Modeling Empowered Narratives (M.E.N)

This week we sat down with renowned sports reporter, Georgia Chambers, to speak about her journey from taking an early interest in journalism to becoming a staple in the sports media scene in Atlanta. In the interview, Georgia speaks to her influences in media, how she navigates being a woman reporter in the business, winning the prestigious Emmy-Award, and some of her most memorable moments on the sidelines!

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Going to against grain will always make you question things. Being from Small Town Missouri Faith Miller always felt she was different from the rest and never understood why. But the one place she always felt herself was diving deep in her singing and songwriting. In this episode she talks about her motivation to pursue a career in music, Building a brand she takes pride in, and the goals she has in place for herself. Making it in the music industry is no easy road but with the help of her producer/manager Ashley Booker she's ready to take it head on!

Jeremi Barnes, aka “The Young Ref,” is a Kansas City native whose viral, comedic videos while refereeing has earned him a massive following on Instagram and TikTok. In this episode, he shares his journey from his early days in officiating to creating engaging content that resonates with sports fans, including highlights from the Under Armour All-American football game. And you know we had to talk about the Kansas City Chiefs cheating allegations - blending humor with a critical look at one of the most talked-about topics in sports officiating today!#BeTheWave

We kick off our inaugural season of the podcast interviewing one of the most respected & highly acclaimed NBA skills coaches in the game - Mr. Drew Hanlen. Drew sits down with the cast to discuss his early struggles as an up-and-coming trainer, life lessons from mentors, and how he came to be the go-to trainer for NBA superstars like Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Bradley Beal, Tyrese Maxey + many more. Drew also discusses the process behind creating his new self-help ‘Stop Bullshitting Yourself,' which is now available for purchase on Amazon & bookstores nationwide!

Jordan and Georgia sit down to discuss the Eagles dominating the Chiefs in one-sided Super Bowl, with Jalen Hurts earning MVP honors - where does he now rank among young QBs? Plus, a breakdown of Kendrick Lamar's halftime performance - did “Not Like Us” steal the show? And where does Mahomes case for being the GOAT lie with another blowout loss on football's biggest stage?

Mary joins our podcast as the first female guests EVER ON OUR PLATFORM! She shares her career path and what got her into tax accounting. She gives advice on finding a career path and working in corporate. She offers perspective on creating career goals and having aspirations of starting a family.

Arica Harris thinks back on her journey to the top and gives advice on how she found success in her field by being herself and finding help from others.

Jordan gets the opportunity to interview one of his mentors!

Morgan joins our podcast as a recent graduate with her bachelors in psychology. After going through some of her accolades we discuss advice for people just starting off in their career. The topic of gender roles and stereotypes come up where there's a discussion of what we can do as a society to elevate each other and breakdown old stigmas between men and women. The conversation continues with discussing how psychology can elevate society in the future.

It couldn't be a season about separation and elevation from the crowd without having a champion on the pod. A 2x national champion at that - Dalys Beanum. In this interview, Dalys discusses all the components that led up to him becoming a champion. Dalys explains his origins - his upbringing in Omaha, his recruitment process, and the moment that he believed that he could accomplish great things at the next level. The conversation shifts to talking ball; specifically, the intricacies of the cornerback position and the process, standards, and difficulties that goes into repeating as National Champions. The episode concludes with the ‘Jordan Flowers' Segment and Dalys's standard/goals going into next season.

This week we sit down with a special guest Brook Bolles, former All-American QB at Central Missouri, and talk everything that goes into becoming a successful college athlete. The pod starts with best memories from his times at UCM- including a funny Coach Mac (OC/QB Coach) story. The conversations shifts to Brook discussing how his passion for football came about and cultivating the “it” factor at the quarterback position, including his field vision. The episode concludes with Brook taking us through the process of coming back from injury and putting together an All-American season and his advice to young, up and coming quarterbacks.

