Seesaw Sessions with Brian Fink

Emily Vaughn is a rising pop star who has an incredible energy about her. But for three years, while she was telling people positive things to do through her songs, she was living in a physically and mentally abusive relationship. And even prior to that, Emily dealt with an abusive professional relationship when she first broke into the music industry. On this episode, Emily shares what gave her the strength to finally get out of both abusive situations, and what advice she would have for anyone who feels like they can't escape an abusive relationship they're in.

Clint Lorance was a United States Army platoon leader, whose one decision during a mission in Afghanistan got him court-martialed and sentenced to 20 years in prison. On this episode, Clint shares how he dealt with going from a soldier to a prisoner overnight. He also discusses how he deals with being back in civilian life, what great advice he would have for people interested in enlisting, and other adversity he's overcome from his book "Stolen Honor".

Gia Koka, Karra, and Lena Leon have accomplished incredible success as award-winning singers, songwriters, & producers. But it hasn't been easy, especially as women in the music business. On this episode, the three share their stories of overcoming adversity in an industry that seems to be tilted against them, what they feel needs to change, and what advice they would have for other aspiring singer/songwriters.

Sara Evans may be one of the most-played female artists at Country radio, with eight studio albums and award after award, but she's had to learn to make the most of every day after living through three near-death experiences. On this episode, Sara shares her incredible outlook on life after overcoming a ton of adversity, plus shares why her new memoir "Born To Fly" is a must-read.

Justin K. Sheffield has served on more than a thousand combat operations as a member of the elite Seal Team Six. He was also the team leader who planned a raid and jump in Somalia, and protected an American citizen during her rescue. In his amazing book "MOB VI", he takes us along on some of his missions in Afghanistan & Iraq. But when he was medically retired from service is when the real battle began. On this episode, Senior Chief Sheffield shares how he overcame not only the grueling obstacles of training and war, but also his torturous fight after with PTSD and depression.

SOFI TUKKER is a multiple platinum singer/songwriter/DJ/producer duo that has been nominated for two GRAMMYs. Their song "House Arrest" just went #1 on the dance charts. But the group almost didn't even exist, as Tucker was on course to becoming a professional basketball player! On this episode, Tucker shares how overcoming a severe illness that benched his basketball dreams put him on another path in life. While Sophie, dealing with foot injuries and the possibility of never being able to walk again, turned the experience into a #1 song!

Back in 2011, Lauren Scruggs Kennedy faced a horrific near-death accident, where she was hit by a spinning airplane propeller and lost her left hand and left eye. On this episode, Lauren tells us what got her through her long road to recovery, and what advice she would have for anyone also dealing with a tough recovery. She also shares about a brand new free social platform called "FaithSocial", which allows the worldwide Christian community to connect during this pandemic.

One of the biggest adversities to get over, literally, is a battle with weight. Jim DiBattista was able to overcome it when he lost 140+ pounds to win last season of "The Biggest Loser" on USA Network. On this episode, Jim shares what finally made him realize he had to do something about his weight. Plus how he was able to overcome his mind that allowed him to get to 400 pounds, and what advice he would have for anyone in the battle with being overweight right now.

Havener is a respiratory therapist working with patients that have tested positive for COVID-19. As we spotlight another incredible healthcare hero, Havener shares why she decided to get into the field, what made her almost give up, and what it's been like working on the front line of this pandemic.

Meghan is beyond a superhero! Not only is she on the frontlines being an infectious disease doctor, but she is now fighting for her own life. On this episode honoring another healthcare hero, Meghan shares what it was like for her in the beginning of the pandemic, trying to understand everything with little information, and how she is now managing having been diagnosed with breast cancer.

On this first episode honoring our healthcare heroes, Kayleigh shares her story of how she got into nursing, what has been most rewarding for her, and why she couldn't let her fears of the Covid pandemic slow her down.

March 23rd, Rhiannon started feeling sick with what she thought was just allergies. But the normal runny nose and cough lead to body aches, chills, bad fever, and inability to catch her breath. When she went to urgent care, they didn't have any tests available, but told her they were confident she had COVID-19. On this episode, Rhiannon shares what she experienced through the entire process, and how she recovered from the symptoms of the virus.

Karissa Kouchis is Tony Robbins' top female trainer & performance strategist, and is normally traveling the country 354 days out of the year speaking to teams about mindset & success habits. On this quarantined episode, KK shares what things you should focus on to navigate through times of stress. Plus why having a morning routine is so important right now, and what steps you can take to stay positive through these difficult times.

Ally Brooke has three songs out right now, one of them in the Top 10 of the dance charts with Afrojack. And she was three shows into her first ever headlining tour, when she had to postpone the entire thing because of the pandemic. On this quarantined episode, Ally shares what it was like leading up to the decision and how she dealt with it. Plus which celeb she would like to be quarantined with, what classic movie she surprisingly had never seen before, and she also shares about being born premature.

