This is one of the most inspirational comeback stories in professional sports. Today's guest on The Bear Essentials, Aaron Volpatti, was never supposed to play in the NHL. As an average, undersized youth hockey player, Aaron had to fight his way, literally, into competitive hockey. But in the early hours…
Today guest on The Bear Essentials is writer, speaker, facilitator and mentor, Benjamin Smith. As a black child born in 1971, Ben was adopted in Seattle and raised by white parents in a tough neighborhood in East Vancouver. He experienced relentless violence, bullying and racial discrimination. As a way to…
Mike Simpson was born the oldest of two children in Redondo Beach California. At the age of 11, his father's employment with Rockwell International caused his family to relocated to Tehachapi California, where Mike would go on to attend high school and play football for the Tehachapi Warriors. Growing up…
Ciaran Gribbin is a Grammy-nominated songwriter and performer who, in addition to working with world class artists such as Madonna, U2, Paul McCartney, Snow Patrol and Al Pacino, has toured the world as the singer of INXS. Ciaran was born during the Northern Ireland conflict and grew up in The…
I was joined for an upcoming episode of The Bear Essentials Podcast on NGBN TV by Irish Grammy-nominated songwriter and performer Ciaran Gribbin, who has worked with world class artists such as Madonna, U2, Paul McCartney, Snow Patrol and Al Pacino.
Today's guest on The Bear Essentials is former NFL lineman, actor and fitness trainer, Pete Koch. Born on Long Island, NY Pete began playing contact football at the age of seven and didn’t stop for twenty years. Along the way he captained his winning New Hyde Park High School team,…
In this episode I speak with Brian Sachetta, author of the "Get Out of Your Head" book series, a collection of personal development works focused on helping readers overcome various forms of mental illness. The first entry in that series, "Get Out of Your Head: A Toolkit for Living with…
I've been vapor for years; a ghost trapped in my fears. When they see through me; only you can see me. These lyrics are from the powerful new single, Vapor, by today's guest, Toby Rand. Toby Rand is an Australian singer best known for being lead singer of rock band…
In this episode I speak with Logan Henry, a husband, family man, food lover, author and high-performance fanatic. After many years of poor health choices started taking their toll on him, he decided to make a massive change and put an end to his low energy, mood, and confidence for…
What started as a mission of thirteen friends to save one Afghan interpreter quickly turned into one of the largest civilian rescue operations in history. Today's guest on The Bear Essentials is director, Nick Palmisciano. His gripping documentary, Send Me, is the account of twelve Veterans and one spouse of…
Imagine you just summited to the highest peak in the world, alone. One minute you are standing atop Mount Everest taking it all in, the next minute, you are experiencing snow blindness. What would you do? Today's guest on The Bear Essentials, former Navy rescue swimmer Brian Dickinson, was roughly…
Unfortunately, there is a lot of evil in this world and we need brave individuals who are willing to risk their lives to protect those who can't protect themselves. Today's guest on The Bear Essentials, Eric McCants, is one of those special individuals. Eric is currently an investigative sergeant at…
Remi Adeleke is former Navy SEAL, author, actor and filmmaker. His acting credits include the films 6 Underground, Transformers: The Last Knight, and Ambulance. Remi was also featured on the TV series SEAL Team and the Amazon Prime original series, The Terminal List. Remi has written and directed a very…
You can’t be brave if you’re not afraid. Today’s guest on The Bear Essentials, Tony Blauer, is an expert in fear management, self-defense and is a mindset educator. Coach Tony Blauer has been in the martial art, self-defense, defensive tactics, and combatives industry for over four decades. He is one…
There is an old saying, it is better to give than to receive. Today’s guest on The Bear Essentials is Bob Burg, coauthor of The Go-Giver, a Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek Bestseller that has sold over a million copies. Since its release it has consistently stayed in the Top…
Douglas J. Woods Sr. has been providing life insurance & Tax-advantaged retirement solutions to clients in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and 8 other additional states. He believes that putting his clients first and maintaining a high level of professionalism on their behalf is what makes clients eager to refer him to…
The birth of your child, this day is field with so much joy as you imagine all the hopes and dreams of your baby boy or girl. Now fast forward a few years as something seems off, your child isn't developing accordingly and they tell you that the life that…
War isn’t uncommon for a two-star General in the US Army, but when the war is mental illness, the rules of engagement are different. Today’s guest on The Bear Essentials, Gregg Martin is a retired US Army General who suffers from bipolar disorder. Gregg F. Martin, PhD, Major General, US…
War isn’t uncommon for a two-star General in the US Army, but when the war is mental illness, the rules of engagement are different. Today’s guest on The Bear Essentials, Gregg Martin is a retired US Army General who suffers from bipolar disorder. Gregg F. Martin, PhD, Major General, US…
Remember when you were an athlete, how you looked, how you felt and the confidence that came along with it. Today’s guest on The Bear Essentials, Javen Palmer was a former world class athlete with the Crystal Palace football club. He then started working in the corporate world & had…
Imagine getting to work and you get a call from the FBI to return home immediately as they have a warrant for your arrest. Today’s guest on The Bear Essentials, Craig Stanland, lived this experience. In 2012, Craig Stanland made a choice that would cost him everything. After exploiting the…
Did you know that you can lose up to 8% of your muscle mass per decade starting in your 30s. Today’s guest on The Bear Essentials, Bill Vogel joins us to discuss living longer and still kicking ass while we age. After experiencing his own “rock bottom” Bill became interested…
Imagine if the choices you made had you facing a potential life sentence in prison. Today’s guest on The Bear Essentials, Ed Hennings, was sentenced to a 40-year prison sentence. After serving 20 years, he took his experience and used it to fortify his mind and will. Determining that when…
Today’s leaders have a responsibility to inspire the leaders of tomorrow. On this episode of The Bear Essentials, we are joined by retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Oak McCulloch who has lived his life by this motto. Throughout his decorated 23-year career in the United States Army and various civilian…
