Burn the Ships

You can’t miss Phillip Blow in the room—one because he’s got biceps the size of propane tanks, but more importantly because he’s the most joy-filled person in every space he walks into. He’s the kind of guy who makes you feel better about the day simply by being himself. It’s incredible. So, when we first sat down for coffee I was fascinated by the amount of tragedy in his story. The loss of his daughter, wrongful incarceration, business failure, and divorce led Phil to a moment backstage at a bodybuilding competition that changed everything. Today, he’s a partner at a tech firm, works with a number of fitness brands, and is an incredible influence in the lives of his family and friends. Today’s Burn the Ships episode is worth your time. Listen close.

Karissa Johnson has more energy in her pinky finger than you have in your entire body, AND she’s my only friend who has visited all seven continents. She’s a world explorer and teacher who has overcome some major challenges to get where she’s at today, which we dive into in this episode. I promise this one will make you want to dream bigger for your life and probably leave you doing cartwheels everywhere you go today.

I sat down with Mary-Michael (and her two cats) recently to talk about her new album, how to courageously create things in public without being afraid of people's opinions, and why cats may be better than dogs. (You heard me right.) Her first single, "Come Too Far", is out NOW on Spotify, and the full album, "Just Hold On", drops later in November. Don't miss it! 

Ike Ubasineke is the Mr. Myagi of Leadership—and got some GOLD to drop on this one. Seriously, this one is maybe our most practical and actionable podcast yet. Ike gives a ton of useful tips and stories about leading courageously, straight from somebody who is practicing it every day. Listen close, grasshopper. 

Roxy Moure attended 27 Paramore concerts before she was given permission to be an official photographer for a show, and I can't figure out if that's creepy or just some Grade-A dedication to her passions. For the purposes of this podcast, we'll go with the second. As a creative and (stupidly talented) photographer in Atlanta, Roxy has worked her way into some incredible spaces by focusing on adding value to other people's lives instead of always pushing her own agenda. It's the kind of thing I think Jesus would do if he were around today. Don't miss today's episode where we talk everything from our thoughts on the new Taylor Swift album to what to do when you fail at your dreams. Don't miss this one. 

Eryn Eddy basically invented the word pivot. Years ago, she was working in a non-profit and decided to pursue music by night. Music turned into painting a few t-shirts for her friends. And painting a few t-shirts turned into founding the multinational lifestyle brand, So Worth Loving. In this episode we laugh our way through a deep conversation on worth, entrepreneurship, writing, and how to be courageous with your story. Try to keep up. 

Lane and Christian Pittman are the kind of guys you have to meet to believe. A few years ago, Lane walked out into the middle of a hurricane with an American flag and whipped his flowing red hair around in the storm for snapchat story. 30 million views later—he's turned that moment of fame into a bunch of incredible opportunities. Christian decided against some more traditional career paths to pursue the dream of becoming a professional musician. We randomly met while they were in Atlanta recording with their metal band, KSICK, and I knew we needed to get them on here. Brace yourself. 

While the rest of us skipped college classes to sleep in a few more hours, Hope Lavine skipped classes to build a new business in another state. That's just how she rolls. In this conversation, Hope tells the incredible stories of moving to Atlanta, working on Say Yes to the Dress, losing her job via a Zoom call, and now building an entirely new bridal brand that is TAKING OFF. This was a good one. 

My brother and sister-in-law are two of the best people I know at using their marriage to build community and love the people around them well. I think that's mostly due to Jessica's cooking abilities, but I guess Matt does something to help too. In this one we dive into using marriage as a platform for loving people like Jesus did, raising the coolest 1.5 year old boy in the world, being courageous in the everyday routines of life, and the ongoing fight that Matt and Jess have over the state of their ceiling fan. 

This podcast was a little inkling of an idea when I met Camilo Buchanan at a coffee shop (remember those?) a few months ago to learn from his own experiences leading a podcast called The Pass Down. We came full circle this week when I got to sit down and have a conversation with Camilo and his WIFE Emily to talk about marriage, their perspective on this moment with racism as an interracial couple, being courageous, and where to find HOPE in the midst of it all. I hope you learn as much from this one as I did. 

Mark Bush has lived 17 lifetimes in the time most people have lived one. He's an Air Force veteran, former Law Enforcement Officer, and current business owner in Atlanta. He's also just a good friend who takes care of his people. Lately, Mark and I have been talking a lot about his experiences as a Black man in America, and what he thinks we need to do about racism amongst law enforcement. He shares all that and more here. Strap in and take notes. We're going on a ride. 

 Gerald claimed 2019 was the "Year of the Jordan 1." Today he told me that 2020 is just the, "Year of Survival." And if that ain't the truth, I don't know what is. Seriously, Gerald is an incredible leader and communicator who knows adversity personally. He's walked through immense challenges and—against all odds—he's in a place today to help others walk through their own. His voice is exactly what we need today. Don't miss this conversation, and make sure to go get his book on June 15!   

If you’re somebody who wants to understand racism in America better, or figure out what to do with the emotions you feel, this one’s for you. We talk about the worldwide protests and riots, having friends across racial and religious lines, why the church needs to be engaged in the fight, why The Avengers is actually a metaphor for racism, and (most important) why you NEED Toni at your next party.

There are people who talk a big game about their dreams, and there are people that go and build them. My parents are the second kind, and have a bunch of insane stories from decades of leadership in education, ministry, entrepreneurship, and marriage. We talk Mom's vision to turnaround a local elementary school, the church that ousted my Dad for inviting a bi-racial couple to church, and how they've sustained 32 years of a healthy marriage. Take a seat for this one. 