As important as it is to remember that we are all in this together, I thought it would also be great to get some advice from an expert on working from home. On this quarantined episode, Dr. Tracey Wilen, author of the blog "Working From Home; The New Normal", gives very insightful tips on making it through the quarantine without going stir crazy, how to keep a positive attitude during all of this, and how to successfully work from home while staying motivated.

Afrojack is one of the biggest DJ/Producers in the music industry, normally playing main stages at festivals all over the world. But right now, he's just like all of us; quarantined. On this episode, Afrojack shares his advice on what we should all be doing in this moment. Plus what he's doing to stay busy at home, and why the thought of making music right now actually depresses him a little.

Pop star Katy Tiz shares how her quarantine is going in London, what she's doing to stay active, and why she's really inspired to write music right now. Plus how she is overcoming a sickness that has sidelined her life and career for 18 months!

Over 20 years ago, Darude released the dance song "Sandstorm". If you've been to any sporting event and been hyped up, you know the song... if it doesn't ring a bell, YouTube it, I promise you know it. No one could have ever imagined that 20 years later, it would be used to unify a country during the Coronavirus pandemic. On another quarantined episode, Darude shares how people in Finland are using his song to comfort them. Plus what his quarantine has been like, and what message he would have for everyone.

On another quarantined episode, Lorne Padman (VP, Dim Mak) shares what's been getting him & his girlfriend through the lockdown in LA, Maykel Piron (CEO, Armada Music) updates us on what's going on in The Netherlands, and pop star Casey Baer talks about how the pandemic has affected her.

We're all in this war against the Coronavirus together, and this is some of the hardest adversity we've ever faced in our lifetime. On this episode, Brian Fink speaks with people under quarantine in Florida, Texas, and New York to get ideas on what they're doing to stay sane. Plus what they're binging, and what the first thing is they're gonna do when this has all passed. Hear from Shannon Gibson from iHeartMedia Tampa, Chad Cisneros from Tritonal, and John Suraci from Total Smash!

Gareth Emery is one of the most prolific trance DJ/producers, having been in the music business for over 15 years with hundreds of songs to his credit. But after one of his first songs blew up, he couldn't reproduce the success for years, and almost gave up entirely! On this episode, Gareth shares who he blames for his lack of success during that time, what got him through the lows, and what snapped him out of his lull to get back on his road to success.

Mark Divine is a former Navy SEAL, a very successful entrepreneur, and a best selling author. But when he first went into Navy SEAL recruitment office, they told him he should probably find another career. On this episode, Mark shares how he overcame being shoved aside, and turned it into a very successful 20 year career of active duty. Plus, why he believes you have to fail to succeed, his keys to being a successful leader, and he discusses his new book "Staring Down The Wolf".

KANDY has been producing music for almost ten years. He's even remixed for Selena Gomez, and had songs in the Top 10 on the Billboard charts. But when he first started learning how to produce, he lost a lot of friendships. And a few years ago, he made a life-changing decision: to come out. On this episode, KANDY shares how he stayed on track when following his dream of making music, why he finally decided to come out, and how his life has been ever since.

Huey Lewis is an 80's music icon. His group Huey Lewis & The News has sold over 40 million albums, won GRAMMYs, and they've been touring for over forty years. But two years ago, Huey got diagnosed with Ménière's Disease, which not only forced them to cancel their tour, but has also taken away his ability to sing. On this episode, Huey shares how he was able to handle the prognosis, and what it was like hitchhiking across Europe for a year with no money.

Jenn Jordan is a very successful morning show co-host in Ohio. But more importantly, she is the mother of Jakob, who has autism. On this episode, Jenn shares how she got through being completely bedridden for 6 months of her pregnancy, how she finally connected with her son, and what the most important thing is that she has learned while raising Jakob. She also shares some great steps towards winning the battle with our minds.

With incredibly emotional lyrics to their songs, Krewella's rise to fame in the EDM world, and their connection to their fanbase, was meteoric. They were being requested and booked for every club and every festival across the world. But in 2014, they faced something they had never faced before: a lawsuit that not only tore apart their group, but their fans as well; and forced everything to come to a screeching halt. On this episode, Yasmine & Jahan share how they found themselves again after feeling like they had lost their self-identity. Plus what it was like for Krewella for 4 years prior to getting signed, and what advice they would have for up-and-coming artists.

Loud Luxury had the biggest dance song in the country with their award-winning smash "Body". But when they first moved to LA to pursue their dream, they were sleeping in the same bed and eating oatmeal every day just to try to make it. On this episode, Joe & Andrew share why they're not really afraid of failing, plus how they overcame years of grinding it out and being told 'no' so many times they actually thought they sucked. And where the name "Loud Luxury" comes from.