A Master Helmsman/ Content Creator/ Author walked into the MEN Space today. Anthony Hyland is not only decorated in his life with many accomplishments but also is an outstanding speaker on the mic. He delivers an outstanding message to all people on elevating your life and handling trials and tribulations. Part 2 starts off with a bang! Jordan asks Anthony about his therapy sessions. Anthony expresses the upside of therapy and how it saved his life. Starting sessions as a child and restarting it as an adult he expresses the importance of having good mental health. We continue with Anthony discussing his love for poetry and how he converted that into Speaking opportunities. He gives some gems on how to convert a skill like that into a business. Jacob asks Anthony about his future goals in the next 5-10 years. Anthony states his goal of speaking at a college commencement and participating in a national speaking competition!

A Master Helmsman/ Content Creator/ Author walked into the MEN Space today. Anthony Hyland is not only decorated in his life with many accomplishments but also is an outstanding speaker on the mic. He delivers an outstanding message to all people on elevating your life and handling trials and tribulations. The episode starts with Jacob and Jordan thanking our supporters for an amazing Season 3. The segment starts with Jacob asking Anthony about his book “The Purpose of Power”. Having read the book, Jacob asks him some interesting questions on the ideology of some of his topics discussed in the book. A majority of this episode discusses picking the right friends and how as you evolve and elevate your friends around you should also. Part 1 ends with Anthony giving his perspective on parenting and good values to instill into children.

Just the OG 3 (BJ back soon) for this deep dive into the narratives surrounding Coach Prime and the University of Colorado football team. We assess their on the field play including their reasons for concern and bright spots moving forward. The conversation then shifts to Coach Prime and his polarizing personality; has he overdone it or just been subjected to the scrutiny of disrupting the status quo? The episodes ends with a conversation about black people being conditioned to “dim their lights” and possessing humility vs. “being humble.”

A former D1 Golfer and OG in the shoe reselling business, Marcus Polk, joins Trey and Jordan for a more than entertaining episode in the Season of Separation lineup. Jordan and Marcus start the episode with memories from their basketball playing days at Omaha Central - including the infamous concussion story. The conversation shifts to entrepreneurship - the origins of MarKicks, importance of building your brand, and learning from past business mishaps. The “Back 9” of the interview focuses on Marcus's passion for golf including how he got into the game, his time as an athlete at Alabama A&M, and relationships formed that helped grow his business. And of course, we end on our top sneaker grails!

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Interview with "mayor of STL" Jaredd "Swoosh" Williams

It's not everyday that you get to interview the CEO of your employer - for Jordan, this interview was a true honor. Joined by Jacob, the guys discuss what it are the elements needed to become a leader of people. The interview begins with Kenny speaking about the lessons learned from his upbringing, skills needed to ascend up the ‘corporate ladder,' & the importance of boundaries in a leadership position. The interview continues to progress into the guys speaking about “shattering glass ceilings,” the process of making difficult business decisions, & Kenny's advice to young professionals trying to find their way in their professions.

Season of Separation continues to pick up steam as Jordan sits down with Former Creighton & New Ohio University Guard, Shereef Mitchell. The guys discuss Reef's upbringing in North Omaha, the legacies left behind by his late grandmother & friend Ramsey, and following in the basketball “footsteps” of his father. The conversation moves into Reef's time at Creighton - the pressure of playing in his hometown, injuries, accepting of a new role on the team, & his “Welcome to College Basketball” moment. The episode concludes with Reef giving his ‘Omaha Starting 5' [Basketball] and what it will take for him to ‘separate' himself next season at Ohio!

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Couldn't have had a better guest to kick off Season 3- “Season of Separation” than former Tulane University star WR, Shae Wyatt. Shae takes the guys through his upbringing, including his roots in the South and the origins of his Christian faith. The guys shift the conversation to football talk- Shae's All-American career at Central Missouri, beating USC and Heisman Trophy Winner Caleb Williams in the Cotton Bowl, and rookie minicamp with the San Francisco 49ers. The episode concludes with the “Jordan's Flowers” segment and Shae speaking to the unwavering support that he receives from his family!

It's been a long time coming. But the guys are back and geared up to bring the highly anticipated Season 3: “Season of Separation.” In this preview show, Jordan and Jacob are in the studio discussing all things regarding the upcoming season - the motivation for this season's theme of ‘separating yourself,' what they are most excited about, and how this season's format differentiates from our past seasons! The guys conclude the episode with answering a few thoughtful questions from listeners of the podcast.