In the second installment of Friend-Ships (really people, I need a new name for this) we surprise Clayton with a Hinge phone date. Preston talks about getting engaged. And we all share our experiences navigating the change and challenges two months into quarantine. If nothing else, listen to the moment that Clayton tells the girl she's a real "quaran-cutie." New COVID pickup lines are welcome.

A few years ago Garrett Lobaugh quit a stable job to see if he could make it as a full-time freelance photographer. What happened next was unreal. He ended up working for a ton of really cool companies, and spent the last couple years as THE photographer for Lauren Daigle.When I first moved to Atlanta, everybody told me I HAD TO meet Garrett. Now that we're good friends, I'd say the same to anybody else. He's incredibly wise, an unbelievable photographer, and the local expert on all things Kardashian. This was a fun one. 

Not only is Keely Cartrett a D1 collegiate athlete, she's also grown a Tik Tok following of half-a-million people this year, and is just one of the most FUN people I know. In this epsiode, we talk what it’s like to go viral, whether Katiniss should have chosen Gale or Peeta, women’s equality in sports, and so much more. Fair warning: Keely BROUGHT IT in this conversation. Buckle up.

You may recognize my friend Chidima from the latest Passion Conference album, but her real goal is to travel back in time and become a dancer on Dance Moms. Really. She told me she’s sending her entire paycheck to Elon Musk each month just in hopes he’ll figure out time travel and make the dream come true. In the meantime, she’s chasing a career as a musician and is SO TALENTED.Don’t miss this conversation where she shares the stories behind her top tweets, being a solo artist in the midst of a pandemic, and moving forward even when you’re afraid. 

Today we're starting a NEW SERIES tentatively named Friend-Ships. Get it? Burn the Ships. Friend. Ships.I know it's not great, new names are welcome.Anyway, this will be a weekly conversation with some of the friends I'm quarantined with covering all sorts of topics and stories. Today, we share how we're coping with this mess, our lowest moments of quarantine, anti-sex reality TV, my new fear of birds, the time Katie got Coronavirus, starting new creative ventures, wanting to hug God, and MUCH more. This is by far the most hilarious and random episode yet. 

Jordan Sasser uses more emojis than anybody I know, and is also one of my most talented friends. Therefore, I've determined that people who use the most emojis are the most talented. That's the Sparknotes version of this entire interview. It's just science. You're welcome. If you choose to still listen, good news is Jordan has some incredible stories about being top 24 on American Idol, moving to Costa Rica on a whim, and living courageously as a Father and Husband. I learned SO MUCH in this conversation.

I first met Adria King a few years ago in a communicator workshop—she was supposed to deliver a 30 minute sermon and I was evaluating it. Things got REAL awkward when she finished talking in about 7 minutes flat. I blinked once and it was over. Thankfully, she took that moment in stride and became an incredible speaker in the months to come, and just published her first book! A real redemption story. If this was The Blindside, I was kind of like her Sandra Bullock. Okay not really, I take zero credit. But I have loved learning from Adria over the years. You're going to love her take on overcoming challenges to live courageously today. 

If I had to make a list of people (outside of my family) who have influenced my life the most, Mark Lamb is one of them. In many ways, this interview felt like any other phone call with Mark—meaning he exposed my childhood wounds and made me question the entire direction of my life again. Happens every time. Good thing you're enjoying this from the emotional safety of your headphones. Anyway, here's our conversation about discovering healthy rhythms, true love as courage, and our opinions on the state of Arkansas. 

Blake's over-the-top personality took him from intern to an on-air role with The Bert Show in a couple months. His specialty is working his way into opportunities that other people can only dream of, and today he shares how the heck he does it. We also talk about the time we wrangled a cat together in front of a few thousand teenagers and the time his ex-girlfriend embarrassed him in front of his entire neighborhood. (Probably while listening to that one Carrie Underwood song.) 

Danielle's style of joy is downright infectious. (Can we use that word anymore?) She quit her job to start a social media company this year that has BLOWN UP (in a good way) and created a platform that makes thoughtful design look easy. You'll love her take on clarifying your mission, pursuing racial justice, and being joyfully courageous in the face of a dark world. 

In many ways, this podcast is my attempt at Burning the Ships. And because I believe in the power of long-form conversation inspiring people to be courageous and have fun, I want it to blow up! Instead of pretending otherwise, I’m inviting you into the journey of turning a few amateur recordings from my closet into a successful podcast. Now you’re thinking about my closet. Get out of here. Anyway, here’s how you can help me grow this thing and beat Joe Rogan. (some day)

Guitar Hero world champion and all-around-good-guy, Nigel Wallace, sat down with me to talk creativity, courage, and the status of his DMs. Seriously, Nigel is one of the best people I know and seems to do EVERYTHING creative at once. I love and hate him for it. You’re going to love his story and the message behind his new book, Humanity’s table. Nigel WallaceInstagram: @nigeldariusHumanitystable.comJordan NationsInstagram: @Jordannations_Jordanations.com

Preston and Eric are my roommates, which means they would have been really offended if I didn’t ask them to be the first guests on the new podcast. So here we are. We sat down for an inspiring and hilarious hour last week to talk quitting things, living your purpose, and why you should NEVER poop on a tour bus. You’re going to like what you hear. Eric DeckerYoutube & Instagram: @AirrackMerch: Airrack.shopPreston SummerrowInstagram: @PrestongoesJordan NationsInstagram: @Jordannations_Website: Jordannations.com

Welcome to Burn the Ships—the podcast for dreamers who want to live more courageously and have more fun. Jordannations.comInstagram: @Jordannations_ Theme music: Quittin' Time by Patrick Lee (creative commons)