Cash Cash is a DJ/Producer trio that plays shows & festivals all over the world. They have gone multi-platinum and have produced songs with huge artists like Pink, Bebe Rexha, Nelly, and John Rzeznik from the Goo Goo Dolls. But in 2008, they were actually an Alt/Punk band doing shows with artists like The All-American Rejects, Boys Like Girls, and Cobra Starship. And in 2010, they were dropped by their label. On this episode, JP from Cash Cash shares how they transitioned from punk to EDM to take their careers to the next level, how they overcame one of the darkest moments of their lives when they lost their record deal, and what song they turned down from Bebe Rexha that ended up being a smash.

Froggy is a co-host on one of the biggest syndicated morning radio shows in the country, The Elvis Duran Show. But ten years ago, he was diagnosed with Acromegaly, a very rare life-threatening disease, and had to undergo brain surgery, colon surgery, and complete jaw reconstruction. On this episode, Froggy shares how he dealt with that, how he was diagnosed after ten years of symptoms, why you should always listen to your body, and why you should never take "No" from doctors when it comes to your health.

George Hess is a very successful music promoter and CEO. His wife Jamie is a very successful social influencer and TV personality. But more importantly, they have a combined 11 years of sobriety. On this episode, George & Jamie share how their addictions began, how they've managed to overcome them, and what advice they would have for others battling addiction.

John Santoro has owned some of the most successful nightclubs in Tampa, Florida. He also founded and runs Sunset Music Festival, one of the biggest music festivals in the south. But in 2007, he decided to end the original incarnation of SMF. And in 2016, he watched as his biggest nightclub burned down. On this episode, John tells us the history of his nightclubs, how he overcame the fire, and what made him start Sunset Events. Plus what advice he would have for anyone that feels like life is hitting them from all sides.

Two stories of overcoming adversity on this episode! First: pop star MAX, who had to have vocal chord surgery last year, couldn't speak for four months, and went into a really dark place. Then Grammy Award winning singer Sam Smith, who was beaten up when they were 19-years-old simply for being themselves. Hear their stories AND the amazing advice they would have for others!

SHAED may have one of the biggest songs in the country with "Trampoline", but they've been grinding for a long time to make it happen, including previously being a part of seven bands. On this episode, Chelsea, Spencer, & Max talk about overcoming being shot down a lot of times, how Chelsea dealt with her performance anxiety, and where they were the first time they heard "Trampoline" on the radio and in the Apple commercial.

Damon Sharpe is a Grammy winning producer, songwriter, and singer, who has sold over 40 million records and even wrote Jennifer Lopez's #1 song "Love Don't Cost A Thing". But when he was starting out, he went from being on a TV show, in a boy band, and on the cover of teen magazines to being unemployed overnight. On this episode, Damon shares how he got thru the dark times of losing literally everything, and how he managed to build himself back up to have the amazing success he's had.

Rocky "Soulman" Johnson held 56 titles in his multi-decade Pro Wrestling career. He was the first African American to win the heavyweight title in Florida, Georgia, Texas, and the Carolinas. He's also father of WWE and movie megastar Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. But it took determination to overcome a lot of adversity at a young age. In this episode, Rocky shares his life stories of how he had to leave home at 14 because of an abusive man his mother was dating, how he hitchhiked across Canada with barely any money and worked a job making 90 cents an hour just to survive, and how he finally ended up training to become the legendary wrestler he was. Thank you for making time for us and sharing your story, Rocky. #RIP

Lainey Wilson was named one of 2019's "Next Women Of Country". She has been touring with Morgan Wallen & Rodney Atkins, and even performed at the sold out C2C Festival in London. But when she first got to Nashville, she lived in a bumper-pull camper trailer outside someone's recording studio for three years! On this episode, Lainey shares what got her through that hard time, what kept her going when it felt like her dream was taking forever, and what advice she would have for someone who might be feeling like giving up.

Nik Wallenda is the King of the High Wire. But in 2017, after a horrific accident that nearly killed his sister and members of his team, he had to face something he'd never faced before: fear on the wire. On this episode, Nik shares how he overcame that fear. Plus how he got over having multiple TV specials cancelled, and how he moved past being told he would never be allowed to walk across Niagara Falls... which he successfully did.

At the top of his game, Phil "CM Punk" Brooks walked away from a very successful career with the WWE. On this episode, he shares what led to his decision, why he feels everyone should be okay with failing, and how he got the starring role in his new movie "Girl On The Third Floor".

Armin van Buuren is one of the biggest and most successful DJs in the world. But there was a time when he felt like he had failed his fans and his family. He shares why he felt that way, how he got through it, and how he truly feels about a lot of the early songs he produced. Armin also confesses the real reason he started his record label Armada, what his biggest failure has been, and, having just released his 7th studio album "Balance", why he even embraces people that aren't fans of his.

This is what the Seesaw Sessions with Brian Fink is all about.