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In this powerful episode of the Journey to Freedom Podcast, Dr. B sits down with Jay Boykin—former corporate executive, DEI leader, fractional CFO, podcaster, and author of Just Human—for a deeply honest conversation about identity, leadership, fatherhood, and legacy.

Jay shares his journey growing up in the South, navigating predominantly white corporate spaces, and wrestling with impostor syndrome while climbing the ranks from financial analyst to Vice President.

He opens up about the inner voices many Black men battle daily—the doubts, the narratives placed on us, and the armor we wear to survive in the world—and what it takes to finally lay that armor down at home, in relationships, and within ourselves.

Together, Dr. B and Jay explore the power of mentorship, the responsibility of pulling others forward, the importance of asking for help, and why success without humanity is empty. From Lego metaphors and corporate pivots to vulnerable conversations about fatherhood, fear, and faith, this episode is a masterclass in becoming whole—not just successful.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How identity is shaped (and reshaped) in spaces where you don’t feel you belong
• Why impostor syndrome lingers—and how to silence it
• The difference between wearing armor to survive and removing it to love
• How mentors change the trajectory of a life—and how to pay it forward
• Why legacy may be the most important pillar of all
• What it really means to be “Just Human” in leadership, business, and relationships

This conversation isn’t just about success—it’s about freedom, connection, and becoming the person you were always meant to be.

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In this episode of the Journey Freedom Podcast, Dr. B sits down with Joe Sanders—CEO of Colorado Uplift and a 23-year Air Force veteran—for a moving conversation about purpose, service, leadership, and what it means to truly invest in the next generation.

Joe shares how his father’s post-military choices (serving in group homes, counseling, and pastoring a small church in an impoverished Louisiana neighborhood) once confused him—but later became the blueprint for Joe’s own calling. A pivotal moment came when Joe spoke to teenage boys in a Louisiana group home and realized they couldn’t imagine a future beyond “four street corners.” That contrast—against the limitless possibilities he heard from cadets at the Air Force Academy—sparked a prayerful transition that eventually led him to Colorado Uplift, an organization built on long-term, life-changing relationships with urban youth.

Together, Dr. B and Joe unpack identity and “the Sanders brand,” leadership without judgment, accountability rooted in relationship (not authority), the dangers of comparison in the social media era, and why becoming the person you’re called to be must come before what you do and what you have. Joe also shares daily rhythms that keep him growing—faith, reading, and meaningful conversations—and closes with a vision for Colorado Uplift’s exciting new campus initiative.

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A trust workshop lit the spark—and a movement took shape. Dr. B opens up about the moment he realized great leadership content wasn’t reaching the communities he cared about, and how that conviction became a mission to spotlight everyday excellence among Black men. Then we meet Dr. John Moreland, whose life bridges the Air Force, law enforcement, the pulpit, and the classroom. His story is equal parts grit and grace: a childhood call to preach, decades of military leadership, and the day he broke the thin blue line to stop an assault—and paid for it with his career.

What follows is a wide-ranging, grounded conversation about how trust is built, how history shapes our present, and what it takes to lead without losing your soul. John makes a crucial distinction: most people aren’t racist, but many of us are race-ignorant. Without honest history—civil rights, policing, segregation’s legacy, and the long tail of slavery—we miss why stereotypes persist and policies fail. He also reframes fatherhood with a line that lingers: don’t just give kids what you didn’t have; teach them what you didn’t know. From budgeting at the kitchen table to narrating decisions during a game, formation happens in the small rooms of daily life.

We tackle algorithms and attention too. Much of what we scroll is engineered to divide. John’s advice is clear: go find credible information; don’t let content find you. Guard your eyes and ears. Fact-check before you share. And for those hungry to go deeper, he shares accessible routes into theological education and a civil rights learning journey that connects faith, justice, and advocacy across Atlanta, Birmingham, and Montgomery.

Come for the story of courage and consequence; stay for the practical steps that make families stronger and communities wiser. If this resonated, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review with the one insight you’re acting on this week.

