one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? David is also a CBS News contributor and host of Beg Knows America, airing every Monday morning.Host: David Begnaud Guest: Sebastian Maniscalco Executive Producer: Olivier Delfosse Associate Producer: Jonah Johnson Booker: Sully Bloch Director of Photography: Foster Parks Live Production: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative) Social: Mariah Maull, Maxim Trofimenko, Kylee AndersonTheme Music: Slipstream Post-Production: Longwave DigitalInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
Sharon Stone on Abuse, Death, and Who Believed in Her
Jun 101:08:31Summary readyBefore Sharon Stone became one of Hollywood's most iconic stars, she was a kid from rural Pennsylvania getting sent to the principal's office for teaching her classmates cursive and multiplication. Then her father - a blue-collar machine shop worker with the touch of kings - walked in and said: Here's what's going to happen. It's not going to stop. She's going to keep right on doing it. Are we clear?In this unguarded conversation with David Begnaud, Sharon shares the story of the man who believed in her when the world told her to be less - and reflects on the life that followed. She opens up about the nine-day misdiagnosed brain hemorrhage she survived against 1% odds, the assault she didn't understand for a decade, the custody battle she lost to an ex-husband who ran the only newspaper in town, and why being a sex symbol meant the world assumed she was stupid instead of surviving.She talks about being the 13th choice for Basic Instinct, fighting through every makeup test to wipe off the bimbo overlay, and a mother who never once said I love you. And she shares what her father - who died exactly four months to the day after calling to say he had four months left - would want the world to know.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Man Who Believed When Nobody Else Did00:04:59 The Principal's Office: Here's What's Going to Happen00:09:42 The Confrontation at 14: I Will Never Love You Again00:15:45 Growing Up in Rural Pennsylvania: The Girl Who Dyed Her Hair00:22:30 I'm Not a Quitter: The 1% Chance of Survival00:29:59 The Psychic Gift: Babies, Animals, and Knowing Things00:49:07 The Attack: What Really Happened That Day00:56:39 Not a Sex Symbol: The 13th Choice for Basic Instinct00:39:22 The Vanilla Milkshake: A Father's Love in a Mason Jar01:00:51 Four Months to the Day: Cleaning Every Can on Her Hands and Knees01:04:10 Work Your Own Door: The Legacy of Joseph William Stone IIIABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Sharon StoneExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Director of Social: Mariah MaullTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
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Harvard Professor: You Won’t Be Happy Until You FIX This | Arthur Brooks
May 2500:48:53Summary readyBefore Arthur Brooks became a Harvard professor, bestselling author, and one of the world's most influential voices on happiness and human behavior, he was a 34 year old PhD student standing in front of a room full of Nobel Prize winners, delivering what he calls a catastrophic dissertation defense. Then James Q. Wilson, the most distinguished social scientist of the 20th century, walked up and said the words that changed everything: You know, you got something special here. If I can ever help you, just let me know. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the renowned social scientist sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the man who believed in him when no one else did.There's also a raw reflection on faith, struggle, and the complex problem of God. Arthur talks about the priest who rejected him, why he believes therapy isn't about solving problems but living with complexity, and why your marriage is not a problem to solve. He shares the one regret he carries every day, why he still asks if his father would be proud of him, and how losing his parents too soon led him to move his entire family to one place so he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. He opens up about the meaning crisis destroying young people today, why happiness is love and love is a choice, and why the greatest act of selfishness is refusing someone's generosity.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Man Who Changed Everything00:01:14 The Catastrophic Dissertation Defense That Led to Destiny00:01:46 From French Horn Player to Social Scientist00:06:31 The Email That Opened a Door: Will You Let Me Help You?00:08:56 The Calling You Can't Articulate: Right Brain vs Left Brain00:10:58 Faith, Struggle, and the Complex Problem of God00:15:03 Complex vs Complicated: Why Your Marriage Isn't a Problem to Solve00:18:19 The Power of Being Present: You Can Only Love Right Now00:20:55 Growing Up Brooks: The Mathematician and the Artist00:23:29 Why I Quit Music: When You Don't Love the Craft, Only the Dream00:25:48 Every Day I Ask: Would My Dad Be Proud of Me?00:28:12 Moving the Whole Family to One Place: Learning from Loss00:30:03 The Meaning Crisis: Why Young People Are Suffering00:31:55 How to Find Your Calling: Earning Your Success and Being Needed00:33:05 The I Self vs The Me Self: Why Looking Inward Makes You Miserable00:33:41 The Funk and How to Get Out: Forcing Yourself to Serve00:36:27 Why We Connect Through Struggle, Not Success00:37:58 James Q. Wilson's Legacy: Community Policing and Broken Windows00:39:36 Did You Ever Ask Him Why He Believed in You?00:46:26 The One Takeaway: Happiness Is Love, and Love Is a ChoiceABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Arthur BrooksExecutive Producers: Ellen Rocamora, Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Griffin HamiltonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksDirector of Social: Mariah MaullLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Theme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
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