Hale and Jordan came together to make another banger - discussing all things related to the NFL draft, pros & cons of the Artificial Intelligence (AI), and finding the balance between pursuing your dreams and understanding your reality. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In light of those who struggle with mental health illnesses, have been impacted by suicide/suicidal thoughts, and or just find yourself struggling with every day life in general - we at M.E.N. The Podcast hear, feel, and understand you! Let's continue to love one another and fight the good fight!

In this sports edition of the ‘Going With The Flow' series, the guys deliver another banger as they discuss the upcoming NBA playoffs and “way too early” predictions for the 2023-24 NFL season! What teams will power through their conferences to face one another in the NBA Finals? Warriors? Or will a new team take the crown as world champions? Plus the cast gives their predictions on the winners of each division in the NFL, and speak on the best sports atmospheres that they've experienced!

The suspicious death of the founder of cash app, the ongoing school shooting epidemic in the U.S. and Grade A trash talk in the Women's Final 4.

The crew is back in action and giving their takes on news & events that have made the headlines here recently. What lead up to that catastrophic derailment of those train cars in Ohio? Was this incident just a part of ongoing systemic failures or an isolated incident? What about that abysmal performances put on during the NBA All-Star Weekend - can it be fixed or is this event ‘cooked'? And lastly, what went into (and more importantly, why) the decision behind banning A.P. African American studies in Florida high schools?

The whole crew is in on this one to start off this new series with a bang! And the topic of discussion: Key Glock's response to Jordan's tweet. The guys weigh in on how they saw the events of that fateful Thursday play out. Does Jordan have any regrets or does he double down? Plus each member give their reactions to Glock's new album, ‘Glockoma 2.'

In this mini episode, we are joined by our co-hosts Jacob and BJ. After catching up on what's new with us we start the episode discussing our thoughts on relationships. It's an open discussion on our mindset in relationships and what we feel is important to a successful relationship. Jacob mentions BJ's parent's relationship and how important trust and communication can be. The guys further go into detail on some of the good why's and bad why's of pursuing a relationship. Both come to the common ground that relationships can be very good or very bad depending on your reason and your mental health. Moving to the next topic the 2 discuss being single, especially around Valentine's Day. Jacob touches on avoiding jealousy and having a good mindset on self-reflection during this time. Bj is amazed by the discussion and is in favor of Jacob's advice. Bj and Jacob finish the episode by discussing the disparity between the genders and giving their opinion on the issue.

Jordan rejoins the rest of the crew in St. Louis, for their first on-camera episode shot as a collective group, to recap Season 2- ‘Season of Self-Awareness.'In this episode, the guys discuss some of the obstacles that they faced during the course of the season; in particular, the new set of challenges that come with moving to recording remotely. Nonetheless, it was a lot of good that came from this season and the guys speak to how these positives will continue to propel the podcast forward. The episode concludes with each member answering a question from a follower of the podcast & allude to a few things that could be happening in the near future!

All members of M.E.N are back together for the Season 2 Finale to speak on the concept of “Healing for Men.” Jordan starts off the episode by getting feedback from the group on what seems to hold men back from starting the healing journey. The conversation pushes forward from there and concepts such as: the ‘stages of grief,' addressing friends who've experienced trauma, and lesson learned from lost loved ones. The boys then go into sharing a real moment of vulnerability as they discuss co-dependency and how it's displayed by men. To conclude the episode and season, each member offers words of encouragement & empowerment for those who are in the midst of healing from adverse circumstances and situations!

No, this isn't an episode on financial investment. It's an episode on investing in yourself and how to use your life experiences to propel you forward in your journey. The dialogue starts off with the guys elaborating on what they learned from working at some of their earlier jobs that they still utilize today. The conversation moves on and the crew goes on to give their takes on how to operate during ‘idle' time in your life. The episode is concluded by each of the guys speaking on their sources of inspiration that motivates them to continue their pursuit of excellence. MarKicks: Get at Marcus for all of your exclusive shoe needs and information on upcoming drops. Link and Social Media Info is below: Website Link: https://www.markicks.com/Social Media Handle - Instagram:@markicksvault (Business Page)

The guys are back together for another Season 2 episode - this time, discussing the all-important concept of ‘protecting your peace.' During the initial dialogue, the crew gives their testimony on what was the most challenging thing for them to gain their freedom (or break away) from. The conversation moves along as the guys speak on ‘FOMO' (fear of missing out), willingness to be a sense of peace for others, and the human elements that keep us from acquiring the feeling of serenity. The back half of the episode is full of productive dialogue between the co-hosts address the concept of acceptance and emotional boundaries. The episodes ends on a lighter note, as each of the co-hosts reveal a guilty pleasure of theirs.