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A lot of people think recovery ends when the meeting does. We open the door wider.

Michael joins us with a story that moves from crack addiction and quiet shame to beekeeping, ultra running across the Sahara in sandals, and building a nonprofit that feeds schoolchildren in Ethiopia. The throughline isn’t superhuman grit; it’s a simple sequence: choose abstinence, find your people, take honest responsibility, and then create a life you’re excited to wake up for.

We talk about growing up feeling “different,” hiding deficits behind humor, and using drugs to amplify joy or mute pain. A 30-day rehab and an experiential internship flipped the script, revealing that the problem wasn’t intelligence—it was fit. Learning by doing became a method for everything: counseling, ordering hives and learning bees in an afternoon, saying yes to 155 miles and adapting when his shoes failed. He finished in Tevas.

The lesson lands hard and hopeful: momentum beats doubt, and preparation is a kindness to your future self.

Service keeps the engine running. A single promise in an Ethiopian village turned into a $30,000 fundraiser, a fast-tracked 501(c)(3), and a lunch program powered by 300 chickens so kids get two eggs a day. We dig into daily practices that sustain change—three workouts, journaling, meditation—and why nicotine counts as a drug worth quitting. For families, we share boundary-setting questions that reduce enabling and increase real help. Michael’s new book, The Recovery Roadmap: A Guide to Freedom and Adventure, captures the blueprint: abstinence gets you into the room; adventure, purpose, and community make you want to stay.

If you’re ready to reimagine recovery as a path to strength, service, and awe, press play. Then share this episode with someone who needs proof that change can be bold and joyful. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what dream are you ready to start today?

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What if four generations could line up on a track and show you what legacy looks like in motion? That’s the energy we bring as Olaolu—Marine officer, father of three, and founder of Parent Child Connect—joins us for a candid, practical, and heartfelt exploration of identity, time, and the stories we tell our kids.

We start with roots in Ruston, Louisiana, where power-out nights turned into lantern-lit singalongs and a community that refused to let kids fall through the cracks.

Olaolu shares how Alpha Phi Alpha and the Marine Corps shaped his service mindset, why identity cannot be outsourced to a job title, and how a rebellious decision to chart his own path became the first real step toward self-definition.

From there we tackle influence in the age of algorithms: why adults must reclaim mentorship, and how to build proximity and trust before screens do.

Olaolu’s daily framework is refreshingly doable: morning devotion and meditation, physical training, and reading—small, consistent deposits that compound. He reframes time as a non-renewable investment and lays out a simple time budget: track a week honestly, map hours to goals, and realign what doesn’t serve your future.
We dig into his children’s book Crow From The Shadow, an unlikely-hero tale that helps families name their “shadow” and spark brave conversations. He previews Lead Last, his leadership philosophy centered on listening first, pushing from behind, and lifting from beneath.

Faith anchors the toughest chapter of his story: releasing control during his son’s epilepsy journey and finding peace in trust rather than constant striving. We finish with fatherhood truths—moving from performing to being present, letting each child teach you the leader they need, and guarding the words that shape a child’s narrative. If you care about parenting, leadership, faith, and community, this conversation will give you tools you can use today.

If this resonated, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review.
Explore Olaolu’s resources and books at Parent Child Connect, and tell us: what’s one habit you’ll add to your morning tomorrow?

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Looking for a blueprint to build influence that actually changes lives, not just algorithms?

We sit down with author and speaker Jimmy Jean to unpack purpose, presence, and the real work of becoming someone people can trust.

From Brooklyn roots and a single-mom household to a mission fueled by faith, Jimmy shares how community shaped his resilience and why he believes influence is something you earn offline through kindness, consistency, and service long before you count a single like.

We get honest about fatherhood and healing: the fear that surfaced when he learned he’d have a son, the therapy that followed, and the realization that kids need presence more than perfection. Jimmy takes us inside his creative process for The Purpose-Driven Influencer the late-night spark, the roller coaster of self-doubt, and the simple, repeatable habits that carried him across the finish line.