In this introduction video, our founder Jordan goes into the history and details of how Modeling Empowered Narratives the Podcast came to fruition. From how the acronym was assembled to the idea of a podcast being made on a dorm couch in Quincy, Illinois. From huddling around one, omnidirectional microphone to record Season 1 to expanding to YouTube for Season 2. One thing has been constant for us in all of it: our commitment to growth & what goes into brining that about!

Season 2 continues to roll along as the cast gets into the subject of “Avoiding Self-Sabotage”. And, for the first time, BJ makes his on-camera debut with Jordan & Jacob! To start the episode, the boys give their takes on how self-sabotage is manifested and some of the more identifiable characteristics/behaviors associated with it [self-sabotage]. The conversation moves forward and the guys briefly touch on social media's role in self-sabotaging, as well as educating ourselves on some of the most common ‘Defense Mechanisms' [a psychological concept] we use as humans. The cast spends the last half of the episode giving their perspectives through ideas on how to go about changing thought/thought patterns to get ourselves back on track - and ultimately, how to turn these thoughts into behaviors as we strive to “get out of our own way.”

The guys return to their mics for this week's episode to speak on intrinsic motivation. Before they get into deep dialogue on intrinsic motivation, the casts highlights moments in their lives where they were extrinsically motivated to attain a certain goal. During this segment, the cast speaks to the pros & cons of extrinsic motivation and the role that pop culture and sports plays in ‘romanticizing' it. The conversation eventually shifts into speaking about intrinsic motivation - it's importance in the process of achieving an objective. The episode concludes with each member sharing their takes on some key elements that are essential when trying to build intrinsic motivation in your life!

In their on-camera debut together, the group reunites to enter into a discourse centered around biases and how they show up in our lives. Following the sequence of the co-host giving takes on their initial thoughts on the topic, the conversation shifts into how biases can affect the decision making process & perspective. After briefly touching base on a few pros & cons from holding a bias, each member speaks to a time in which a preconceived notion that they held towards a group was challenged. The episode ends with an ‘advice giving' segment on what are some ways in which we can keep our biases in check!

In this follow up to the ‘Supporting Your Friends' mini-episode, Jordan & Jacob speak to what are their definitions & criteria of a friend. The conversation then moves into discussing the best ways to go about supporting friends emotionally- the do's and don'ts. While on the subject of emotionality, Jordan & Jacob shift into pondering how & why animosity and hate can develop within friendships. The guys close out the episode by speaking to the importance of supporting all of your friends in their individual endeavors - with the same energy and interest across the board.

Back by popular demand! In this mini episode, Trey and Jacob discuss the reason for the podcast's hiatus and hint at some future content. Trey and Jacob break the ice by telling stories of their recent vacation. Jacob introduces the topic and discusses the ‘goal' of supporting friends and why you should do it. After a brief dialogue they discuss techniques to support a sad friend. Trey and Jacob give their perspectives on how to approach a situation like that. They transition into discussing techniques to support a lazy/ unmotivated friend. Jacob comes clean and talks about his struggle with properly supporting his unmotivated friends in his life. Trey offers his perspective and they both talk of better solutions to be more effective. Their final sub-topic discusses how to support more successful friends.

Jordan returns to the podcast and addresses his hiatus away from the mic. He then moves into the topic at hand: ‘Working On Life's Terms,' in which he elaborates on his motivation to do a dialogue on this particular subject. After speaking to his motivation and defining the phrase, Jordan moves the conversation along and gets into the dynamic of dealing with the unknowns within life. Jordan then gives personal testimony as to how the unknown affected his life in major ways; and ultimately how he went about navigating them. He then concludes the monologue by giving three key concepts that we should understand and embrace throughout our individual life journeys.