We talk intention over outcomes, letting purpose steer your goals, and why chasing viral moments can leave you empty while a quiet act of service can change someone’s life.

If you’re tired of clout-chasing culture and want a practical, soul-centered path to meaningful impact, this conversation is for you. You’ll hear real stories about encouraging strangers, building daily rituals of stillness and prayer, and keeping “artifacts of purpose” to revisit when doubt creeps in. We don’t just define purpose-driven influence we model it, one small, faithful step at a time.

Listen now, share it with someone who needs a nudge forward, and if the message resonates, subscribe and leave a review.

Your words help more people find conversations that measure influence in meaning, not just in millions.

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What does it mean to be truly useful rather than just busy? In this profound conversation, Dr. B welcomes Mista Yu, a coach and communicator whose journey from the concrete jungle of New York to finding his purpose offers wisdom for anyone seeking meaningful direction in life.

Growing up in Brooklyn without consistent mentors, Mista Yu describes how voracious reading expanded his worldview beyond the limitations others tried to place on him. "When reading, it opens your imagination, it takes you to places your eyes haven't seen yet, but you can see in your mind," he shares, revealing how this practice helped him dream beyond his circumstances.

The conversation takes a powerful turn when Mista Yu discusses his revolutionary approach to relationships. After discovering the concept of "vetting relationships" in his 50s, he began carefully evaluating who deserves access to different areas of his life. Using the biblical tabernacle as a metaphor, he explains how this framework transformed his connections: "People in my outer courts that should be out there with the animals, I had them in my inner court." This boundary-setting wisdom alone could transform how you approach your own relationships.

Without a father figure to model after, Mista Yu shares how he navigated parenthood through personal development. Now celebrating nearly 30 years of marriage with three grown daughters and grandchildren, he attributes his success to continuous growth: "I was trying to learn how to father these three beautiful princesses without having any idea how to be a father in the first place."

Perhaps most compelling is his perspective on finding purpose through spiritual usefulness: "If I'm useful to God, I can't get fired." This framework offers a refreshing alternative to hustle culture, focusing on alignment rather than achievement.

Ready to transform how you approach relationships, purpose, and personal development? Connect with Mista Yu for a free 30-minute strategy call through theycallmemisteryou.buzzsprout.com or find him on social media platforms. Your journey to usefulness begins now.

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What happens when you stop letting your past dictate your future? Paul Howard Flowers Jr. takes us on a powerful journey from his South Side Chicago roots to becoming a successful entrepreneur, podcaster, and multi-time Amazon bestselling author.

Growing up in the Mary Nook neighborhood after losing his father at age three, Paul's path wasn't predestined for success. Yet through a series of intentional choices—joining Toastmasters after receiving brutally honest feedback, embracing personal development, and challenging traditional career expectations—he transformed his life trajectory. His turning point came when he realized: "If you don't put your past in your past, your past is in your present, and whatever is in your present is ultimately creating your future."

Paul shares intimate details about his professional evolution from working as a janitor while in college to discovering opportunities in direct sales that revealed the power of residual income. He discusses his decision to launch his own insurance advisory practice after recognizing that "legal, moral, and ethical should be a part of every transaction." Now partnering with hospitals and municipalities, he helps organizations save millions on healthcare costs while maintaining quality outcomes.

Throughout our conversation, Paul emphasizes the importance of information diet ("Garbage in, garbage out. Greatness in, greatness out."), the transformative power of consistent personal development, and how he's passing these lessons to his children through daily affirmations. His parenting philosophy centers on helping his children develop strong identities: "I am strong, I am smart, I am beautiful, I am kind" – ensuring they define themselves rather than letting others define them.

What makes this episode especially valuable is Paul's transparency about overcoming self-doubt to launch his podcast and write his books. His message resonates with anyone feeling stuck: success doesn't require special advantages, just consistent effort in areas available to everyone—improving communication, developing a positive mindset, and taking action despite fear.

Ready to reprogram your thinking and take control of your future? This conversation might just be the catalyst you need.

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