In this brand new “teaser” co host Jacob Hale and BJ Wilson discuss the mindset and misconception of dieting. The teaser starts with Jacob explaining the concept of this brand new mini series as well as shoutout the sponsor Markicks. The two first describe in their own words what dieting means to them and continue with the misconceptions of dieting. While talking about the misconceptions both BJ and Jacob give great insight on the proper way to view diets. They continue by dropping gems on how to lead a successful diet that will translate to a successful life. The teaser ends with both of them giving their personal stories of dieting and some of the trials they went through to find what works for them while achieving their goals.

In this follow up episode to the season premiere, the guys are back together to discuss the concept of “perception vs. reality,” regarding our thoughts about others, as well as thoughts about ourselves. The dialogue starts with the members giving their initial thoughts on the topics; it is during this same time they reaffirm the importance of seeking to be well within yourself-the foundational piece for growth and security,. The dialogue continues to progress as the co-hosts dive into the difficulties of trying to manage others' perceptions & perspectives; can we hear other perceptions with openness, while also not putting too much value into them? The episode concludes with them giving individual input as how to work on ‘life's (and or societal) terms', in relation to the integration of our whole, authentic selves.

The Boys Are Back In Town! In the intro episode to Season 2, the guys get back into form as they start off by giving updates on their personal lives and what has gone on during hiatus. The conversation shifts along as each member gives their thoughts, feelings and reflections regarding Season 1. The guys then move into elaborating on the overall concept/theme for Season 2: “Summer of Self-Awareness”;the how and why for it, in particular. The episode concludes with the guys giving brief takes on a few current world issues - including employment, inflation and the war that is continuing to go in Ukraine.

In the season finale, the crew enters into dialogue on a concept that has had a longstanding, negative effect on the black community - associating intelligence with race. Their individual upbringings and different perspectives become evident early on in the conversation; particularly as they discuss internal and external factors that has led to the current situation. The discussion progresses as the crew give their thoughts on "code switching," their early perceptions of intelligence growing up, and how to break the white-"proper" stigma. The conversation shifts to looking internally, as a [black] community, for identifying and eradicating our own impediments - for the greater good of our people. As the crew concludes the episode, they acknowledge external factors and how to continue progression towards equity, in unison with other races and ethic groups - in a manner that is genuine and impactful.

The return of Hale! The whole crew is back together for this episode as they discuss the steps that go into self-growth and working towards self-actualization. The crew start off the episode by introducing the initial phases in the self-growth process: recognizing and identifying the change(s) that are needed. The conversation moves along to the middle phases, admittance and acceptance. The crew offers their input on why these phases are the biggest "hurdles" to clear in the advancement towards self-actualization. The dialogue then shifts to discussing the active "work" that is imperative for successfully navigating through each phase. The episode concludes with the each member sharing a personal story of self-growth and self-love THE most vulnerable moments that they have experienced with one another to this point

In this episode, co-hosts Jordan and Trey have a discussion on two universal phenomena: faith & destiny. The crew starts off the discussion by defining "faith" & "destiny" in their own words, as it applies to their individual lives. BJ makes his podcast debut in light of Jacob's absence from this episode (unforeseen work obligations). The conversation shifts to the question: “Have we become too reliant?”, regarding our belief/usage of the two phenomena. The crew concludes the episode by giving their personal testimony as to the role that faith has played in their lives - as both of beacon of hope for the future and a potential hindrance in the ability to control our destiny.

In this follow up episode, the crew tackles a discussion centered around athletes and their individual sense of identity and self worth. The crew starts off discussing the initial reaction of the release of the first episode. Trey redeems himself by giving praise to female inventors while the entire crew supports him and adds their support for women empowerment. The conversation moves along, as each host offers their input on how society, our respective communities, and parenting has had a ‘hand' in creating this crisis. The crew goes on to offer solutions and practices that can be done at each level - including, giving some advice to both current and former athletes who may have or are in the midst of this identity crisis.

In this pilot episode of the podcast, co-hosts Jordan, Trey, and Jacob dive into what has been the state of mental health for men throughout history. As they take a look into the past, a more clearer picture gets painted as to how the current state of men's mental health came to be. It is during these discussions of the past & presents, that these three use as a foundational piece for possible solutions to reoccurring problems and how to continue to move forward in the mission of creating a safe space for men within society.